What It's Like Working With Beyoncé, According To Her Choreographer
JaQuel Knight has been doing choreography for Beyoncé for years. Knight landed his breakthrough gig at 18 years old for Beyoncé's iconic video "Single Ladies". His most recent collaboration with her at Coachella left people speechless. We spoke with Knight about how he got into dancing and what it's like working with Beyoncé.
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Following is a transcript of the video:
Emmanuel Ocbazghi: JaQuel Knight is the creative mind many of Beyoncé's iconic performances. He's worked with her for years and he's been dancing his entire life.
Knight: I remember dancing in my grandmother's living room at the age of four and five, copying the things I saw on TV. As I got older I remember copying all the major iconic MTV award shows, performances, Soul Train performances. And then when I was 16 I started my own dance group with my best friend in Atlanta and that was kind of the first serious step towards choreography and creative direction.
Ocbazghi: At just 18, JaQuel landed a gig choreographing one of the best videos of all time...."Single Ladies."
Knight: Frank Gatson Junior, who was choreographer and creative director for Beyoncé and Destiny's Child for, you know, ages. He was actually working on Michelle Williams' debut project. In the process of that he was like, "Wow, you know how to teach, you know how to deal with people, you lead really well, you know, how about you come on board and help choreograph the video with us." And the next week he was like, "Can you come choreograph the entire promo tour?" And then a few months went by, he called and was like, "Yo, I have this Beyoncé record, can you fly to New York tonight?" I was like, "Yo, I just got the call! Going to New York tonight! Yoncé!" Got to New York, the record was Single Ladies. Once getting in the space with her, starting to dance with her, and see how she thinks and move through the project and how she sees things in her head, I was completely blown away.
Ocbazghi: Ten years later, JaQuel and Beyoncé teamed up for yet another iconic performance. They incorporated homecoming moves made popular by Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Knight: You know, that was a thing that Beyoncé kinda woke up with one day and was like, "Yo, let's do this homecoming experience." The research behind it, we went back and watched football games. You watch homecomings, so many probates. We watched fraternities in the club, we watched sororities. We watched a load of just black college experiences and then kind of got in the mindset of creating the right energy. I wish I could count the hours that went into it but we worked for like five to six months on it.
Working with B during the rehearsal process is like, it's kind of a out of body experience. People don't understand the amount of effort. Her work ethic is out of this world. And it's never just one thing. When we're creating choreography it's okay boom, where's wardrobe at? Bring them in so they can see what the choreography is. Okay, boom. Where are we on the stage? Let's make sure lighting knows how to light this. Boom, where are the cameras? Okay let's look at this camera and then do this. We're always thinking of every single piece of the puzzle. So just to see that her mind understands every part of putting a show together and she remembers and she knows all of her marks and she knows all of her lyrics and how she's gonna sing everything. She's really in there getting it, asking questions. You doing it a hundred times. So we spend a lot of time in the dance studio making sure that these things come off feeling like nothing.
Пікірлер: 318
wow, this man needs more recognition 🙌🏼
@nichailajacques7701
2 жыл бұрын
He just got and Beyonce has used him multiple times.
dude hits those beats hard.
This man is a legend
@ninamarquez7087
6 жыл бұрын
Maryam Tina sure is
The magic behind the legend
@thedivasofsupreme6190
6 жыл бұрын
AnimalsAndReports LEGEND? lmao. 😂 She's iconic YES. LEGEND? lololololol
@tdfd3154
6 жыл бұрын
The Serial Be quiet hater.
@mafaldamatos9113
6 жыл бұрын
L-E-G-E-N-D
@kokolatte825
6 жыл бұрын
She's a living legend. And anyway, I don't really understand the arguenent between icon and legend.
@captainamerica6545
6 жыл бұрын
OSKARTGROUCH lmfaooo I love Beyoncé but that made me laugh
They’re both incredible
@washitbyagianttruck9275
6 жыл бұрын
Isaiah Mitchell Your profile picture is triggering me so hard
@stephaniesharleen4078
6 жыл бұрын
fading colours Was Hit By A Giant Truck Named Kpop ye i thought it was a hair
@Sam-ny2bp
6 жыл бұрын
Šhärłĕĕń Uńïčørñ same
@marie-juliennem1228
6 жыл бұрын
Your p.p got me thinking my screen was cracked 😒
@erased4380
6 жыл бұрын
I thought my screen was dirty because of your profile pic 😑💔
*18 YEARS OLD?!* All 2018 graduates, this is where everybody just collectively becomes depressed😂
@DJStellaa
6 жыл бұрын
I’m already too depressed😂🤦🏾♀️
@Itsunclegabby
6 жыл бұрын
Only compare you to you. Keep your heads up, lovlies.
@valentina47734
6 жыл бұрын
Ruth Mekuria Why? You don't know his life path and hidden stuff behind glitter. Love yourselves and you'll achieve more than you think
@ErikaMcQueen89
6 жыл бұрын
Ruth Mekuria the class of 2008 is the best ! Lol
@javionriley8739
6 жыл бұрын
Erika McQueen Yeap 💫💫 OBAMA 08, we started all this progressive change seen throughout in the world/culture today, although there’s a currently slow this to shall pass🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿🙏🏿
Beyonce is such a beautiful intelligent and well mannered women.
His thought process is awesome. His mindset is right in taking inspirations from different choreography from the past which makes the dance inclusive so that everyone can dance with the routine too.
She‘s so underrated. She works so hard, she‘s so talented and she always re-invents herself. Her energy on stage is phenomenal. People who try to downplay her are just losers.
@herenaodessy4649
6 жыл бұрын
Gramos d- did you just say beyonce is underrated
@valeriag3528
6 жыл бұрын
Herena Odessy RIGHT
@suzzyigharo5492
6 жыл бұрын
Underarated what do u mean who doesn't know Beyonce
@wouldyoulikesomesugainthat3173
6 жыл бұрын
Suzzy Igharo no He means like she doesn't her credit where it is due.Like Grammys for her Lemonade masterpiece
@mufasa1794
6 жыл бұрын
Herena Odessy she said wtf she said. 💅🏼
People will see that Beyoncé can do it all but they still be telling me she overrated. Smh.
@blameitoncapitalism
3 жыл бұрын
they jealous af
@rnbxdestinystrinity2785
3 жыл бұрын
@@blameitoncapitalism fr
@JaeBardere
2 жыл бұрын
Hating asses
Khalid is that you?
@foxeshi2293
6 жыл бұрын
CALLMELINA Lmaoo I knooo
@sath6089
6 жыл бұрын
I thought I was alone.
@aiko9659
6 жыл бұрын
Lmaooooo 😂😂😂
@keithwill42
6 жыл бұрын
Omg that’s crazy cuz I thought the same 😂😂😂
@Hobo13
6 жыл бұрын
i clicked on this like :o khalid worked with bey? lol couldst see the full title and the thumbnail tricked meh
Thank you #INSIDER For letting us to know this #Choreographer
I am so happy you did this video because Diana Williams Of BRING IT Recently said and one of her introductions to an award she received that SHE was the influence of Beyoncé Coachella performance. Everybody always Trying to get recognition. So kudos to you for this video
Hey JaQuel!!!! He's one of the best and brightest young choreographers today!!!
Thank you for posting and Mr Knight, you are a truly inspiration!
She pops out TWINS!! And shes rite back to working and touring!! Who else does that?!?! She gotta keep fit i guess😊
God bless you brother! You are amazing. Thank you for sharing.
HE IS A GENIUS
@zozica2187
6 жыл бұрын
Taty wangari agreed!
Awesome 👏🏻
Wow, he was the same age as Ashley (Bey's dancer) in Single Ladies
You are so awesome! Amazing choreographer
@melissathomas2590
6 жыл бұрын
Whitty Hutton *Your profile of Lady Steve and Baby Steve Harvey is HILARIOUS!!!*
This bruh is super talented . Love his choreography.
Woow... Bless your soul
I am free from anxiety and panic attacks without medication. It feels amazing!! ☺☺
Her dances from Coachella are from 2009 too. I hope he's rolling in dough just by him working with her others are going to want him too.
Hard work + talent = 🔥
So awesome
Damn this content is just amazing ❤️
Love it
You are inspirational.
The man behind Beychella👏🏾✨.
Magic man.
Happy for him hard work pays off
When you are an incredible talent with great communication and people skills, you attract the same.
How the hell did she learn the Coachella choreography with 3 kids at home
@thisbishawesome
6 жыл бұрын
Laura Rukop she's got 6 individual nannies 2 for each child who work in shifts... day and night, plus private chef, housekeeper, etc u get it... so she can concentrate on her performance
@rl4441
6 жыл бұрын
Money
@LovingBeautyllc
6 жыл бұрын
She’s a billionaire collectively so there’s that😒😒
@kylejnicholson
6 жыл бұрын
Key words "at home". The kids are at home, and she goes to work all day, her job just happens to be being Beyonce. lol.
@shervonri
6 жыл бұрын
Nannies !!
Shoutout to Clark Atlanta ! ❤️
What words can you say, behind talent their is talent! 18 years old! HONEY YASS!
SO COOL!!!
i got here _5 MINUITS_ after it was made!!!
@TCt83067695
6 жыл бұрын
Animal Chaos t'es français?
@10schizo
6 жыл бұрын
I got here 5 days.. so I’m the winner
Loveeee her Hope I meet the QUEEN one day soon 🙏🏽 I will her I'm MANIFESTING it!
Omfg liiiitttt
Why’s he recently just popped up?
@TerrellAmari
6 жыл бұрын
Possessed he hasn’t you just recently finding out about him lol
@Cbleueyes
6 жыл бұрын
Not everyone needs a camera in their face. He had Beyonce' a private person, when ypur creating content.. YOU stay tight lipped. He had Beyonce, enough said.
@kokolatte825
6 жыл бұрын
Possessed I was thinking the same thing. I think its because Beyonce likes to have credit for everything she does.
@natalies9712
6 жыл бұрын
kokolatte825 you know Beyoncé all through out her career has been sued time and time again for not giving credit to other artists
@mellycintvlacedious5839
6 жыл бұрын
I really thought Frank Gaston did single ladies. So this was finally a video where I learned something new about the team.
THE BEST !!!
Thought it was Khalid for a sec
good video
Wow what a great man
He dances so good 😫😫😫
Yes king ! Slayyyy
Black youth!!you idolize these celebrities but really YOU inspire THEM! They watch you for what’s hot and then regurgitate it. Don’t “bow down” to no one but God. Your voice is so powerful, please use it wisely.
Can you guys please do a video on Studio C. They are a HILARIOUS comedy group 😆😆😆 Seriously... you need to do a video on them
Why theres a clip that kanye west is in!?
I really want him to do a video/tutorial for Everybody Mad. I can do it I just wanna see the originator do it
My drama teacher told me she was Beyonce and her sisters dance teacher when they were kids, apparently they were angels lol.
you go it's nothing wrong with choreography thsts making a career that's successful
I wanna meet the *Queen*
I love you Sir. You gave 👑🐝 her best choreography in my 👀
He makes his moves look cool on a woman ... thats commendable!
Beyonce, the perfectionist
Ahaa!!
This man is a genius
He had me at "out of body experience"
@brandivosmith
6 жыл бұрын
You people who never get on a stage will always take simple things out of terms! Getting on a stage having people scream for you is a different feeling from football to cheerleading acting etc
To dance with him would be an honor.
Black magic 👑🙏❤
He fine asf 👀👀
boom! 😍
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Soul train funk moves brought me up too lol
damn im early for once
Damn He is so fine 😍😍
Hot.
Beyoncé must have a really high IQ! Nobody with an average IQ can do all this!
I love how he's able to dance so femininely
@itsmondli
6 жыл бұрын
dumpster yeah true hey 😍
@thatsoundsaboutright7483
6 жыл бұрын
dumpster n why do u love that this MAN dances so femininely? Why does this bring you joy?
@dumpster9048
6 жыл бұрын
ThatSounds AboutRight because you rarely see male choreographers choreographing dances for girls. Even if they do, they tend to make it a more manly dance. They refuse to do a feminine dance because their masculinity is so fragile like a butterfly. This just means that he's very professional.
@Iconicnotcon
2 жыл бұрын
@@thatsoundsaboutright7483 because every man and women has a feminine and masculine side. It’s called duality and balance. Nature and everything has balance which is light and darknesses and masculine and feminine
@thatsoundsaboutright7483
2 жыл бұрын
@@Iconicnotcon I just bought a dress today, hopes my wife likes it. We trading places tonight y'all 🤪
Super KOOL
Gawd, I wish I would have went to a HBCU.
Heyyyy
dam.
I was expecting some tea...
All my single ladies 😏😏✋✋
@zozica2187
6 жыл бұрын
Miss B put ur handz *up*
Man is a ledgend
Hi insider notice me
xx
the legend behind the legend.
Beyonce is so major it's ridiculous
His better than frank i mean coachella was insane!!!
AAMU!!!
Wow..did I just hear them say 10 years later?....so after single ladies, it took him 10 years to get another gig with the Queen....lol....I hope Beyonce is paying these dancers VERY WELL because she owes them half of her career.
@matthewdoyle1384
6 жыл бұрын
Ghana Mafia no they were just referencing coachella cos that was most recent. You can see there was footage of him with beyonce at the Formation World Tour and he would have done the I Am World Tour as well. I am sure you could google all of what he has done. Altho Beyonce works with many choreographers but she has had some of the same dancers on most things for more than a decade. She seems to keep a very loyal group of dancers, band, back up signers and staff but also gives new people a chance too.
@mufasa1794
6 жыл бұрын
Ghana Mafia duh. Dumbass
@kokolatte825
6 жыл бұрын
Ghana Mafia I thought they worded that weird as well.
@ghanamafia7199
6 жыл бұрын
kokolatte825 yep....that's what I heard too....
@nielsenmakaba5777
6 жыл бұрын
Ghana Mafia ammmm no......he's been working with her since 2008.........he's choreographed everything for her from then alongside Beyoncé's other choreographer Chris Grant........ the only thing he didn't choreograph is Run the world and all the videos from that ERA..... but he's been there for all her tours, videos and Superbowl Performances....... and yes Beyoncé pays well just like every other A-list performer that's why she's had the same dancers for years....her dance Captain has.. been with Bey for 11 years...... Also she doesn't owe anyone half of anything of hers.....
I didnt know Khalid choreographs Beyonce holy fck.
Smh I should shut my thirsty ass, but damn I could get into that one 🤭😍😍
Glad he took inspirational from Britney Spears mtv performances!
Got here as fast as I could.... Typed the comment.... Didn't even skip the ad.... But....I was... I.... was..... not..... FIRST 😢😢😔 Please help he get out of I.C.U. by replying or liking.... R.I.P me... please don't rip me
@vietmanball6439
6 жыл бұрын
Really. .. how did you type this? Zombie boy/girl/trans
@quiescentsoul9186
6 жыл бұрын
R.I.P.
2:30 is when he starts talking about her
Dahm boiii
Early
he can dance better than me tbh
@zozica2187
6 жыл бұрын
Amelia Chi 😂
Beyoncé work with organic people
33 comment😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
He needs to give her new moves
@curlyisconfident
6 жыл бұрын
Kendria Vaughan yeah it’s all very similar
Oh he still works for her? Come back when ur not, n then we will talk.
2
😂😆😁