Blake McGrath

Blake James McGrath (born November 21, 1983) is a Canadian professional dancer, pop singer and choreographer. He was known for being on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2005, and on the MTV reality dance show DanceLife.[1] He has also developed a solo singing career with a debut album Time to Move in 2010.

Blake McGrath
Background information
Birth nameBlake James McGrath
Born (1983-11-21) November 21, 1983
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Occupation(s)Dancer, choreographer, singer, model

Early career

McGrath was born in Mississauga, Ontario.[2][3] His early television appearances include: Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story (1997) playing Stuart Sanger, and the TV show recreation of Goosebumps book "Stay Out of the Basement", in which he played the brother Casey.

In 2015, McGrath was chosen to perform on Michael Jackson's thirtieth anniversary special. In 2006, he performed alongside Paulina Rubio at the 2004 Latin Grammy Awards. Also in 2006 he has an appearance in the documentary Freestyle (with Brian Friedman). He has appeared in Gap campaigns (with Sarah Jessica Parker), and in advertisements for iPod, Jc Penny (which he also choreographed), and Hummer.[2]

He has danced with stars such as Madonna, Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Janet Jackson, Adam Lambert, Ashanti, Destiny's Child, Katy Perry, Craig David, and Jewel.

In addition to his appearances on television shows, McGrath has also appeared in the films Butterbox Babies, Life With Mikey, Chicago, and Rent.[2] He was also featured as a dancer in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody in the episode Commercial Breaks. He was a waiter, and studied at Tiffany Dance Academy in Hamilton Ontario, Deborah Thomson School of Dance in Brampton, Ontario and Joanne Chapman School of Dance in Brampton, Ontario.

He is owner of VIP Dance Events which tours major cities throughout Canada.[1] Lastly, he appeared on the 9/10/13 episode of Dance Moms as a guest choreographer.

Dancing career

In 2005, McGrath participated as a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance. He appeared in the 2007 reality TV show DanceLife produced by Jennifer Lopez. In 2014, he appeared in the Lifetime hit Dance Moms as a guest choreographer for the Candy Apples Dance Center (CADC), the main rival of the Abby Lee Dance Company.

Choreography in So You Think You Can Dance Canada series (2008-2010)

He is the lead choreographer for the audition cities and alternating third judge on So You Think You Can Dance Canada.[1][3] He has had contributions for all three seasons to date of the Canadian series as follows:

Season Week Dancers Style Music
Season 1 (Canada) Week 3 Arassay Reyes
Nico Archambault		 Contemporary "Let Me Leave"—Marc Broussard
Week 4 Kaitlyn Fitzgerald
Izaak Smith		 Jazz Funk "Breakin' Dishes"—Rihanna
Week 5 Top 12 Contemporary "I Surrender"—Celine Dion
Week 7 Lisa Auguste
Nico Archambault		 Jazz Funk "When I Grow Up"—The Pussycat Dolls
Week 8 Lisa Auguste
Miles Faber		 Contemporary "The Face"—RyanDan
Season 2 (Canada) Week 2 Amy Gardner
Vincent Desjardins		 Contemporary "When You Say My Name"—Mario Spinetti
Week 3 Kim Gingras
Emanuel Sandhu		 Jazz Funk "Love Sex Magic"—Ciara feat Justin Timberlake
Week 4 Top 14 Jazz Funk "LoveGame"—Lady Gaga
Week 5 Jayme Rae Dailey
Daniel Dory		 Contemporary "It Must Have Been Love"—Kari Kimmel
Week 8 Jayme Rae Dailey
Emanuel Sandhu		 Jazz Funk "I Gotta Feeling"—The Black Eyed Peas
Season 3 (Canada) Week 2 Kloé Schultz
Jonathan Arsenault		 Jazz "California Gurls"—Katy Perry feat Snoop Dogg
Week 4 Nathalie Heath
Mackenzie Green		 Contemporary "After Afterall"—William Fitzsimmons
Week 5 Nathalie Heath
Jonathan Arsenault		 Jazz "Teenage Dream"—Katy Perry
Week 7 Janick Arseneau
Jeff Mortensen		 Jazz Funk "Come On Girl"—Taio Cruz feat Luciana Caporoso

Musical career
  • Blake started pursuing a music career and released his first single "The Night (Only Place To Go)" on April 27, 2010, on MuchMusic. He presented an award with Girlicious at the 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards on June 20, 2010. His follow-up single was Relax on August 3, 2010, which also won an MMVA award. On November 2, 2010, he released his first studio album Time to Move. It peaked at 39 on the Canadian Album charts. It was later released March 14, 2011, but failed to chart.
  • He released his second studio album entitled "Love Revolution" on September 30, 2013.
  • Blake's EP ‘’I am Blake McGrath was released in 2017 with the lead singles ‘Love Myself’ and  'Harder Than The First Time’.
  • Blake's third studio album ‘’INNERvention’’ was released on September 6, 2019 with the lead singles ‘Dive In The Water’, ‘Innervention’ and ‘Breakthrough’. The album debuted in the top 20 the first week of sales on the Billboard Christian/Gospel album chart.

Personal life

As of 2019, McGrath lives in Los Angeles, California.[2] He attended Cawthra Park Secondary School, School of the Arts and Applewood Heights Secondary School in Mississauga as well as St. Jean de Brebeuf Catholic Secondary School in Hamilton, Ontario.

Discography

Studio albums
Year Album details Peak
CAN US
2010

Time to Move

 39 -
2013

Love Revolution

−


2017 I Am Blake McGrath
  • Release Year: 2017
  • Distributor: Astrokid Format: CD, digital
2019 INNERvention
  • Release Date: September 6, 2019
  • Distributor: Astrokid Format: CD, digital
 19

Tours

Stage Fright Tour (2011)

  • First tour for Blake McGrath's debut studio album "Time To Move"

http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab26/BlastThatBoomBox/blake-mcgrath-2-400x500.jpg "Blake McGrath performing on "So You Think You Can Dance Canada"

Filmography

References
  1. BurlingtonPost.com: A & E: Story: Rising dance star to visit
  2. CTV.ca | Blake McGrath
  3. CTV.ca | Blake Boot Camp
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