Travis Wall

Travis Michael Wall (born September 16, 1987)[1] is an American dancer, instructor, and choreographer specializing in contemporary, and jazz dance styles. He rose to international attention in 2006 as a competitor on the second season of the Fox television show So You Think You Can Dance. As of 2012, he was a choreographer for the show earning Emmy nominations every year from 2011-2019; and winning twice. In 2012, he starred in the Oxygen reality show All The Right Moves, where he, Teddy Forance, Nick Lazzarini and Kyle Robinson launched their own dance company called Shaping Sound.

Travis Wall
Born
Travis Michael Wall

(1987-09-16) September 16, 1987
OccupationDancer, choreographer, instructor
Known forRunner-up on season two of So You Think You Can Dance, and choreographer on the show from 2011-present.
Parent(s)Denise Wall (mother)
RelativesDanny Tidwell (brother)
Tyler Wall
T Scott Ross
Shannon Womble
Websitehttp://www.traviswall.tv

Early life and background

I was born into the studio and all I really know is dance.

- Travis Wall[2]

Wall was born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia.[1] His mother, owner and operator of the eponymous Denise Wall's Dance Energy, recalls putting him in a walker and watching him imitate the dancers.[2] He began dancing at the age of three, training at his mother's studio, and competing in a number of conventions.[3][4]

Career

Early career and training

His professional career officially started at the age of nine when he appeared in a Dr. Pepper commercial.[5] In 1999, he won the Junior National Outstanding Dancer Scholarship Award.[6] On April 27, 2001, at age 12, he started a two-year run in The Music Man on Broadway, playing a resident of River City/Winthrop Paroo understudy.[7] This led to him performing at the 2000 New York City Dance Alliance's closing-night gala.[6] In 2006, New York City Dance Alliance awarded Wall its Teen Outstanding Dancer of the Year award and he toured with the group for a year.[8]

So You Think You Can Dance

In 2006, at the age of 18, Wall competed on the second season of the show So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD), making it to the final four contestants before placing second behind overall winner Benji Schwimmer. Wall was praised by the judges as the most technically talented dancer in the competition. Nigel Lythgoe and Adam Shankman have listed Wall, his brother Danny Tidwell, Season 4's Will Wingfield and Season 5's Kayla Radomski as the most talented dancers on the show, later adding Season 6's Billy Bell and Jakob Karr to that list.

While on the show, Wall danced in Mia Michaels' The Bench routine for which she later won an Emmy for Outstanding Choreography.[9] During the Fall of 2006, Wall toured the United States with the top 10 dancers from the So You Think You Can Dance competition. He returned to the show in 2008 during the Season 4 auditions to teach choreography. He did a surprise audition on the 4th episode as "Danielle Chorizo".

On July 23, 2009, Wall returned to So You Think You Can Dance along with fellow Season 2 contestant Heidi Groskreutz on the 100th episode of the show, to perform the Emmy award-winning piece The Bench, choreographed by Mia Michaels.

Week Partner Style Song Choreographer(s) Result
1 Martha Nichols Broadway "Steam Heat"— The Pointer Sisters Tyce Diorio Safe
2 Krump "Clap Back"—Ja Rule Lil' C Safe
3 Hip-Hop "Just Fine"—Chris Brown Todd Sams Safe
4 Salsa "Tanga"—Machito and His Afro-Cubans Ron Montez Safe
5 Foxtrot "Witchcraft"—Steve Tyrell Jean-Marc Généreux Bottom 3
Result Show Solo ""The Blower's Daughter"—Damien Rice Safe
6 Heidi Groskreutz Paso Doble "The Plaza of Execution" from The Mask of Zorro Mary Murphy Safe
Contemporary "Calling You"—Celine Dion Mia Michaels
Solo "Belief"—Gavin DeGraw
7 Donyelle Jones Hip Hop "London Bridge"—Fergie Shane Sparks Bottom 4
Quickstep "Dancin' Fool"—Barry Manilow Glenn Weiss
Result Show Solo "Gotta Get Thru This (Acoustic)"—Daniel Bedingfield Safe
8 Heidi Groskreutz Smooth Waltz "Flying"—Cait Agus Sean Ron Montez Safe
Afro Pop "W'Happy Mama"—Zap Mama Wade Robson
Solo "You And Me"—Lifehouse
Results show solo "Flying Without Wings (A Capella version)"—Westlife
9 Heidi Groskreutz Disco "Shake Your Groove Thing"—Peaches & Herb Doriana Sanchez Runner-Up
Benji Schwimmer Hip Hop "Gyrate"—Da Muzicianz feat. Mr. Collipark Shane Sparks
Donyelle Jones Contemporary "Georgia On My Mind"—Ray Charles Mia Michaels
Solo "Konstantine"—Something Corporate

Post-SYTYCD

Wall danced on the October 16, 2007 Dancing with the Stars results show, in a piece choreographed by and starring Wade Robson. Wall, along with Tidwell and many previous finalists of So You Think You Can Dance, performed during the second annual Idol Gives Back charity event on April 9, 2008. Nigel Lythgoe produced both shows at the time.[10]

Wall performs regularly with American Dance Artists, in Delmarva, as well as for Evolution dance company in Los Angeles, California. He teaches students contemporary dance at NUVO, a dance convention that tours the nation. In 2007, Wall and Ivan Koumaev made a dance video called Its About Time designed to be for the viewer's entertainment rather than for instructional purposes like most dance videos.

Wall was in the 2008 Disney movie Bedtime Stories, starring Adam Sandler, alongside SYTYCD Season 3 contestant, Lacey Schwimmer. In 2010 Wall worked as an assistant choreographer for the Academy Awards, alongside Mia Michaels and Brian Friedman.[11]

So You Think You Can Dance Get Fit: Cardio Funk was one of two home exercise videos released by the producers of SYTYCD. Wall choreographed a contemporary dance and corresponding cool-down routine for the video.[12]

Wall choreographed and performed in an ensemble piece featuring New York City Ballet principal ballerina Tiler Peck to a piece by Nuttin' But Stringz for ABC's Dancing with the Stars April 13, 2010 episode in a feature called "Macy's Stars of Dance".[13][14]

In 2010, Wall choreographed several numbers for the VMA's.

In 2011, Wall choreographed a floor exercise routine for Olympic All-Around Champion Nastia Liukin which she will use to try to earn a spot on the 2012 Olympic USA Gymnastics team.

Wall will be starring in a new reality show "All the Right Moves" with Teddy Forance, Nick Lazzarini, and Kyle Robinson. The four men are launching their own dance company called Shaping Sound.

Wall has appeared twice on RuPaul’s Drag Race, first in the season 5 episode “Why It Gotta Be Black, Swan?” to choreograph a ballet based on the life of RuPaul, and most recently in the season 11 episode “Draglympics” to choreograph routines for an Olympics-like challenge.

Wall has appeared in two episodes of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team in seasons 13 and 14 to choreograph routines for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders training camp candidates.

In 2018, Wall has appeared in a video against homophobia, dancing on This is me from The Greatest Showman while Shoshana Bean is singing.[15]

In 2019, Wall choreographed the Off-Broadway musical “The Wrong Man” which debuted at the MCC theater, featuring Joshua Henry.

Choreography for So You Think You Can Dance

Wall earned 2011 and 2013 Emmy nominations for his contemporary choreography in seasons 7 and 9. He won a 2015 Emmy for routines he choreographed for season 11. (See SYTYCD Emmy Awards for details.) Along with Mandy Moore, he jointly won a 2017 Creative Emmy Award.[16]

Season Week Dancers Style Song Note
3 5 Jaimie Goodwin
Hokuto "Hok" Konishi
Broadway "Mr. Bojangles"—Fosse by Tyce Diorio
Travis Wall assisting
5 6 Jeanine Mason
Jason Glover
Contemporary "If It Kills Me"(The Casa Nova Sessions)—Jason Mraz[4]
7 Top 8 Jazz "Let It Rock"—Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne
6 1 Bianca Revels
Victor Smalley
Contemporary "Wasted Time"—Me'shell Ndegeocello
4 Ellenore Scott
Ryan Di Lello
"Your Ex-Lover Is Dead"—Stars
7 Ellenore Scott
Jonathan "Legacy" Perez
"Machine Gun"—Portishead
8 Ashleigh Di Lello
Ryan Di Lello
"I'm There Too"—Michelle Featherstone
7 LVW All dancers "A Beautiful Mess"—Jason Mraz
MT11 Kent Boyd
Lauren Froderman
Mark Kanemura
Kathryn McCormick
Jazz "Paris is Burning"—St. Vincent
1 Adéchiké Torbert
Kathryn McCormick
"Addicted to Love"—Florence and the Machine
2 Ashley Galvan
Mark Kanemura
"Wonderful"—Annie Lennox
4 Lauren Froderman
Kent Boyd
Contemporary "Collide" (acoustic version)—Howie Day
5 Robert Roldan
Allison Holker
"Fix You"—Coldplay
8 Kent Boyd
Neil Haskell
"How It Ends"—DeVotchKa
8 LVW All dancers "Yellow"—Vitamin String Quartet
MT20 Alexander Fost
Mitchell Kelly
Caitlynn Lawson
Ryan Ramirez
Ashley Rich
"Moth's Wings"—Passion Pit
1 Sasha Mallory
Alexander Fost
"Stupid [Mark Bell mix]"—Sarah McLachlan
Melanie Moore
Marko Germar
"Turn to stone"—Ingrid Michaelson
5 Jordan Casanova
Tadd Gadduang
"Brotsjór"—Ólafur Arnalds
Caitlynn Lawson
Mitchell Kelly
Jazz "Piece of My Heart"—Janis Joplin
8 Kent Boyd
Lauren Froderman
Contemporary "Collide"—Howie Day Guest Dancers
9 LVW All Dancers "I Won't Give Up"—Jason Mraz
MT20 Top 10 girls "Where the Light Gets In"—Sennen
1 Audrey Case
Matthew Kazmierczak
"Unchained Melody"—The Righteous Brothers
5 Witney Carson
Nick Lazzarini
Jazz "Sing It Back"—Moloko
Jaimie Goodwin
Cyrus "Glitch" Spencer
Contemporary "Outro"—M83
8 Eliana Girard
Alex Wong
"Without You"—Harry Nilsson
10 1 Jasmine Mason
Alan Bersten
"Can't Help Falling in Love" (Live at Daytrotter)—Ingrid Michaelson
Malece Miller
Jade Zuberi
Jazz "Silver Screen Shower Scene"—Felix da Housecat
4 Jenna Johnson
Tucker Knox
Contemporary "Hangin' By a Thread"—Jann Arden
7 Tucker Knox
Robert Roldan
"Medicine"—Daughter
8 Amy Yakima
Travis Wall
"Wicked Game" (Live at Kilkenny Arts Festival, Ireland 2011)—James Vincent McMorrow
10 Jasmine Harper
Fik-Shun
"Spiegel im Spiegel"—Arvo Pärt , performed by Angela Yoffe & Vadim Gluzman
11 LVW All Dancers "Lay Me Down"—Sam Smith
1 Emily James
Casey Askew
"All of Me"(Live from Spotify)—John Legend
2 Valerie Rockey
Ricky Ubeda
"Oh Darling"—Gossling
4 Bridget Whitman
Emilio Dosal
"The Leaving Song"—Chris Garneau
Bridget Whitman
Carly Blaney
Jacque LeWarne
Jessica Richens
Marcquet Hill
Ricky Ubeda
Rudy Abreu
Teddy Coffey
Jazz "Love Runs Out"—OneRepublic
5 Jessica Richens
Casey Askew
Contemporary "Like Real People Do"—Hozier
Top 7 Guys "Wave"—Beck
6 Jacque LeWarne
Chehon Wespi-Tschopp
Contemporary ballet "Adagio for TRON"—Daft Punk
7 Ricky Ubeda
Jaimie Goodwin
Contemporary "Smile"—Michael Jackson with All-Star
9 Top 4 "Wind Beneath My Wings"—RyanDan
Jessica Richens
Robert Roldan
"When I Go"—Over the Rhine with All-Star
12 MT20 Kate Harpootlian

Edson Juarez

"Shaped Like A Gun"—Tailor
1 Team Stage "Stabat Mater"—Woodkid
3 Team Stage "Beautiful Friends"—Helen Money
5 Jaimie Goodwin

Edson Juarez

"Your Day Will Come"—Son Lux with All-Star
8 Gaby Diaz

Hailee Payne

"Do Not Hang Your Head"—Elizabeth & the Catapult
9 Jim Nowakowski

Alex Wong

"November"—Max Richter with All-Star
12: Next Gen) 3 J.T. Church

Robert Roldan

"The Mirror"—Alexandre Desplat with All-Star
3 All-Stars "Send in the Clowns"—from A Little Night Music
(Sarah Vaughan and the Count Basie Orchestra)
4 Tate McRae

Kathryn McCormick

"She Used to Be Mine"—Sara Bareilles with All-Star
5 Contestants and All-Stars "What the World Needs Now is Love"—Hal David and Burt Bacharach (Will Young cover)
5 Emma Hellencamp

J.T. Church

"I Will Not Forget You"—Max Richter with All-Star

Danced as Guest or All-Star for So You Think You Can Dance

Season Week partner(s) Style Song Choreographer(s) Note
4 9 Earlier contestants Discoswing "Don't Stop the Music"—Rihanna as Guest
5 7 RS Heidi Groskreutz Contemporary "Calling You"—Celine Dion Mia Michaels
10 8 Amy Yakima "Wicked Game" (Live at Kilkenny Arts Festival, Ireland 2011)—James Vincent McMorrow Travis Wall as All-Star
13: Next Gen 6 Maddie Ziegler "Cage of Bones"—Son Lux Travis Wall as Guest

Publications

In February 2007, Wall was featured in a fashion/dance spread in movmnt magazine (which Tidwell co-founded). The following June, Wall interviewed Whoopi Goldberg for the magazine.[17]

Wall was featured in the photography book Moving Still: a Life Performance by David Benaym.[18]

Personal life

In 2007, his adoptive brother Danny Tidwell was a runner-up of the third season of So You Think You Can Dance. He, too, had trained with their mother Denise Wall, who also trained Jaimie Goodwin, a Season 3 contestant.[2] Wall is openly gay.[19] In March 2016, he got engaged to UCLA gymnastics coach Dom Palange after 5 years of dating.[20] Wall announced the couple's split on his Instagram page on August 3, 2018.[21]

Filmography

Year Media Role Notes
2006-2019 So You Think You Can Dance Contestant, Choreographer, Dancer, Guest, All-Star Runner-Up in Season 2.

Choreographer in seasons 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12: Next Gen

Guest in seasons 4, 5, 13: Next Gen.

All-Star in Season 10

2007-2010 Dancing with the Stars Dancer, Choreographer Results Show, Season 5, October 16, 2007.

Guest Dancer/Choreographer, Season 10, April 13, 2010.

2008 Bedtime Stories
2010 82nd Academy Awards Assistant Choreographer
2010 2010 MTV Video Music Awards Choreographer
2013-2019 RuPaul's Drag Race Himself (Choreographer and Guest Judge) Episode: "Why It Gotta Be Black, Swan?"

Episode: "Draglympics"

2018-2019 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team Himself (Guest Choreographer) Season 13, 14

Awards

Primetime Emmy Awards

Source:[22]

Year Award Performance Result
2011 Outstanding Choreography So You Think You Can Dance Nominated
2012 Nominated
2013 Nominated
2014 Nominated
2015 Won
2016 Nominated
2017 Won
2018 Nominated
2019 Nominated
2020 Nominated

References

  1. "Travis Wall". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  2. Marshall, Lea (January 2007). "Winning Attitude". Dance Magazine. 81 (1). pp. 212–214.
  3. "Travis Wall". Fox Broadcasting. 2006. Retrieved August 28, 2007.
  4. Feller, Alison (April 2010). "Helping Haiti". Dance Spirit. 14 (4). p. 16.
  5. Travis Wall: Portrait of the young man as an artist movmnt, June 20, 2006.
  6. Perron, Wendy (October 2000). "Hot Numbers Cap Dance Alliance Sessions". Dance Magazine. 74 (10). p. 43.
  7. "The Music Man: Production Credits". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved May 19, 2008.
  8. "Dancing Inside the Box". Dance Magazine. 80 (9). September 2006. pp. 46–52.
  9. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
  10. "Idol Gives Back". American Idol. 9 April 2008 No. 7, Episode 29
  11. Feller, Alison (May/June 2010), "THE TALK OF THE TOWN". Dance Spirit.,14(5):54-56
  12. Lawler, Terry Ann (November 2009), "So You Think You Can Dance Get Fit: Cardio Funk/So You Think You Can Dance Get Fit: Tone and Groove". School Library Journal. 55 (11):53
  13. "Ep. 4 Results Show: Week Four". Dancing with the Stars. April 13, 2010. No. 4, season 10.
  14. BLOOM, JULIE (April 7, 2010), "'Dancing' To Feature City Ballet Principal". New York Times. :3
  15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwEn-ambXLw
  16. http://www.goldderby.com/article/2017/travis-wall-mandy-moore-creative-arts-emmys-best-choreography/
  17. Wall, Travis. movmnt magazine [online video]. "Whoopi Goldberg to Travis Wall: 'movement is everything!'"
  18. Moving Still website
  19. Hernandez, Greg (July 6, 2011). "SYTYCD's Travis Wall: "Well, I guess I came out."". greginhollywood.com. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  20. https://www.eonline.com/news/751270/travis-wall-engaged-to-dom-palange-all-the-details
  21. https://people.com/tv/sytycd-travis-wall-announces-break-up-dom-palange/
  22. "Travis Wall [Emmy Awards and nominations]". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
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