Shimmy Exclusive Interview

Mandy Moore




Shimmy: Tell us a bit about your background.

Mandy Moore: I grew up in Colorado and danced at the local studio, Summit School of Dance, from 8 years old to when I graduated. I took ballet, tap, modern, jazz and acro...it was a small town, but we had some great teachers at the studio. I moved to Los Angeles when I was 18 and auditioned for Edge Scholarship. I actually didn't make the program, but I ended up working at the studio for class. I eventually ended up selling merchandise for LA Danceforce, a dance convention that the owners of Edge also owned. After a year of that, I knew that my talents would be better used in the classroom, so I started teaching for them and that led to teaching at Edge, meeting more people and the rest...is history.

Shimmy: What inspires you?

Mandy Moore: Everyday life inspires me...people fascinate me. I really like to people watch and I find that most of my idea's for choreography come from my observations. I love music, so I have to say that also inspires me. I love experiencing something great, be it a great performance, a great dinner, a great conversation, a great moment...the feeling I get after experiencing that, inspires me.

Shimmy: What are "dream roles" for you?

Mandy Moore: Dream roles for me are anything that challenges me to be better at my craft. I dance, teach and choreograph, so there are many "roles" to play. I really enjoy being in a situation that I don't know much about and trying to take in and learn from everyone involved with it.

Shimmy: SYTYCD has brought you and your work to the masses, will you return for season four?

Mandy Moore: I will be returning to SYTYCD for Season 4, in fact I was just speaking with the producers the other day and we were talking about what episodes I will be working on.

Shimmy: What contestants from the show did you enjoy working with the most and why?

Mandy Moore: Well, I was lucky, I got to work with Sabra twice!! She is great and works so hard, I love dancers that put in the work. I also loved Dominic, he had never really done contemporary when I worked with him and he came in with an open mind and heart and ended up being very successful.

Shimmy: The JUMP Convention- tell us about it.

Mandy Moore: JUMP is a dance convention that travels around the country and puts on workshop/competition for local dance studios. JUMP is so much fun to work on, we have a live band that plays in the classes, live camera feeds to huge screens for the dancers to see better, an all-star faculty, and tons of special classes and events all geared toward an amazing experience for any dancer that attends. I travel to twenty-some cities with them and it is one of the most fulfilling things I do.

Shimmy: You've dabbled in so many areas, what do you enjoy most of all?

Mandy Moore: I have to say that I have been very lucky to have been so successful in many areas... after all that I have done so far, I love dancing in class the most!!! I know that sounds crazy, but training and dancing in class is the best way I have found to keep in touch with the reason I started dancing, because I love it.

Shimmy: What projects do you have in the works or planned for the future?

Mandy Moore: I always have lots to do. Right now I am choreographing all the group songs for American Idol and will start SYTYCD in a couple months. I have JUMP Nationals at the Kodak Theater in July and will also be traveling to Italy to teach that same month. In August, I will be co-hosting an event with Nick Lazzarini, called "The Nick and Mandy Show." The event is a week of classes, workshops, and rehearsals ending with a show at a theater in Los Angeles. Next December, I am choreographing the Orange Bowl half-time show in Miami.

Shimmy: If I swiped your ipod for an hour, what would I be listening to?

Mandy Moore: I love Ani Difranco, so you are bound to listen to a song or two of hers...I just found William Fitzsimmons and Jon Foreman, acoustic and beautiful...a little Dane Cook, he is ridiculous...and you are sure to run across any good 80's song, most likely a big hair rock love ballad, I love em....

Shimmy: Three things you cannot live without.

Mandy Moore: Lip gloss, DKNY bedding and my Dad's apple pie

Shimmy: If you could switch places with anyone (not in the dance world) for 24
hours who would it be?

Mandy Moore: I would like to switch places with my grandmother, Betty. I can't imagine all that she has experienced in her life, it would be amazing to see the world and all it is presently through her eyes.

Shimmy: What advice would you give to aspiring dancers?

Mandy Moore: My advice to aspiring dancers is to make sure you love it, cause there are so many "No's" along the way and if you truly love to dance, the "No's" won't seem so rough.

Shimmy Video Pick- Neil Haskell and Sabra Johnson table dance choreographed by Mandy Moore.