Top 25 Laurieann Gibson Quotes

I realized that, for me, great records always moved me with the lyrics and the melodies. And so I said, ‘I think I can do it now,’ ’cause I found a team of people who understand I didn’t want a record that was ‘drop it, pop it, shake it’ just ’cause I can dance.

Artist development is something that I’ve been passionate about from my days at Uptown and Motown Records.

I am trained, and I did do ‘The Nutcracker’ in its right form, but at the time, they told me I was black and I’d never be in ‘Swan Lake.’ I went through all those prejudices in the ballet community, and I still emerged wonderfully trained and found my way to Alvin Ailey where there were familiar faces.

‘The Dance Scene’ is basically the most amazing dance show in the world, and it follows me as a creative director. You see how I maintain that creativity.

I’ve created, directed and choreographed for Lady Gaga since the beginning, so ‘Born This Way,’ this was musically such an amazing evolution and such a brilliant record. So when she played it for me, it took me a while to find out the visual interpretation that I could give back to her.

I want to be able to say, ‘you think you’re odd, I’m even odder and I made it – you can too!’ I want to direct, do more with ‘The Dance Scene,’ sign artists and just provide opportunities. I’m just getting started and having the time of my life!

If you love dance and you have the gift of teaching, teaching is super amazing and important because my teachers planted that seed in me. As a teacher you understand the difference or the definition of a Baryshnikov or a Gregory Hines, so teaching is really important and very necessary.

When I began to choreograph and find my way pulling other artists’ dreams out and changing music in a visual way, there was still a part of me that had something more to say. There was still a desire to rock a stage and ultimately perform the eight count of my dream, but there was a lot of insecurity there.

I was born in Toronto and studied with the National Ballet of Canada. I went to school to study dance, slept on the floor, ate nothing, waitressed – and then there was a Mary J. Blige audition.

‘Saturday Night Fever,’ Paula Abdul, ‘Fame,’ Debbie Allen… all affected me and the generation before me.

I think dance is amazing because what people don’t realize is like when you dance your spirit and your soul get ignited. You’re not only releasing endorphins, but also your spirit is awakening. It makes you feel good and happy.

I dance but I also work out. I run, do strength training… you name it. I’ve got to!

For me, a dancer is part of an artist’s entertainment – ‘backup dancer’ isn’t even in my vocabulary.

With Lady Gaga I really stretched myself as a creative director, and because I was with this artist from before she got signed I was able to really take control of the opportunity and execute as a creative director.

You are absolutely enough the way you are.

I was obsessed with Chubby Checker and old dances, like the twist.

She’s like a Barbie, then she wants to be a superhero, or coming out of a spaceship and everything’s pink. She makes a certain move that’s ghetto hood mixed with a little robot so its like I’m evolving Nicki Minaj and developing her style. She’s fearless, and I love her.

Recently, Lady Gaga was motivated to take the helm of the creative direction of her career and as such I decided to step away. I am extremely proud of her, and in stepping away I wish her all the best.

‘Born This Way’ is shaping up to be creative ecstasy.

I wanted to be a star – with a purpose.

I think that there was a fad where everyone said, ‘I want you to create a signature step for my artist.’ The thing is, for me, music creates the step. The artist commands the step, you know?

I’m born originally in Toronto, and I have what I call my ‘Fame’ story. I took a Greyhound bus and went to Alvin Ailey and received Dunham, Horton, Graham technique there, but I could never take my eyes off of Balanchine doing ‘Nutcracker’; to me he’s the best who ever did it.

I like to always remind my dancers about ways to avoid injury. One of the basic ways to avoid injury is to always make sure to stretch and warm up your body. This will loosen up your muscles, which will help to avoid common strain injuries such as shin splints and ankle strains.

I was very disenchanted in the industry for a long time before I met GaGa. Everyone wanted a ‘Single Ladies’ for their artist, or a Puffy move.

Choreography is amazing. I’m still a dancer, yet I transitioned into choreography then as a Creative Director. All of these creative elements are brought out of being a dancer. Directing is something that comes out of understanding movement and choreography. Directing movement is directing a dance piece.