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Fatima Robinson

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Fatima Robinson
Born (1971-08-29) August 29, 1971 (age 52)
Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
Occupation(s)Music video director, choreographer
Years active1992–present
Children1
Websitewww.fatimarobinson.com Edit this at Wikidata

Fatima Robinson (born August 29, 1971) is a dancer, music video director, and choreographer. The foundation of Fatima Robinson’s career was built on the dance floor. Still, her creativity has landed her work in spaces across Hollywood—from conceptualizing dance numbers for the Backstreet Boys to touring with Mary J. Blige to leading content for music videos of the late R&B sweetheart Aaliyah.[1]

Early Life

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Robinson was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on August 29, 1971, to her mom, a cosmetologist, and her father, a musician who played guitar in a soul band.[2] Nothing is mentioned about her dad; her mom raised her and her sisters singlehandedly. She shared the same birthday as the king of pop.[3] She has two younger sisters, Khadijah and Nefertiti, and she is also a dancer. When she was five, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. Fatima grew up all over California, attending high school in San Pedro. She says music was always in the background of her life, whether it was a porch, a block party, or a church.[4]

Career

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Early Career

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Robinson developed an early love of dance that blossomed into a career.[5] Her mother remembers a little Fatima bobbing her body to the music in her head as a child.

Music and rhythm run in the family: Besides those mental melodies, Robinson fondly reminisces back to her mother playing wonderful music in their home by artists like Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Sade, and Luther Vandross.[6]

Robinson says she was also a huge fan of Fame and the musical television series Solid Gold, which inspired her to create her early dance routines. For the record, she was always a great dancer. As kids, she, Nefertiti, and Khadijah would spin around the living room, entertaining family and friends.[7]

She states that while she was a born dancer, she had no formal dance training when she started popping up in Los Angeles clubs in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Fatima had dreams of opening her own salon back then.[8] She was working as a shampoo girl at her mother’s hair salon and going to cosmetology school, then letting loose at night by going to nightclubs when she began pursuing choreography as a career.[9][10]

She says she grew up in a poor neighborhood in San Pedro, CA, and then her mother purchased a home in Corona, which was very far removed from the club scene she loved. Then, she realized that as a dancer, she could go on tour, travel, and get paid for doing it.[11]

After completing high school at 16, Fatima dreamed of opening her own hair salon like her mother, but by the time she was a teenager, Fatima wasn't cutting hair; her love for dance led her out to the clubs, cutting it up on the dance floor and entering into dance competitions contests at clubs on the club circuit. Fatima formed a dance group with a few girls called Feminine Touch one night and entered a dance contest. "An artist was looking for some dancers, so my friend and I went on stage at the club and battled some other girls and won," Fatima reminisces. One of the contest prizes that she won-without ever having taken a dance lesson-was the chance to appear in a rap video. That was the beginning. The opportunity was her foot in the door, and she soon began landing gigs as a backup dancer in music videos. "From there, people who needed dancers would hear about you and just call you up," she explains.[12] With some contest victories and a mind full of dance steps, Fatima quickly became one of the top dancers/choreographers in the music video industry.[13]

Choreography

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Fatima's big break came in 1992 when she was just 20-21. After becoming an extra for his 1991 movie When She was 19, Director John Singleton (Higher Learning, Boyz N the Hood), graduating from film school at USC, asked Robinson to be the choreographer because he wanted someone to choreograph a video for Michael Jackson When he asked Singleton to direct the video for his single “Remember the Time,” and her name kept coming up.[14] John chose Fatima to devise the steps for the King of Pop's Egyptian-themed "Remember the Time." Says Fatima, "It was the best thing that could have happened to my career. Michael Jackson is a Virgo, like me...a perfectionist." After she did “Remember the Time,” The epic nine-minute video — more of a short film — is set in ancient Egypt and features Eddie Murphy and Iman as Pharaoh Ramses and his Queen, with a cameo from Earvin “Magic” Johnson, she began taking classes, especially in African dance.[15]

These days, Fatima still club-hop to keep up with the latest trends. "Clubs are my classroom," she says. "I drag Kevin [Richardson] out with me." And with a whirlwind schedule that includes traveling with the Backstreet Boys, such after-hours tours are about the only fun she can manage. Fatima and the Orland fivesome go way back. When she began working with them in 1995, they were slicker and more polished than they appear today.[16]

"I got a VHS in the mail with this random group of five white boys dancing and asking if I could choreograph them for “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).” There was something so special about them. I was getting off a Mary J. Blige tour, so I went to Orlando, and as we spent hours going over everything, I fell in love with each one of their personalities, their singing, and what they stood for. I had previously choreographed Michael Jackson’s video for “Remember the Time,” and the moves for “Backstreet’s Back” came from my love for Michael, particularly his “Thriller” video. It was like my version of “Thriller.” I would never have believed those little steps would become so popular. I would sometimes make them up in my hotel room before rehearsal! They aimed to create a historical moment in pop culture, which they did. The video resonated with people and still makes them feel good and reminisce about growing up. I’ve had so many people tell me how they learned the routine in their living room, and even guys who were teenage boys at the time say, “We were doing the ‘Backstreet’s Back’ routine with all of our friends.” Now I’m working with Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell and this new self-proclaimed boy band called Brockhampton, and I haven’t worked with a guy group like this since the Backstreet Boys, but these guys are so fly. They’ve reminded me much of my time with the Backstreet Boys."

Since working with the band, Fatima began choreographing their following videos: All I Have To Give and As Long As You Love Me, which was a 2-day shoot (June 15-16, 1997) and Larger Than Life from their Millennium album as well as choreographed their world tours We Wanna Be With You Tour, Live In Concert tour, Backstreet's Back Tour, the Millennium tour and the Black and Blue tour. All three videos, including Everybody (Backstreet's Back) choreographed by her and were directed by different directors, Joseph Khan (Everybody (Backstreet's Back) and Nigel Dick (All I Have To Give, As Long As You Love Me) in one month once per week.[17] Her proudest professional moment was watching the Backstreet Boys perform a medley with 20 dancers at the 1997 MTV Europe Music Awards in the Netherlands. "We were just the hit of the show," she says. "That was a really touching moment for me because I had been with them since day one. I had seen them grow up."[18]

Since then, Fatima has choreographed videos for most of today's top artists: "Her resume [runs] around the clock on MTV," Serena Altschul of MTV News commented.[19]Fatima was then asked by Will Smith once stp by his large, Spanish-style home outside of L.A. to help choreograph his "Men in Black" routine for the 1998 Grammy Awards. "When we get there, he was like, 'Are you hungry?'" Fatima recalls. "There was no maid. We just had a really good talk. He's such a humble person. And that was really cool to see an artist that large to be humble." Will was equally impressed: He requested her again for his new "Wild Wild West" video.[20]While Fatima prefers not to appear in videos, she'd made exceptions for friends Aaliyah and Lenny Kravitz (she's on Aaliyah's left in "Are You That Somebody" and dancing in a cowboy hat in Lenny's "Fly Away") and sometimes step in for other dancers when they're injured (she danced with the Backstreet Boys at the VMAs 1999).

Acclaimed by critics and peers, Fatima is the back-to-back winner of the Music Video Producer's Association Award for Best Choreography. In 1998, she received the honor for her work on Busta Rhymes' Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See, and in 1997 for her hip-hop tango in Dr. Dre's Been There, Done That. In addition, Fatima received two MTV Video Music Award nominations for Best Choreography for her work on these videos. Fatima is nominated for best choreography this year for her work on Will Smith's "Wild, Wild West."[21]

Fatima's lone VMAs regret is that the Best Choreography trophy went to Madonna for "Ray of Light." She's surprised but not bitter. "Ray of Light had no dancing in it!" she says. "I honestly never thought she would have won." Then her determination shines through: "But I don't care. I'll hit 'em again with Aaliyah next year!"[22]

Fatima choreographed and is featured in the GAP advertisement "Khaki Soul," directed by Hype Williams. She is also the resident choreographer for the Backstreet Boys, and as such, she choreographs all of their videos and live performances, including their upcoming Millennium World Tour.

In addition, Fatima was just named one of Entertainment Weekly's "100 Most Creative People in Hollywood." She has been featured in JANE, Cosmopolitan, Essence, Bop, BB, Panache, Pride, Fitness, Heart & Soul, Honey, SPIN, and Teen People; and has upcoming articles in VIBE, Notorious, and Conde Nast Women's Sports & Fitness. Fatima released an instructional dance home video in 1999 (Disney). Look out for it!! She hopes to eventually follow in the footsteps of one of her mentors, Debbie Allen, by transitioning into music video and film direction.

Robinson has also choreographed music videos for artists such as Aaliyah ("Rock The Boat," "Hot Like Fire," "Try Again," "We Need A Resolution," "Are You That Somebody," and "More Than a Woman").[23] and Mary J. Blige's "Family Affair", for which Robinson won the 2002 MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography.[24]Robinson choreographed and directed the "Hey Mama" and "My Humps" videos by The Black Eyed Peas (the latter co-directed by Malik Hassan Sayeed and the recipient of the 2006 MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video), "Taken for Granted" by Sia, "All About That Bass," "Dear Future Husband," and "No" by Meghan Trainor and Koda Kumi's "Touch Down" and "LALALALALA".[25] Robinson's choreography credits in 2016 included Fergie's music video for "M.I.L.F. $", as well as Gwen Stefani's This Is What The Truth Feels Like Tour.

Robinson's choreography credits for the film include '"The Wiz," Save the Last Dance (starring Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas),[26] Dreamgirls (starring Beyoncé Knowles and Jennifer Hudson),[27] The Cheetah Girls: One World[28], Coming 2 America and Coming 2 America 2.[29] In addition, Robinson choreographed the Black Eyed Peas' halftime show for Super Bowl XLV in 2011,[14] and, most recently, the 2023 musical drama “The Color Purple.”[30][31] Robinson was the choreographer for the December 2015 presentation of the televised musical special, The Wiz Live!.[32]

Robinson also recently produced "Taking the Stage: Changing America," the September 2016 concert honoring the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the VH1 2016 Hip Hop Honors: All Hail the Queens at the Lincoln Center.[33] She is the woman behind the Kendrick Lamar's 2016 Grammy performance as well as The Weeknd's 2016 Oscars performance of "Earned It".. From 2014 to 2016, she was a segment producer and choreographer for the hit series The Voice.

With all the joys Robinson has experienced in dance, two of her most heartbreaking were the deaths of Michael Jackson, whom she shared a birthday and grew up listening to, who was instrumental in teaching her tenacity, professionalism, and the importance of determination, and Aaliyah, that Robinson calls her relationship an immediate sisterhood. “It’s sad when we lose people so talented,” she said.

Commercial advertisements

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In addition to her entertainment work, Robinson has choreographed and directed several television commercials for brands like Pepsi, Gap, and Verizon.[34][35] although advertisements are distinct from the glamorous world of showbiz, she brings her same work ethic to any project. Robinson says the key to her thirty-four-year-long career is her dance team and understanding her role with them.[36]

Personal Life

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not much about her personal life, but she has a son, Xuly Williams, who studied ballet at Los Angeles High School for the Arts and is studying music and acting at New York University, with her former partner, Saul Williams.[37]

Choreography Credits

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BEST CHOREOGRAPHY AWARDS

  • Music Video Producer's Award (1998) Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See (Busta Rhymes)
  • Music Video Producer's Award (1997) Been There, Done That (Dr. Dre)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY AWARD NOMINATIONS

  • MTV Video Music Award (1999) Wild Wild West (Will Smith)
  • MTV Video Music Award (1998) Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See (Busta Rhymes)
  • Bob Fosse Award (1997) Been There, Done That (Dr. Dre)
  • Music Video Producer's Award (1997) Been There, Done That (Dr. Dre)
  • MTV Video Music Award (1995) Baby (Brandy)

MUSIC VIDEOS

COMMERCIALS

  • GAP "khaki soul" (1999)
  • Barbie/Skipper (1999)
  • Mervyns campaign (1999)
  • Sears ad campaign (1998)
  • Reebok FootAction (1998)
  • Ruffles Potato Chips

TELEVISION CHOREOGRAPHY

  • American Music Awards: Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back) (1999), Bobby Brown
  • Billboard Music Awards: LL Cool J (1991), Backstreet Boys - All I Have to Give (1998)
  • Grammy Awards: Will Smith (1998)
  • MTV Video Music Awards: Backstreet Boys (1998 & 1999), Master P (1998)
  • MTV Movie Awards: Brandy featuring Mase (1998), Will Smith's Wild Wild West (1999)
  • MTV Video Music Awards- Europe: Backstreet Boys (1997)
  • Soul Train Awards: Maxwell (1998), Heavy D & The Boyz
  • Jay Leno: Backstreet Boys (1998), Mary J. Blige
  • Saturday Night Live: Backstreet Boys (1998), Bobby Brown
  • Vibe: LSG (1998) , Aaliyah (1998)
  • Black Eyed Peas' halftime show for Super Bowl XLV in 2011
  • The Wiz Live 2015

FILM CHOREOGRAPHY

  • Player's Club (New Line Cinema)
  • The Pest (Tristar)
  • "The Wiz" (1979)
  • "Save the Last Dance"
  • "Dreamgirls"
  • "The Cheetah Girls: One World"

TOURS

APPEARANCES (TELEVISION)

  • Fit TV (1999)
  • Donny & Marie (1999)
  • MTV Jams (1998)
  • MTV News 1515 (1998/1999)
  • Much Music (1998)
  • Vibe Television (1998)

References

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  1. ^ "Get To Know Fatima Robinson: The Award-Winning Choreographer Behind Some Of Your Favorite Music Videos and Movies". Sweet July. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  2. ^ Guthrie, Marisa (December 21, 2023). "'The Color Purple' Dances Its Way to a 'Masterpiece'". WWD. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  3. ^ https://lasentinel.net/fatima-robinson-a-pioneer-of-hip-hop-dance.html. Retrieved August 9, 2024. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ https://lasentinel.net/fatima-robinson-a-pioneer-of-hip-hop-dance.html. Retrieved August 9, 2024. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ "Foundation Interview: Fatima Robinson". Television Academy. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  6. ^ https://lasentinel.net/fatima-robinson-a-pioneer-of-hip-hop-dance.html. Retrieved August 9, 2024. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ "Foundation Interview: Fatima Robinson". Television Academy. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  8. ^ https://lasentinel.net/fatima-robinson-a-pioneer-of-hip-hop-dance.html. Retrieved August 9, 2024. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ "Foundation Interview: Fatima Robinson". Television Academy. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  10. ^ Team, Admin (January 17, 2024). "Where are they now? Fatima Robinson". MJVibe. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  11. ^ https://lasentinel.net/fatima-robinson-a-pioneer-of-hip-hop-dance.html. Retrieved August 9, 2024. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ^ "Foundation Interview: Fatima Robinson". Television Academy. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  13. ^ "Freestyling with Fatima". Teen People Magazine. May 1999.
  14. ^ a b Wilson, Julee (October 20, 2011). "Fatima Robinson Talks Style, Dance, Career And More With StyleLikeU". huffingtonpost.com. Huffington Post. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  15. ^ Team, Admin (January 17, 2024). "Where are they now? Fatima Robinson". MJVibe. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  16. ^ "Freestyling with Fatima". Teen People Magazine. May 1999.
  17. ^ "Backstreet Boys Turn 25: Untold Stories About the World's Best-Selling Boy Band (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  18. ^ "Freestyling with Fatima". Teen People Magazine. May 1999.
  19. ^ "Freestyling with Fatima". Teen People Magazine. May 1999.
  20. ^ "Freestyling with Fatima". Teen People Magazine. May 1999.
  21. ^ "Freestyling with Fatima". Teen People Magazine. May 1999.
  22. ^ "Freestyling with Fatima". Teen People Magazine. May 1999.
  23. ^ Smolowe, Julie. "The Saddest Song". people.com. People Magazine. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  24. ^ "Star Choreographer Speaks at SU September 29". Salisbury University. September 12, 2003. Archived from the original on December 22, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  25. ^ "Choreographers Who Dominate L.A." dancespirit.com. Dance Spirit Magazine. Archived from the original on December 22, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  26. ^ McComb, Lauren. "Fatima Robinson's Dream Digs". oprahmag.co.za. Oprah Magazine. Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  27. ^ Bloom, Julie (November 26, 2006). "Supreme Commander". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  28. ^ Cutler, Jacqueline (August 23, 2008). "Cheetah Girls Take Their Singing and Dancing to the Streets". Lawrence Journal-World. Zap2it. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  29. ^ "Get To Know Fatima Robinson: The Award-Winning Choreographer Behind Some Of Your Favorite Music Videos and Movies". Sweet July. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  30. ^ https://lasentinel.net/fatima-robinson-a-pioneer-of-hip-hop-dance.html. Retrieved August 9, 2024. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  31. ^ Guthrie, Marisa (December 21, 2023). "'The Color Purple' Dances Its Way to a 'Masterpiece'". WWD. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  32. ^ Broadway World (May 13, 2015). “Choreographer Fatima Robinson to help NBC’s THE WIZ LIVE Ease On Down the Road” Retrieved on December 5, 2015.
  33. ^ Prudom, Laura (July 13, 2016). "VH1's 'Hip Hop Honors' Hits 15-Year Ratings High". Variety. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  34. ^ https://lasentinel.net/fatima-robinson-a-pioneer-of-hip-hop-dance.html. Retrieved August 9, 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  35. ^ "Foundation Interview: Fatima Robinson". Television Academy. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  36. ^ https://lasentinel.net/fatima-robinson-a-pioneer-of-hip-hop-dance.html. Retrieved August 9, 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  37. ^ Guthrie, Marisa (December 21, 2023). "'The Color Purple' Dances Its Way to a 'Masterpiece'". WWD. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
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