Tabitha A. D'umo (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Cortopassi) and Napoleon Buddy D'umo, known together as Nappytabs, are

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

-winning married

choreographer Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...

s. They are best known for their choreography on the television show '' So You Think You Can Dance'' and for being supervising choreographers and executive producers of ''

America's Best Dance Crew ''America's Best Dance Crew'', often abbreviated as ''ABDC'', was an American competitive dance reality television series that features both national and international dance crews. The show was produced by singer, record producer, and former ''Am ...

''. Since being with the former, their choreography has received both praise and criticism. They own Nappytabs urban dancewear and have been working in the dance industry since 1996. Tabitha and Napoleon grew up on opposite coasts of the United States and met in the early 1990s as students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. They began their dance career together while still in college by choreographing

industrial musicals An industrial musical is a musical performed internally for the employees or shareholders of a business to create a feeling of being part of a team, to entertain, and/or to educate and motivate the management and salespeople to improve sales and ...

for large corporations with the hip-hop dance company Culture Shock. After moving to Los Angeles in 1999, they started teaching hip-hop classes at the Edge Performing Arts Center. They took additional jobs choreographing for professional sports dance teams and back-up dancing for musical artists. In 2003, they joined the faculty of Monsters of Hip Hop dance convention. Their work was introduced to mainstream audiences in 2008 when they became supervising choreographers on ''America's Best Dance Crew'' and resident choreographers on ''So You Think You Can Dance''. It was on the later show that their lyrical hip-hop choreography style gained exposure. The pair's career progressed to providing creative direction for tours and live events by Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin, Celine Dion, and Jennifer Lopez. They continued to develop their dancewear line by breaking out of its previously online-only presence and opening a physical store location in 2010. From television and concerts, their move into theater occurred gradually. In 2010, they directed the JabbaWockeeZ's ''MÜS.I.C.'' stage show and began to work with

Cirque du Soleil Cirque du Soleil (, ; "Circus of the Sun" or "Sun Circus") is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 Ju ...

; they choreographed ''

Viva Elvis ''Viva Elvis'' was the seventh resident Cirque du Soleil show on the Las Vegas Strip. It resided at the Aria Resort & Casino and premiered on February 19, 2010. The show closed on August 31, 2012. Cirque du Soleil partnered with Elvis Presley En ...

'' and were contributing choreographers for '' Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour''. They continued to establish themselves in television as choreographers for

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...

halftime performance. By 2015, they had choreographed several

K-pop K-pop (), short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, experimental, rock, jazz, gos ...

music videos for artists such as

TVXQ TVXQ (stylized as TVXQ!), an initialism for Tong Vfang Xien Qi (), is a South Korean male pop duo consisting of U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin. They are known as in Japanese releases, and are sometimes referred to as DBSK, an abbreviation of ...

EXO Exo ( ko, 엑소; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean-Chinese boy band based in Seoul formed by SM Entertainment in 2011 and debuted in 2012. The group consists of nine members: Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai and ...

, and

BoA Kwon Bo-ah (; born November 5, 1986), known professionally as BoA, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer and actress. One of the most successful and influential Korean entertainers, she has been dubbed the " Queen of K- ...

. Aside from their choreography, creative direction, and dancewear line, Tabitha and Napoleon continue to teach hip-hop classes at dance studios and on the convention circuit. They have also been involved with charity work for organizations that support the arts.

Life and career

1968–1996: Early life and education

Napoleon was raised in

Victorville, California Victorville is a city in Victor Valley in San Bernardino County, California. Its population as of the 2020 census was 134,810. History In 1858, Aaron G. Lane came to what is now known as Victorville and founded a waystation called "Lane's Cro ...

as one of three siblings. He learned

b-boying Breakdancing, also called breaking or b-boying/b-girling, is an athletic style of street dance originating from the African American and Puerto Rican communities in the United States. While diverse in the amount of variation available in t ...

, locking, and

popping Popping is a street dance adapted out of the earlier Boogaloo (funk dance) cultural movement in Oakland, California. As Boogaloo spread, it would be referred to as Robottin in Richmond, California, Strutting movements in San Francisco and San ...

by traveling to Los Angeles and frequenting the

b-boy Breakdancing, also called breaking or b-boying/b-girling, is an athletic style of street dance originating from the African American and Puerto Rican communities in the United States. While diverse in the amount of variation available in ...

scene; he was eventually cast as an extra in the movie '' Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo'' in 1984. After Napoleon graduated from

Apple Valley High School Apple Valley High School is the name of two high schools in the United States: * Apple Valley High School (California) * Apple Valley High School (Minnesota) {{Schooldis ...

, he joined the army and worked as a surgeon's assistant while stationed in Germany. Once discharged, he attended the

University of Nevada, Las Vegas The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a public land-grant research university in Paradise, Nevada. The campus is about east of the Las Vegas Strip. It was formerly part of the University of Nevada from 1957 to 1969. It includes the S ...

(UNLV) where he majored in

molecular biology Molecular biology is the branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecular basis of biological activity in and between cells, including biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactions. The study of chemical and physi ...

and started taking

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

and

modern Modern may refer to: History * Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Phil ...

dance classes. Tabitha grew up as an only child in

Galloway Township, New Jersey Galloway Township is a township in Atlantic County,in the U.S. state of New Jersey. At of total area of land and water, Galloway Township is the largest municipality in the state. Since there were no hip-hop classes, Tabitha learned by watching music videos and participating in her school's cheer and dance teams. She cites

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...

, and

Paula Abdul Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreograph ...

as influences. While cheerleading at Absegami High School, Tabitha earned "All-American" status at an

NCA NCA may refer to: Businessses and organisations Australia * National Capital Authority, a government authority for development planning of the Capital Territory * National Crime Authority, defunct investigative agency India * Nuclear Command Aut ...

camp and got the opportunity to perform in the

Aloha Bowl The Aloha Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision (then known as Division I-A) college football bowl game played in Honolulu, Hawaii at Aloha Stadium. History The Aloha Bowl was established in 1982 by Mackay ...

in Hawaii. After Tabitha graduated, she moved to Nevada in 1991 to attend UNLV where she majored in communications and started taking formal hip-hop dance classes. It was there at a party that she met Napoleon. While hanging out with her cheerleading and dance team friends, Tabitha invited Napoleon and his body building friends to come to a casual practice session and do stunt work with them. Napoleon and his friends eventually attended a formal practice session on campus, and the cheerleading coach was so impressed with their work that they all received full scholarships to join the team. Tabitha and Napoleon started dating in 1994, but their professional partnership and dance career did not start until 1996 when they began teaching hip-hop classes together at the Las Vegas Athletic Club. Since the beginning of their career, they have always worked together including their first choreography job and the first dance class they taught.

1996–2007: Early career, dancewear, and creative directing

While Tabitha and Napoleon were still in college, they were accepted into the dance company Culture Shock where they met members of the JabbaWockeeZ before the JabbaWockeeZ became a crew. In addition to going to school and being a part of Culture Shock, they both maintained part-time jobs. Together they worked at Bunker Dance Center in Las Vegas teaching hip-hop classes. Separately Napoleon worked as a personal trainer and Tabitha worked at the Rio Hotel and Casino. While dancing with Culture Shock, Tabitha created demo reels of the company to send to event organizers who were having conventions in Las Vegas. Tabitha and Napoleon used this method to book choreography jobs and it was during this time that they honed their lyrical hip-hop style. Through Culture Shock, they were hired to choreograph several

industrial musical An industrial musical is a musical performed internally for the employees or shareholders of a business to create a feeling of being part of a team, to entertain, and/or to educate and motivate the management and salespeople to improve sales and ...

s for casinos and corporations such as Nike, Levi, Redken, Matrix Hair, and MAC. They eventually worked their way up from company dancers to become the artistic directors. As Tabitha and Napoleon's college graduation was approaching they decided to change their plans from a job in public relations and medical school respectively to a career in the dance industry. Tabitha and Napoleon were married April 19, 1998. In 1999, they moved to Los Angeles to expand their opportunities. Upon arriving in L.A., they taught hip-hop classes at the Edge Performing Arts Center. They found extra work as back-up dancers for

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

, Toni Braxton,

Missy Elliott Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...

Monica Monica may refer to: People *Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress *Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...

, Timbaland, Sisqó, and

Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas. After years of limited ...

whom they went on tour with in 2002. Their move from dancing into choreography occurred gradually. Jobs included choreographing performances for

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

and

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

dance teams including the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bulls, and Orlando Magic. In November 2002, they made the cover of ''Dance Spirit'' magazine. They were profiled with seven other choreographers and interviewed about what it takes to make it as a dancer in Los Angeles. In 2003, Napoleon started teaching classes with Monsters of Hip Hop dance convention. Tabitha joined him later and they are still permanent faculty members to this day. In 2005, Tabitha and Napoleon started Nappytabs dancewear. They cite the lack of appropriate dancewear for the hip-hop dance community as inspiration for the company. Early in its production, Tabitha sewed the clothes herself. The Nappytabs logo began as a

yin and yang Yin and yang ( and ) is a Chinese philosophy, Chinese philosophical concept that describes opposite but interconnected forces. In Chinese cosmology, the universe creates itself out of a primary chaos of material energy, organized into the c ...

like symbol with an "n" and a "t" overlapping in the middle. The word itself—Nappytabs—is a combination of Napoleon (Nappy) and Tabitha's (Tab) nicknames. Contrary to popular belief, the name 'Nappytabs' started as their clothing line first. They did not call themselves Nappytabs, and the word being a nickname to refer to both of them did not start until they became choreographers on ''So You Think You Can Dance''. Tabitha and Napoleon began creative directing stage shows and concerts in the mid-2000s. In 2006, they served as assistant directors for Christina Aguilera’s '' Back to Basics Tour''. In 2007, they were also assistant directors for Ricky Martin’s ''

Black and White Tour The Black and White Tour (Blanco y Negro Tour) was the worldwide concert tour by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, in support of his 2006 album ''MTV Unplugged''. The tour visited the Americas and Europe. About the tour The show, directed for th ...

''. Both tours were directed by Jamie King who is known primarily for his work with

. The same year, Tabitha appeared in two fitness DVDs. She was the host/instructor of ''Drop it with Dance''. The video is split into six 10-minute routines that gradually increase in difficulty; movements from all six routines are combined in the finale "Showtime" segment. She also appeared in ''Rock Your Body'', which was hosted by Jamie King.

2008–2009: Dance shows and mainstream exposure

Tabitha and Napoleon became supervising choreographers for the inaugural season of ''

'' in 2008. They were responsible for choreographing group routines, coming up with dance challenges, and assisting the crews as needed with polishing their performances. Also in 2008, they took on hosting duties for ''Rock the Reception''. On the show, they created wedding dances for engaged couples and their wedding party to perform at the reception. The participants were real life couples with no dance experience. In addition to ''America's Best Dance Crew'' and ''Rock the Reception'', they joined the choreography and judging team on the fourth season of '' So You Think You Can Dance''. It was on this show that their lyrical hip-hop choreography style gained mainstream exposure. Lyrical hip-hop is a fluid and more interpretive version of standard hip-hop often danced to downtempo rap music or R&B music. The term itself was coined by choreographer and producer

Adam Shankman Adam Michael Shankman (born November 27, 1964) is an American film director, producer, writer, dancer, author, actor, and choreographer. He was a permanent judge on season 6–7 of the television program ''So You Think You Can Dance''. He began h ...

in reference to a routine choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon to

Leona Lewis Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved nationa ...

' song "

Bleeding Love "Bleeding Love" is a song recorded by English singer Leona Lewis for her debut studio album ''Spirit'' (2007). It was written and originally recorded by Jesse McCartney, and was co-written and produced by Ryan Tedder. The song was released as t ...

". "Bleeding Love" was nominated for a 2009 Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography. After the season ended, Tabitha and Napoleon directed the 2008 ''So You Think You Can Dance Tour''. They continued creative directing several other concerts throughout the remainder of the year. They teamed up with Jamie King again and served as assistant directors for

Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...

's ''

Taking Chances Tour The Taking Chances World Tour is the ninth concert tour by Canadian singer Celine Dion, in support of her thirteenth French-language and twenty-second studio album ''D'elles'' (2007). tenth English-language and twenty-third studio album ''Taking ...

.'' They directed ''Monsters of Hip Hop: The Show'' and ''America's Best Dance Crew Live'' which featured dance crews JabbaWockeeZ,

Super Cr3w Super CR3W (pronounced "Super Crew") is a male assemblage of hip-hop dancers originating from Las Vegas, Nevada. The group won the second season Americas Best Dance Crew in the finals. Contrary to popular belief, Super CR3W was formed long before t ...

Fanny Pak Fanny Pak is a ten-member contemporary, hip-hop and jazz-trained dance crew from Los Angeles, California that gained popularity after appearing on the second season of MTV's ''America's Best Dance Crew'' (ABDC). Often while performing, the crew ...

, ASIID, and Breaksk8. OMG! gave the concert a positive review stating that the five crews represented a good mix of styles and that the concert brought the best parts of the show to the stage. In January 2009, the Nappytabs dancewear website launched which began the start of online clothing sales. The first version of their website was designed and maintained by Ryan Cyphert's 3nine Design media company. Cyphert is also a professional dancer and a colleague of Tabitha and Napoleon. At the time the website launched they all were faculty members at Shock the Intensive dance convention. When Tabitha and Napoleon joined ''So You Think You Can Dance'', dancers on the show, as well as on ''America's Best Dance Crew'' and ''Dancing With the Stars'', were already wearing their clothing line during rehearsals. Some of the sponsors were not happy about it and wanted to cover the Nappytabs logo on the clothing. In response to this, judge and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe decided to start calling Tabitha and Napoleon "Nappytabs" during the show so that viewers who looked them up on Google would find their store's website. In April 2009, Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed two couples' routines and a group routine for the second season of ''

So You Think You Can Dance Australia ''So You Think You Can Dance Australia'' is an Australian version of the American reality dance competition ''So You Think You Can Dance''. The show is hosted by Carrie Bickmore, with judges Paula Abdul, Shannon Holtzapffel, Jason Gilkison and ...

''. The "

Arab Money "Arab Money" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Busta Rhymes, released as the lead single from his eighth studio album '' Back on My B.S.'' (2009). The song features production and vocals by fellow New York City-based rapper Ron Brow ...

" hip-hop routine they choreographed received positive reviews from the judges but their "

Dead and Gone "Dead and Gone" is a song by American hip hop recording artist T.I., featuring American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was released on January 12, 2009 as the eighth single from T.I.'s sixth studio album, ''Paper Trail'' (2008). Due t ...

" ''lyrical'' hip-hop routine, which was performed later on the same episode, received the most praise.

Bonnie Lythgoe Bonita Lythgoe (née Shawe; born 1949) is a British former dancer who, since the 1990s and 2000s, has been the producer and director of various theatre productions, including pantomimes. In 1969, aged 19, Lythgoe auditioned for the BBC's Young G ...

called it the "top routine of the night". Jason Coleman added "the choreography asabsolutely spectacular" and Matt Lee said it was "...probably the best routine in the series." While in Australia, Tabitha and Napoleon were judges at the 2009 Australian Hip Hop Championships in Sydney. Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed several television specials later in the year. In September, they choreographed the opening dance sequence on the season seven premiere of '' The Ellen DeGeneres Show''. The routine featured both DeGeneres and the top ten dancers from season five of ''So You Think You Can Dance''. At the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards, they choreographed a routine honoring dance that featured

Karina Smirnoff Karina Smirnoff (russian: Карина Смирнова, links=no; born January 2, 1978) is a Soviet-born American professional ballroom dancer of Ukrainian origins. She is known as a professional dancer on '' Dancing with the Stars,'' where s ...

and Maksim Chmerkovskiy from ''Dancing With The Stars''; Katee Shean, Mark Kanemura, and

Joshua Allen Joshua Allen (born March 13, 1989) is an American dancer and actor, best known as the winner of the fourth season of ''So You Think You Can Dance''. He had originally auditioned in Dallas, Texas with his friend and fellow contestant, Comfort Fed ...

from ''So You Think You Can Dance''; and four members of Quest Crew—the winners of season three of ''America's Best Dance Crew''. They finished the year with choreography for

Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005. Her single "Inside Your Heaven" made her the only country artist to debut atop the ''Bill ...

's ''All-Star Holiday Special'' and

Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...

' performance on ''

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'' (''NYRE'') is an annual New Year's Eve television special broadcast by ABC. The special broadcasts primarily from New York City's Times Square and prominently features coverage of its annual ball drop ev ...

''.

2010–2011: Stage productions and brand expansion

In 2010, Tabitha and Napoleon returned to ''So You Think You Can Dance'' (SYTYCD) for season seven and started to work with four different productions of Cirque du Soleil. In February, they provided choreography for Cirque du Soleil's ''

'' show at the Aria hotel in Las Vegas. They also choreographed a ''Viva Elvis'' guest appearance on ''Dancing with the Stars''. On SYTYCD, they choreographed routines for the contestants as well as one guest performance for the cast of Cirque du Soleil's '' Beatles Love''. They worked with ''Love'' again at the

NHL awards The National Hockey League presents numerous annual awards and trophies to recognize its teams and players. The oldest, and most recognizable, is the Stanley Cup. First awarded in 1893, the Stanley Cup is awarded to the NHL's playoff champion. ...

and with their sister Cirque productions ''

Kà ''Kà'' is a show by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. ''Kà'' describes the story as "the coming of age of a young man and a young woman through their encounters with love, conflict and the duality of ''Kà'', the fire that ...

'', for a guest performance on ''America's Got Talent'', and '' Mystère'', for a guest performance on ''

Lopez Tonight ''Lopez Tonight'' is an American late-night television talk show that was hosted by the comedian George Lopez. The hour-long program premiered on November 9, 2009, on cable network TBS. Lopez was the first Mexican-American to host a late-night ...

''. After SYTYCD ended, they appeared as guest choreographers on the Ukrainian version of the show called ''Everybody Can Dance!/Танцюють всі!''. Aside from choreography, Tabitha and Napoleon continued to develop and expand their dancewear line. In May, they opened the Nappytabs store and dance studio in the North Hollywood Arts District. Although they design their own clothing, they commissioned some print and t-shirt designs from Alex Lodermeier who has also designed for Propr, a clothing line owned by Ben Harper, David Arquette, and David Bedwell. Through Nappytabs, they also started to sponsor The Pulse on Tour dance convention and the ''Industry Voice'' online newsletter. Their clothing appears in independent R&B singer John Gillette's music video "All Bad". Tabitha was a featured dancer in the video and Napoleon made a cameo appearance at the end. Also in May, the JabbaWockeeZ' ''MÜS.I.C.'' (pronounced

MUSE In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...

-i-see) stage show, which Tabitha and Napoleon directed, opened at the MGM Grand Las Vegas hotel. ''MÜS.I.C.'' was the first hip-hop dance stage show on the

Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of ...

. The show was 90 minutes long involving dancing, comedy, and magic. In October, ''MÜS.I.C.'' moved to the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. At the Monte Carlo premiere, the JabbaWockeeZ brought Tabitha on stage for a cameo appearance. In February 2011, Tabitha and Napoleon made their music video directorial debut with the song "All These Boys" by

Jasmine Villegas Jasmine Marie Villegas (born December 7, 1993), known professionally as Jasmine V, is an American singer. She was signed to Damon Dash's Dame Dash Music Group at the age of 12 and RCA Records at the age of 16 before signing to Interscope Records ...

. Unlike John Gillette's "All Bad" they did not dance or appear in the video, but they did serve as the choreographers. In the Spring, they returned to working in television with two projects. At the invitation of Nigel Lythgoe, they joined the production crew on the tenth season of ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...

'' as staging and creative directors, a position they continued to hold for season 11. They also choreographed the

Howie Mandel Howard Michael Mandel (born November 29, 1955) is a Canadian-American comedian, television personality, actor, and producer. Mandel voiced the character Gizmo in the 1984 film ''Gremlins'' and the 1990 sequel '' Gremlins 2: The New Batch''. I ...

-produced television show ''

Mobbed ''Mobbed'' is an American hidden camera reality television show based on the use of flash mobs as part of the spectacle for the delivery of an important personal message. The show, created by Howie Mandel, Darryl Trell, and Howard Kitrosser, aire ...

'' which premiered after ''American Idol'' on March 31, 2011. The pilot episode was actually shot in September 2010, but after drawing 10.8 million views it was picked up as a series. In April 2011, they started work on the film '' Make Your Move'' starring Derek Hough from ''Dancing With the Stars'' and

singer

Kwon. Their relationship with BoA extended past the production of the film when they choreographed the music video for her song "Only One"—the title track from her seventh studio album. Due to scheduling conflicts with the production of ''Make Your Move'', Tabitha and Napoleon did not return to ''America's Best Dance Crew'' as supervising choreographers for season six. When filming was complete, they did return to Cirque du Soleil as two of ten choreographers for '' Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour''. Like other stage shows they've worked on in the past, this one was directed by Jamie King. Christmas 2011 brought personal changes as Napoleon announced on their Twitter page that Tabitha was pregnant.

2012–2016: Music videos, K-pop, and Las Vegas residencies

Tabitha and Napoleon spent the beginning of 2012 apart. While Tabitha was choreographing

's halftime performance for

Super Bowl XLVI Super Bowl XLVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...

, Napoleon was shooting more scenes for ''Make Your Move'' and scouting for the seventh season of ''America's Best Dance Crew''. Although they never returned to ''America's Best Dance Crew'' as supervising choreographers, they did return in season eight as co-executive producers After the Super Bowl, Tabitha worked with Madonna again. She choreographed her music video " Girl Gone Wild" which featured all-male Ukrainian dance troupe

Kazaky Kazaky is a Ukrainian synthpop dance boyband, made up of Kyryll Fedorenko, Artur Gaspar and Artemiy Lazarev. Assembled in Kyiv in 2010 by former original member Zhezhel, a skilled choreographer, the group has released two albums and several sing ...

. During the last months of the year, Tabitha and Napoleon continued to work with K-pop artists. They choreographed the music videos "Humanoids" by

and "

I Got A Boy ''I Got a Boy'' (stylized in all caps) is the fourth Korean studio album (sixth overall) by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. It was released for digital download on January 1, 2013, by S.M. Entertainment, and was made available for p ...

" by

Girls' Generation Girls' Generation (), also known as SNSD, is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group is composed of eight members: Taeyeon, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun. Originally a nine-piece ensembl ...

. TVXQ, Girls' Generation, and BoA are all signed to S. M. Entertainment. In April 2013, Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed the music video "Puttin' on the Ritz" by Herb Alpert. Two months later, they recreated the video on SYTYCD as the opening routine for season ten's Top 20 performance episode. Yahoo! Music called the performance "absolutely epic". Like the video, it was also shot in one take and several people made cameo appearances including Sean Cheesman, Travis Wall,

Chris Scott Christopher or Chris Scott may refer to: Sports * Chris Scott (Australian footballer) (born 1976), Australian rules footballer and coach * Chris Scott (cricketer, born 1964), English cricketer for Nottinghamshire and Durham * Chris Scott (cricketer ...

, Mary Murphy,

Jason Gilkison Jason Gilkison is an Australian professional ballroom dance champion and choreographer. Early life Gilkison was born in Perth, Australia. He was raised by his single mum, Kay. At age 4, he began dancing at the Perth ballroom dance studio, fo ...

, Nigel Lythgoe, Herb Alpert, Lani Hall, and Tabitha and Napoleon themselves. In February 2014, Tabitha and Napoleon teamed up with TVXQ again to choreograph their music video " Spellbound"—the title track from their seventh album. Just like Alpert's "Puttin' on the Ritz", the video was shot in one take. ''Billboard'' gave the video a positive review: "The duo makes a strong case for 2014's best choreography in the pellboundvideo." Tabitha and Napoleon also choreographed Super Junior-M's music video "

Swing Swing or swinging may refer to: Apparatus * Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth * Pendulum, an object that swings * Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus * Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse * Swing rid ...

"—the title track from their third EP. They briefly returned to the stage as directors for sibling ballroom dancers Derek and Julianne Hough's ''Move Live on Tour''. After the ''Move'' tour, Tabitha and Napoleon continued to work on music videos. They choreographed Ed Sheeran's music video for the single " Thinking Out Loud". Since its premiere, the video has amassed over 1.5 billion views. They directed and choreographed the music video for "Harlem Hopscotch", the first single from

Maya Angelou Maya Angelou ( ; born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American memoirist, popular poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and ...

's posthumous poetry album ''Caged Bird Songs''. The video premiered December 23, 2014, on Oprah.com and features cameo appearances by Derek Hough and actress Zendaya. The beginning of 2015 marked a return to K-pop. They choreographed BoA's "Kiss My Lips" and

's "Call Me Baby" and "Monster". Afterward, they directed and choreographed

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...

's Number 1's residency at Caesars Palace hotel and re-choreographed '' Beatles Love'' at the Mirage Resort and Casino.

2017–present: World of Dance

Tabitha and Napoleon serve as co-executive producers and supervising choreographers for

World of Dance World of Dance is a Southern California-based dance, fashion, music, and entertainment brand founded by David Gonzalez, Myron Marten, and Michael McGinn in 2008. It is the world's largest dance entertainment enterprise, elevating artists and bra ...

(WOD), a television show based on the hip-hop dance competition of the same name. This project will serve as a continuation of a long professional partnership they've had with Jennifer Lopez; her company Nuyorican Productions is developing the show. Tabitha and Napoleon worked with Lopez in 2009 when they choreographed her performance at the '' American Music Awards''. They choreographed her 2011 music video " Papi", her 2014 '' A.K.A.'' promotional tour, and her 2016 '' All I Have'' residency at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Tabitha and Napoleon's relationship with WOD goes back to 2014 when they were judges at the competition's Los Angeles tour stop. They were working on Britney: Domination,

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

's Las Vegas residency, but their work was put on hold because of the singer going into a hiatus to take care of her father.

Choreography style

Artistry

Tabitha and Napoleon's choreography is primarily hip-hop; however, it varies across genres depending on what project they're working on. For example, on ''America's Best Dance Crew'' all of the group routines they choreographed were hip-hop. However, on ''So You Think You Can Dance'' (SYTYCD) they choreographed a few jazz routines and on Cirque du Soleil their work incorporated

acro Acro or ACRO may refer to: * Acro dance, a dance style that combines classical dance technique with acrobatics * Acro Sport, an aircraft manufacturer * Grob 103 Twin II Acro, a sailplane manufactured by Grob Aircraft * ACRO Acro or ACRO may refe ...

. In general, their choreography emphasizes big visuals, which they attribute to their cheerleading past, and is "...largely centered on storytelling and physical comedy." Inspiration for lifts is taken from

lucha libre Lucha libre (, meaning "freestyle wrestling" or literally translated as "free fight") is the term used in Latin America for professional wrestling. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has developed into a unique form ...

adagio Adagio (Italian for 'slowly', ) may refer to: Music * Adagio, a Tempo#Basic tempo markings, tempo marking, indicating that music is to be played slowly, or a composition intended to be played in this manner * Adagio (band), a French progressive m ...

, and

swing dance Swing dance is a group of social dances that developed with the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s–1940s, with the origins of each dance predating the popular "swing era". Hundreds of styles of swing dancing were developed; those that hav ...

. The style they are most known for is lyrical hip-hop.

Lyrical hip-hop

Lyrical dance is a studio-based dance style that uses a combination of classical dance techniques from jazz and ballet to tell a story through movement. With jazz and ballet, technique alone can provide a good performance but in lyrical dance expressing emotion is emphasized just as much as technique. Hip-hop is an urban dance style that is characterized as hard-hitting involving isolations—moving certain body parts independently from others—and musicality, the body's sensitivity to changes in music. Hip-hop can incorporate movement from its substyles locking, breaking,

, and

boogaloo Boogaloo or bugalú (also: shing-a-ling, Latin boogaloo, Latin R&B) is a genre of Latin music and dance which was popular in the United States in the 1960s. Boogaloo originated in New York City mainly among teenage African Americans and Latinos ...

to add a different movement quality but conveying emotion does not have to be present as the dance is more about bravado and personal enjoyment. Lyrical hip-hop is a fluid and more interpretive version of standard hip-hop. It combines the nuances of lyrical dance with the vocabulary and foundational movements found in hip-hop. According to ''Dance Spirit'' magazine, what differentiates lyrical hip-hop from standard hip-hop is that dancers interpret the beat differently. In lyrical hip-hop there are still isolations, gliding, and body waves just like in standard hip-hop. However, the movements are smoother and more fluid rather than hard-hitting and, like lyrical dance, emphasis is placed on storytelling and conveying emotion through the choreography. Lyrical hip-hop first gained mainstream exposure, and its name, in 2008 on season four of SYTYCD. The term itself is credited to

, a choreographer and judge on the program, who made a comment in reference to a routine choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo to Leona Lewis' song "

". Due to Shankman's comment and their subsequent work on seasons four through seven, Tabitha and Napoleon are credited with developing this style. Some hip-hop purists feel the interpretive and softer approach means lyrical hip-hop is not hip-hop at all. From a purist perspective, dancing to the lyrics would make the choreography

linear Linearity is the property of a mathematical relationship (''function'') that can be graphically represented as a straight line. Linearity is closely related to '' proportionality''. Examples in physics include rectilinear motion, the linear r ...

and too technical. This is because dancing to the words would take precedence over dancing to the beat. Traditionally in hip-hop, dancing to the beat is essential; lyrics can accent the movement, but the beat is the guiding force for the dancing. Other hip-hop dancers, such as choreographer

Shane Sparks Melvin Shane Sparks (born June 25, 1969) is an American hip-hop choreographer best known for his work as a choreographer on ''So You Think You Can Dance'' and judge on '' America's Best Dance Crew''. Early life Sparks was born in Cincinnat ...

, believe that lyrical hip-hop is hip-hop but not different enough for it to have a separate label or be in its own subgenre.

Teaching

Although Tabitha and Napoleon have a solid career in choreography and creative direction, they spend a significant amount of time teaching classes at dance studios and conventions. They have stated that teaching helps their choreography because it keeps them current on new hip-hop social dances (party dances). They are faculty members at Monsters of Hip Hop dance convention. In the past they have taught at Shock the Intensive, the Edge Performing Arts Center, Millennium Dance Complex, Hip Hop International, Dance Blitz, Seattle Theater Group, Coastal Dance Rage, the Dance Teacher Web Conference and Expo, Teen Dance Company of the Bay Area, JUMP, Xtreme Dance Force, ProDance, Triple Threat Dance, Project 818, Boogiezone, iHollywood, the So You Think You Can Dance Experience, DANCE! The Convention, the Hollywood Summer Tour, Velocity, Radix, The Zoo, and VIP Dance Events.

Critical reception

JabbaWockeeZ

The JabbaWockeeZ performed the show ''MÜS.I.C.'' from May 2010 to September 2012. Over the course of their two-year run, the show received mixed reviews. For their second show ''PRiSM'' they signed a six-year deal which included building a new 830-seat theater in a space that used to house a motion-simulator ride. Upon opening, ''PRiSM'' was met with positive reviews. Tabitha and Napoleon directed both shows.

''MÜS.I.C.''

The first run of ''MÜS.I.C.'' was held at the MGM Grand Las Vegas hotel and casino. ''Las Vegas Weekly'' wrote that ''MÜS.I.C.'' had "game-changing potential" because it was the first time hip-hop dance had headlined a show on the Las Vegas Strip. In contrast, the ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'' (LVRJ) criticized the show for being repetitious and for having a bare stage for the first 20 minutes. LVRJ also criticized the use of masks as not appealing to a casual viewer because it inhibited the dancers' personality: "Even if a generational split is in play here, it would be tough to hear the creators argue that the show would suffer if, after 20 minutes or so -- gasp! -- makeup or clown-face replaced the masks to expand the original concept." In October 2010, the show moved to the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. Changes to the original show included a bigger stage, a new set, and added dance routines. CraveOnline.com called the new show "amazing" and Zap2It.com described it as "a vibrant, frenetic and multi-genre extravaganza of visuals, sound and movement." In April 2012, the Jabbawockeez began running two ''MÜS.I.C.'' shows in tandem. Some members stayed with the flagship show in Las Vegas while the others took the show on limited residencies elsewhere. Their first residency outside Las Vegas was in Australia at the Jupiters Hotel and Casino in

Gold Coast, Queensland The Gold Coast is a coastal city in the state of Queensland, Australia, approximately south-southeast of the centre of the state capital Brisbane. With a population over 600,000, the Gold Coast is the sixth-largest city in Australia, the nati ...

. ''Gold Coast Magazine'' gave the show a good review describing it as "magical... it truly does stir an emotional response through your soul and the combination of dance and drama make it appealing to all ages." After leaving Jupiters, the Jabbawockeez took up a second month-long residency in August 2012 at Harrah's Resort Atlantic City casino in New Jersey. Philly.com gave it a lukewarm review: "The problem is that as good as Jabbawockeez is at what

hey do Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...

the novelty wears off about a third-way through the show... the bulk of the performance pretty much offers little more than variations on a theme. As such, Jabbawockeez would have much more impact as a featured act in a variety show than it has on its own." The members that stayed in Las Vegas temporarily moved into an 800-seat tent outside the Monte Carlo to continue their show. VegasChatter.com reviewed the tent show and called it "an entertaining, fun, and interactive performance show." They performed in the tent from June 2012 through September 2012 with the understanding they would take up residence in the Luxor Las Vegas hotel and casino in the Spring of 2013.

''PRiSM''

The JabbaWockeeZ second stage show ''PRiSM'' opened at the Luxor Las Vegas on May 31, 2013. The show's original title was ''Nonsense'' (a nod to the crew's name) because, at the time, they lacked a cohesive theme. However, it was Napoleon's idea to change the title to ''PRiSM'' since there are seven crew members and when light goes into a

prism Prism usually refers to: * Prism (optics), a transparent optical component with flat surfaces that refract light * Prism (geometry), a kind of polyhedron Prism may also refer to: Science and mathematics * Prism (geology), a type of sedimentary ...

, seven colors emerge (the Luxor hotel is in the shape of a triangular prism). From that point on, unity and color became the themes of the show and the title was given the

backronym A backronym is an acronym formed from an already existing word by expanding its letters into the words of a phrase. Backronyms may be invented with either serious or humorous intent, or they may be a type of false etymology or folk etymology. The ...

Painting Reality in a Spectrum of Movement. ''PRiSM'' received positive reviews. ''Las Vegas Weekly'' wrote "Those who deride the art of pantomime or breakdancing need to check this show out. It will change your mind." ''Las Vegas Sun'' (LVS) described the show as "a mix of great choreography, interesting storylines and special effects reminiscent of

Electric Daisy Carnival Electric Daisy Carnival, commonly known as EDC, is an electronic dance music festival organized by promoter and distributor Insomniac. The annual flagship event, EDC Las Vegas, is held in May at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and is currently t ...

...". LVS wrote "It’s great to see a different kind of headliner — in content and ethnic makeup — thriving on the Strip." ''Vegas Kool'' stated that the new theater "...is laid out oeveryone has a great view of the stage." ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'' (LVRJ) directly addressed Tabitha and Napoleon's involvement in "...turning the Jabbawockeez brand into an oddly endearing mix of mime, modern dance and physical theater." Several reviewers noted that overall ''PRiSM'' is better than ''MÜS.I.C.'' LVRJ wrote "...it all seems to hang together better this time, with a seamless flow and unifying themes of brotherhood and diversity." ''Dance Track Magazine'' wrote "Not only does the show have a much more intimate feel than previous Jabbawockeez shows, but ''PRiSM'' also includes increased audience participation, intensified humor and a storyline that is dramatic and flows through the entire performance." IGoShows.com had the same observation: "...the reviousshows were plagued by lost opportunities, undeveloped ideas, and repetition. They seem to have corrected these shortcomings. 'Prism' is better in almost every way over its predecessors. The show has a cohesiveness that it never had before, good follow-through on ideas, and far more intriguing staging. The choreography is strong, varied, and doesn’t suffer the repetition that had invaded it previously."

''So You Think You Can Dance''

Most criticism of Tabitha and Napoleon's choreography has come as a result of their work on ''So You Think You Can Dance'' (SYTYCD). Over the course of their involvement with the show, they have received mixed reviews. At worst, their choreography has been criticized as "softie hip-hop (more like 'hip-pop')". At best, it has been described as "amazing" and "bring ngout the best in their dancers..."

Seasons four, five, and six

Lyrical hip-hop gained exposure and popularity during Tabitha and Napoleon's first season with SYTYCD (season four). On the first performance episode, contestants Katee Shean and Joshua Allen performed a D'umo choreographed lyrical hip-hop piece to the song " No Air" by

Jordin Sparks Jordin Sparks-Thomas (born December 22, 1989) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame in 2007 after winning the sixth season of ''American Idol'' at age 17, becoming the youngest winner in the series' history. Her self-titled debu ...

. This routine received positive reviews and was later chosen as a "Judges' Favorite" by judge and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe to be performed again during the finale. BuddyTV.com wrote that the routine deserved an Emmy nomination. Although Tabitha and Napoleon were not nominated for "No Air", they were nominated for "Bleeding Love", another lyrical hip-hop routine performed by Mark Kanemura and

Chelsie Hightower Chelsie Kay Hightower (born July 21, 1989) is a ballroom dancer. She is known for being a regular dance partner, trainer and choreographer on the ABC competition show '' Dancing with the Stars'', on which she was a professional from Season 8 t ...

which the ''San Francisco Gate'' called a "great drama from hip-hop choreographers Tabitha and Napoleon D'Umo, danced with chemistry and theatrical flair." This routine was picked as a "Judges' Favorite" by choreographer and judge Christopher " Lil' C" Toler. In June 2010, TVSquad.com named "No Air" and "Bleeding Love" two of the ten best routines from all seasons of SYTYCD. A third Tabitha and Napoleon lyrical hip-hop routine choreographed to

Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...

' song " Like You'll Never See Me Again" did not receive as much critical praise or attention as "Bleeding Love" or "No Air"; however, Nigel Lythgoe confessed when giving feedback on the dance that season four was the first time he had been emotionally affected by hip-hop routines. Seasons five and six brought less praise for Tabitha and Napoleon. During season five's Top 8 performance episode, Lythgoe commented after a hip-hop routine choreographed by

"It's wonderful to have Shane Sparks back this season. He brings something else... I've been a little disappointed with our hip-hop this year." Out of the ten hip-hop routines (both couples and group routines) choreographed on season five previous to Lythgoe's comment, Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed seven. The most significant criticism came during season six in response to "

People are Strange "People Are Strange" is a song by the American rock band the Doors. It appears on the band's second studio album, '' Strange Days'', released in September 1967. It was also issued the same month as a single, which peaked at number 12 on the ''B ...

"—a routine about how

aliens Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrate ...

would attempt to dance hip-hop. None of the judges liked the routine. Lythgoe said the routine placed concept (theme) over substance (dancing). All the judges felt that the dance was weird and that the choreography was more to blame for the dancers' performance than the dancing itself. Of the routine "

Give it to me Right "Give It to Me Right" is a song by Canadian contemporary R&B, R&B singer Melanie Fiona from her debut album, ''The Bridge (Melanie Fiona album), The Bridge'' (2009). Written and produced by Andrea Martin (musician), Andrea Martin and Rod Argent, t ...

" that Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed on a later season six episode about two fraternizing office employees, TVSquad.com wrote that many parts were awkward and that the dance only became enjoyable once the dancers "stopped cavorting around the desk and got out on the floor." In contrast to the mediocre to bad reviews, two other routines they choreographed were picked as "Judges' Favorite" during the season six finale: "

Beggin' "Beggin" is a song composed by Bob Gaudio and Peggy Farina and first released as a single by American band the Four Seasons in 1967. Initially charting at number 16 in the US, the song became popular in the Northern soul scene in the United Ki ...

" (chosen by Lil' C) and "

I Can Transform Ya "I Can Transform Ya" is a song by American singer Chris Brown from his third album ''Graffiti (Chris Brown album), Graffiti''. The song features vocals from American rappers Lil Wayne and Swizz Beatz. The artists co-wrote the song with Lonny Berea ...

" (chosen by Mary Murphy).

Seasons seven and eight

Tabitha and Napoleon received their best reviews on SYTYCD during season seven after a performance they choreographed to the song " Outta Your Mind" by Lil Jon. Creators.com called the routine "brilliantly imaginative." ''Pioneer Local'' called it "powerful... It's been so long since abitha and Napoleonhave had a showstopping hip-hop number on SYTYCD. Not since Season 4 when they had Katee, Joshua, tWitch, Mark and Chelsie have they pulled out hip-hop this good." The routine was performed by ballet dancer Alex Wong and "All-Star" hip-hop dancer Stephen "tWitch" Boss from season four. The concept is about a psychologist (tWitch) who teaches a dancer (Alex) to let go of his technique and inhibitions and just dance. After the performance, tWitch and Alex received a standing ovation from the crowd and all three judges—Nigel Lythgoe, Mia Michaels, and Adam Shankman. Host

Cat Deeley Catherine Elizabeth Deeley (born 23 October 1976) is an English television presenter and actress. From 1998 to 2002, she hosted the ITV children's show ''SMTV Live,'' for which she won a BAFTA Children's Award, and its spin-off chart show '' C ...

commented "I have never, never, in 'So You Think You Can Dance' history, heard a roar from a crowd like this - ever." Lythgoe called the concept "brilliant... This is about a ballet dancer doing the most incredible hip-hop... If this routine and you are not up for an Emmy with Napoleon and Tabitha next year, I don't know why not. It's probably one of the funnest, best hip-hop routines we've ever had on this show." In slight disagreement, the ''Wall Street Journal'' noted that "Outta Your Mind" may in fact be nominated for an Emmy, but it is unlikely to win because past winners have all been lyrical, very emotional routines. On a later episode, Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed a lyrical hip-hop routine to

debut single " Fallin'". Of the dance, judge Mia Michaels stated "That to me felt more real than any contemporary piece, honestly, because it came from such a raw raw space and place. That was absolutely unbelievable, and it was like watching a dance film." Lythgoe stated that the dance reminded him of "Bleeding Love" and "No Air" from season four and added "Somehow Napoleon and Tabitha have this ability... to put emotion into hip-hop routines and it really is a real talent." The positive reviews continued through the rest of the season. Of Tabitha and Napoleon's "

Scars A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other organs, and tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a natu ...

" routine about angry clowns, Lythgoe called the piece "stunning" and Michaels described it as "hip-hop theater". After the episode aired, ''Dance Spirit'' magazine wrote "Tabitha and Napoleon are on FIRE this season!" The ''Los Angeles Times'' echoed this comment stating that season seven had been "Nappytabs' best season". On the Top 3 performance episode, after their " Power" routine danced by eventual champion Lauren Froderman and "All-Star" tWitch, Michaels commented "Nappytabs what a season you have had, my God. It's been like home run after home run after home run..." Shankman echoed this comment on the finale by calling Tabitha and Napoleon "the MVPs of the season". Four of their routines—"Fallin'", "Scars", "Battle for the Beat", and "

My Chick Bad "My Chick Bad" is a song by American rapper Ludacris. The song features Trinidadian recording artist Nicki Minaj, who co-wrote the song with Ludacris, Samuel Lindley, and Derrelle Davidson. The track was produced by The Legendary Traxster. "My Ch ...

"—were chosen as "Judges' Favorite" during the season seven finale broadcast. Due to an injury sustained by Alex Wong, "Outta Your Mind" was not picked as a judge's favorite. Instead, it was performed by tWitch and special guest Ellen DeGeneres as a tribute to Alex just before Lauren Froderman was declared the winner of season seven. Season eight brought back mixed feedback. Early in the season, Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed a lyrical hip-hop routine " Coming Home" about a veteran coming back to his wife after returning from his deployment. The routine generated positive while emotional responses causing both guest judge

Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer, and businesswoman. Her career spanned almost 70 years. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portra ...

and resident judge Mary Murphy to cry while giving feedback. ''The Star Ledger'' placed "Coming Home" at number three in its list of the top five routines performed during season eight. Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed another lyrical hip-hop routine " I Got You" on the Top 16 performance episode. Celebuzz.com called the routine "dramatic and breathtaking". The dance generated positive reviews from the judges causing them to spontaneously kiss one another in response to a kiss that was choreographed into the dance. On the Top 8 performance episode,

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...

appeared as a guest judge in which three hip-hop routines were performed. Although Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed two of them, she criticized their work while giving feedback on all three. She indirectly criticized them after a lyrical hip-hop piece choreographed by Marty Kudelka in which she referred to the dance style as "dated". Of the two routines they did choreograph, she criticized their use of props in both of them. A flower was used in the first routine " Take a Bow" about a cheating boyfriend asking for forgiveness. Several props including trash cans, rags, and brooms were used in the second routine " Bad Boys for Life" about waste management workers. Aside from disliking the props, she described their hip-hop choreography for "Bad Boys for Life" as "

contrived Contrived is a Canadian indie rock band."C ...

". On the finale, "Coming Home" was not picked as a "Judges Favorite" but two other routines they choreographed, "I Got You" and "

Break Ya Neck "Break Ya Neck" is the second single by American rapper Busta Rhymes from his fifth album ''Genesis'' (2001). The song was produced by Dr. Dre and Scott Storch. Truth Hurts provides background vocals. The song contains an interpolation of the R ...

", were chosen instead by judges Nigel Lythgoe and Lil' C respectively.

''Make Your Move''

''Make Your Move'' was released in South Korea and the United States in April 2013. With the exception of a make-out scene the choreography was generally praised among critics. ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' stated "Although the bit of bedroom footwork was more laugh-inducing than anything, some of the dancing really is spectacular. Scenes from the competing clubs include impressive choreography and gravity-defying moves." KPopStarz.com wrote "The dance teams and performances are enough to dominate the scenes, and definitely deserve a look. They bring forth the unique charm of watching a dance movie."

RogerEbert.com ''RogerEbert.com'' is an American film review website that archives reviews written by film critic Roger Ebert for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' and also shares other critics' reviews and essays. The website, underwritten by the ''Chicago Sun-Times' ...

stated "'Make Your Move' rests on the success of its various dance sequences, not its plot. And the dancing here is exciting, innovative, and specific. Each 'number' has a story behind it, a motivation, a different look and feel... I could have lived without the choreographed (literally) foreplay scene, as they dance their way to the bed, but there are other dance sequences between the two where their chemistry vibrates off the screen." ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' said "The Romeo and Juliet-inspired plotline basically serves as a framing device allowing the opportunity for a plethora of exuberant dance sequences that particularly show off Hough's considerable talent."

Awards and recognition

Primetime Emmy Awards
Tabitha and Napoleon have won two Emmys from a total of four nominations. At the 2013 Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony, they joined the other choreography nominees and created a routine honoring dance that was performed just before the Outstanding Choreography award was presented. 2013 was the first year the Outstanding Choreography award was presented at the Primetime Emmys telecast rather than at the

Creative Arts Emmy The Creative Arts Emmys are a class of Emmy Awards presented in recognition of technical and other similar achievements in American television programming. They are commonly awarded to behind-the-scenes personnel such as art director, production de ...

s ceremony which takes place a week prior. MTV Video Music Awards
Dancers' Choice Awards
The Carnival Choreographer's Ball
World of Dance
Entertainment Weekly
In 2011, ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'' compiled a list of the "25 Best Performances Ever" on ''So You Think You Can Dance''. Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed four routines on the list. Shorty Awards

Charity work

Tabitha and Napoleon have donated money and their time to different non-profit organizations. In 2009, they made an appearance at the Life Changing Lives Gala, the proceeds of which benefited the Wounded Warrior Project, the

Make-A-Wish Foundation The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in the United States that helps fulfill the wishes of children with a critical illness between the ages of and 18 years old. Make-A-Wish was founded in 1980 and headqua ...

, and the Boys & Girls Clubs. At the event, dancers Katie Shean and Joshua Allen from season four of ''So You Think You Can Dance'' performed the D'umo choreographed "No Air" lyrical hip-hop routine about a soldier telling his girlfriend he is being deployed. In the wake of the

2010 Haiti earthquake A disaster, catastrophic Moment magnitude scale, magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake struck Haiti at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The epicenter was near the town of Léogâne, Ouest (department), Ouest department, a ...

, Tabitha and Napoleon held a week-long fundraiser from online sales of their dancewear line. The money raised was donated to Artists for Peace and Justice who in turn gave 100% of their donations toward humanitarian relief efforts. For a separate fundraiser, they donated Nappytabs merchandise for a silent auction held by the organization Art4Life to benefit the

American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. Established in 1913, the society is organized into six geographical regions of both medical and lay volunteers operating in more than ...

. In 2012, they taught classes at "The JabbaWockeez Experience" held at the Alexis Park Resort in Las Vegas. The event raised money for the Monsters on the Move Foundation which grants scholarships to aspiring dancers. In 2013, they worked with the Jabbawockeez again on a music video to the song "Celebrate" by Empire of the Sun and Tommy Trash. The music video also featured

Les Twins Laurent and Larry Nicolas Bourgeois (born December 6, 1988), professionally known as Les Twins, are French dancers, choreographers, producers, models, designers, and creative directors of their brand "Eleven Paris". Often referred to by their r ...

8 Flavahz 8 Flavahz is an all-female dance crew originally based in both Honolulu, Hawaii and Los Angeles, California. They are best known for being the runners-up of the seventh season of MTV's ''America's Best Dance Crew''. The crew consists of eight me ...

, and

Harry Shum, Jr. Harry Shum Jr. (born April 28, 1982) is an American actor, dancer, choreographer, and singer. He is best known for his roles as Mike Chang on the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox television series ''Glee (TV series), Glee'' (2009–15), List of Grey ...

and was used to raise money for a Coke

(RED) Product Red, stylized as (PRODUCT) or (PRODUCT)RED, is a licensed brand by the company Red, stylized as (RED), that seeks to engage the private sector in raising awareness and funds to help eliminate HIV/AIDS in eight African countries, namely E ...

campaign to decrease the number of HIV-infected newborns and raise awareness about AIDS. For

Veterans Day Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces (who were discharged under conditions other than di ...

2013, they choreographed a military themed performance for the Homeward Bound Telethon that aired live on the Military Channel. The purpose of the telethon was to raise money for veterans who suffer from

TBI TBI may refer to: Medicine * toe-brachial index, a parameter for the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease * Total body irradiation, a form of radiation therapy used most commonly in bone marrow transplantation * Tracheobronchial injury, an inj ...

and PTSD. Tabitha and Napoleon are on the board of directors of the Dizzy Feet Foundation and the

advisory board An advisory board is a body that provides non-binding strategic advice to the management of a corporation, organization, or foundation. The informal nature of an advisory board gives greater flexibility in structure and management compared to th ...

of The Young Choreographers Festival.Sources: *For Dizzy Feet, see *For Young Choreographers Festival, see

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External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:D'Umo, Tabitha and Napoleon University of Nevada, Las Vegas alumni Married couples Dance teachers American choreographers So You Think You Can Dance choreographers Participants in American reality television series Primetime Emmy Award winners American hip hop dancers Cirque du Soleil

Life and career

1968–1996: Early life and education

1996–2007: Early career, dancewear, and creative directing

2008–2009: Dance shows and mainstream exposure

2010–2011: Stage productions and brand expansion

2012–2016: Music videos, K-pop, and Las Vegas residencies

2017–present: World of Dance

Choreography style

Artistry

Lyrical hip-hop

Teaching

Critical reception

JabbaWockeeZ

''MÜS.I.C.''

''PRiSM''

''So You Think You Can Dance''

Seasons four, five, and six

Seasons seven and eight

''Make Your Move''

Awards and recognition

Charity work

See also

References

External links