Sonya Tayeh is a New York City-based choreographer. She has worked nationally and internationally across the worlds of dance and theater.
She has earned several accolades for her work, including the Tony award for her choreography work on the Broadway production of Moulin Rouge!, Emmy nominations for Fox's So You Think You Can Dance, and the Lucille Lortel and Obie Awards for “Outstanding Choreography” for her work on David Henry Hwang's dance-play Kung Fu, for which she also received a Drama Desk nomination.
Life and career
Early life and education Tayeh was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of a Lebanese mother and Palestinian father. She has two sisters and one half-brother. Tayeh started dancing at age 15 when she began frequenting hip-hop and house dance parties with her sister. She started studying ballet and modern dance—as a subject—at age 17 when she was a student at Henry Ford Community College. Although Tayeh was a freestyle house dancer in her youth, she did not take any formal dance classes until she was 18 and a student at Wayne State University. Before starting her training, she was denied by six dance studios who wouldn't let her take classes because they felt she was too old. In addition to her classes, Tayeh was a member of Counter Groove and Full Circle dance companies.
During her time at Wayne State, Tayeh drew on dance history, anatomy, and performance to develop a style that is built on core strength, aggressive partner interaction, quirky, and stylized movements. She graduated Wayne State in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in Dance.
Dance career and mainstream exposure
Since gaining mainstream exposure, Tayeh has choreographed tours and/or live events for Madonna, Florence and the Machine, Kylie Minogue, Kerli, and Miley Cyrus. She has also choreographed for Steed Lord and spent three years in residence with the Los Angeles Ballet. In 2010, she choreographed indie singer Lucy Schwartz' music video "Graveyard".
Tayeh choreographed the rock musical The Last Goodbye which is based on Romeo and Juliet and set to a soundtrack of music by Jeff Buckley. It premiered in 2010, but a revised version of the show with a new cast opened in September 2013 at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California. In 2011, she choreographed San Jose Repertory Theatre's production of Spring Awakening. In 2014, she choreographed an off-Broadway play based on Bruce Lee's life called Kung Fu. It premiered February 24 with So You Think You Can Dance alumnus Cole Horibe playing the lead role.
In 2015 Martha Graham Dance Company commissioned a new work by Sonya Tayeh which she set to the music of Meredith Monk. It premiered in the company's New York season at The Joyce, Spring 2015 and has been performed by the company while on tour.
Sonya earned a Tony award for her choreography of the Broadway musical, "Moulin Rouge".
Choreography for So You Think You Can Dance
SeasonWeekDancersStyleSongNote43 Kourtni LindMatt Dorame Contemporary "Wrestlers (Sticky, Dirty Pop Mix)"—Hot Chip 6 Chelsie HightowerGev Manoukian 8 Courtney GalianoMark Kanemura Jazz "The Garden"—Mirah5LVWAll Dancers"Great DJ (Calvin Harris Remix)"—The Ting Tings2 Melissa SandvigAde Obayomi "24 Hours" (The Aston Shuffle A-Bomb Remix)—Terry Poison4 Kayla RadomskiKūpono Aweau Contemporary "Eyes On Fire"—Blue Foundation 7 Janette ManraraEvan Kasprzak Jazz "Move" (Metronomy Remix)—CSS8Top 3 male"True Romance"—She Wants RevengeTop 3 female"Kick It (Stereoheroes Remix)"—Nina Martine9 Jeanine MasonEvan Kasprzak "Heartbreaker"—MSTRKRFT featuring John LegendTalia Fowler"Shot You Down"—Audio BullysGuest Dancer Result Show6MT20Mollee GrayPauline MataEllenore Scott"On a Cloud"—Platinum Pied Pipers1Ellenore ScottRyan Di LelloContemporary Jazz"Arcadia"—Apparat5Kathryn McCormickJonathan "Legacy" PerezJazz"So Deep"—Hot ChipAshleigh Di LelloJakob KarrLyrical Jazz"Time Flies"—Lykke Li6Ellenore ScottJakob KarrContemporary Jazz"Tore My Heart"—OONA and Dave Tweedie7Top 8Jazz"Pon de Floor" (Samantha Ronson remix)—Major Lazer feat. Vybz Kartel (JazzResult Show8Ashleigh Di LelloRussell FergusonLyrical Jazz"Angel Standing By"—Jewel7MT11Courtney GalianoAshley GalvanNeil HaskellRobert RoldanAdéChiké TorbertJazz"Freak"—Estelle feat. Kardinal Offishall1Mark KanemuraCristina Santana"Starstruck"—SantigoldAllison HolkerAlex WongContemporary"Hallelujah"—Jeff Buckley2Top 10JazzRoyal T"—Crookers feat. Róisín Murphy (JazzResul Show3Courtney GalianoRobert Roldan"XXXO"—M.I.A.6Allison HolkerJose RuizContemporary Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind theme—Jon BrionKent BoydKathryn McCormickJazz"Tightrope"—Janelle Monáe8MT20Jordan CasanovaMarko GermarMissy MorelliClarice Ordaz"Vanguardian"—Steed LordTop 10 girls"Pop Drop & Roll"—Chonique Sneed & Lisette Bustamante1Caitlynn LawsonRobert Roldan"In For the Kill" (Skream's Let's Get Ravey Remix)—La RouxTop 20"XR2"—M.I.A.Result Show3Ashley RichChris Koehl"Lights Go Down" (District 78 remix)—TelepatheRyan RamirezRicky JaimeContemporary"With Every Heartbeat" (Acoustic)—Robyn6Allison HolkerMarko Germar"I Know It's Over"—Jeff BuckleyMelanie MooreSasha MalloryJazzGame On—District 787Tadd GadduangEllenore Scott"The Gulag Orkestar"—BeirutMarko GermarCaitlynn LawsonLyrical Jazz"Heavy in Your Arms"—Florence and the Machine8Sasha MalloryMark KanemuraJazz"Raise Your Weapon"—Deadmau59LVWAll Dancers"Freak Out (Gold Chains Panique Mix)"—My Brightest DiamondMT20Audrey CaseTiffany MaherJanelle Issis*"Sail"—AwolnationTop 10 guys"Precognition" (Steed Lord Machine Mix)—Steed Lord1 Tiffany Maher George Lawrence Jr.Contemporary"Turning Page"—Sleeping At Last2Amelia LoweWill Thomas"3326"—Ólafur ArnaldsAudrey CaseMatthew KazmierczakJazz"Hear Me Now" (Dri, Lind and Likka Mix)—Steed Lord6Allison HolkerCole HoribeContemporary"Possibly Maybe" (Instrumental)—BjörkLindsay ArnoldAlex WongJazz"Somebody That I Used to Know"—Gotye feat. Kimbra7Top 6"Scream"—Kelis8Tiffany MaherWilliam Wingfield"Time is Now"—MolokoCyrus "Glitch" SpencerChehon Wespi-Tschopp "Fangs" (District 78 remix)—Little Red Lung9Tiffany MaherWilliam Wingfield"Time is Now"—MolokoCyrus "Glitch" SpencerChehon Wespi-Tschopp "Fangs" (District 78 remix)—Little Red LungTop 20 Contemporary/Hip-hop"Torn"—Nathan LanierSonya Tayeh Christopher Scott10LVWAll DancersJazz"Latch"—Disclosure (band)MT20Jasmine MasonAmy Yakima"Enjoy"—BjörkTop 20"Ghost of Sky" (Epic Dub)—Steed Lord1Jasmine HarperAaron Turner"Bottom of the River"—Delta RaeAmy YakimaDu-Shaunt "Fik-Shun" StegallContemporary"Elsa"—The Valerie Project3Top 18Jazz"Pretty Face" (Nathan Lanier remix)—Sóley Christopher Scott Sonya TayehMalece MillerMarko Germar*Contemporary"In the Embers"—Sleeping at Last5Top 14Jazz"Dimman Kryper Sakta In"—District 78Dmitry Chaplin Sonya TayehAlexis JulianoNico GreethamContemporary"Ashes"—The BengsonsMakenzie DustmanPaul KarmiryanJazz"You'll Find a Way" (Switch & Sinden Remix)—Santigold11LVWAll Dancers"F for You"—Disclosure feat. Mary J. BligeMT20Top 20"Stalker Ha"—KingdomJessica RichensRicky UbedaContemporary"Vow"—Meredith Monk1Tanisha BelnapRudy AbreuJazz"You Need"—BengsonsCarly BlaneySerge OnikContemporary"Latch (Acoustic)"—Sam Smith3Jacque LeWarneZack Everhart Jr. Jazz"Back to Black"—Beyoncé feat. André 3000Brooklyn FullmerCasey AskewEmilio DosalEmily JamesSerge OnikTanisha BelnapValerie RockeyZack Everhart Jr.Contemporary"So Broken" (Live)—Björk5Zack Everhart Jr. Amy Yakima"Europe, After The Rain"—Max Richter10Top 10All-starsContemporary/Hip-Hop"Sweet Disposition"—The Temper TrapSonya Tayeh Christopher Scott12TBATBATBATBATBA
Due to a shoulder injury, Mitchell Kelly was barred from performing in his routine. He was replaced for the evening by season 7's Robert Roldan and was automatically in danger of going home.
Teaching Tayeh is a faculty member at the Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. She has also taught classes at The Hip Drop Dance Complex, Monsters of Contemporary, Broadway Dance Center, 24 Seven Dance, Hall of Fame Dance Challenge, Loyola Marymount University, NUVO, and Spotlight Dance Works.
Style and influences Tayeh describes her choreography style as combat jazz because in her words "[i]t’s staccato, aggressive, and engaged, even when it’s slow." SanJose.com characterized it as "fearless, provocative and unique." She has several influences which include two of her former college professors Diane Mancinelli and Erica Wilson-Perkins, Broadway choreographers Twyla Tharp and Bill T. Jones, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, her favorite choreographer Jiří Kylián, and her family. In addition, she calls competitive hip-hop dancer Salah her "idol" and Icelandic singer Björk her "ultimate hero".
Awards and recognition In January 2009, Tayeh was named one of Dance magazine's "25 to Watch". In 2010, she was honored by the Detroit Arts Council and she made the December cover of Dance Teacher magazine. At Wayne State University there is a scholarship named after her called the Sonya Tayeh Endowment Fund that is awarded to students who want to pursue a degree in dance. AwardYearCategoryWorkResultPrimetime Emmy Awards2013Outstanding Choreography"Possibly Maybe", "Turning Page", "Sail"2015"Vow", "So Broken", "Europe, After the Rain"Tony Awards2021Best ChoreographyMoulin Rouge
References