Danny Tidwell

At 35 years old, Danny Tidwell has this physical status:

Daniel Arnold Tidwell (born August 1, 1984 in Norfolk, Virginia) is an American dancer best known for being the runner-up on Fox's third season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2007. Tidwell began dancing as a child, at first focusing on jazz before changing to ballet while attending Kirov Academy of Ballet at the age of fifteen.

He has worked in elite companies, including the American Ballet Theatre.

He has also performed the works of renowned choreographers, including Debbie Allen, William Forsythe and Mia Michaels.

He is Travis Wall's brother, a runner-up of the second season of "So You Think You Can Dance." Tidwell is currently the Artistic Director of Movmnt Magazine and was a soloist dancer with Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in Oslo.

Early life

Danny Tidwell was born in Norfolk, Virginia and raised in nearby Virginia Beach. His early childhood was turbulent, and he sometimes got into trouble. Tidwell started dancing at the age of eight in an after-school program for at-risk youth. Local dance instructor Vicky Cooke took notice of the "little bit of a kid in a straddle, trying to reach his fingers to his toes", and after the program closed, Cooke mentioned the boy to Denise Wall. The two women decided to accept him to their studio, Denise Wall's Dance Energy, for free. Over the next couple of years, Wall took a personal interest in Tidwell, and by the time he was ten, he was calling Wall "Mom" and her other sons (Scotty, Travis, Tyler and Shannon) his brothers. She found out that the boy would often walk part or all of the ten miles (16 km) home after dance class, had little adult supervision outside of the studio, and, at one point, had not been registered in school for months. He lived with his biological mother and two sisters until he was ten, before moving in with Wall; she officially took custody of Tidwell when he was twelve years old.

Personal life

Tidwell married journalist David Benaym in May 2014.

Source

Early career and training

"I hated ballet and would skip every opportunity I had," the narrator wrote about his early days in training. He was more interested in jazz as an infant, the flips, turns, and the opportunity for expression. Nevertheless, his true motivation was competition, which would prepare him for his future ventures more than he should have known at the time. "I was a sport kid." "We used to do competitions every other weekend," he told Dance Magazine.

Tidwell met many outstanding young dancers, including his favorite, Rasta Thomas, in his early teens, and it inspired him to take his dance to a new level. He set out to study at Kirov Academy of Ballet (also known as Universal Ballet Academy) in Washington, DC, and at the age of 15, he was accepted on scholarship to study at Kirov Academy of Ballet. It was up to that time, "the best and worst experience" of his life, according to the author. He began receiving high-quality classical ballet training with Vladimir Djouloukhadze and Anatoli Kucheruk, at first, in order to improve his jazz dance. However, he soon found that ballet was the perfect outlet for his ardent desire for a regular challenge and switched concentrations - a late start by ballet standards. When excelling in dance, he discovered Kirov's demanding and isolating atmosphere. He registered for and competed in the Shanghai International Ballet Competition, earning a silver medal this year (no gold was given that year). However, Kirov's workload was too much, and he dropped out early after the competition.

Tidwell had the opportunity to appear in two original shows created by Debbie Allen, including Dreams and Pearl, which he performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in front of President George W. Bush. He also spent two months at the School of American Ballet, where he discovered both the teachers and students unaccepting and remote. Tidwell's audition tape was submitted in 2002 to compete in the prestigious, quadrennial USA International Ballet Competition (USA IBC). He was invited to compete, but he went on to win the silver medal. Tidwell's win would begin his career.

Career

Anna-Marie Holmes, Mistress of Ceremonies of the USA IBC, was given Tidwell's application videotape by Tidwell, the artistic director of the elite American Ballet Theatre (ABT). McKenzie suggested to John Meehan (the ABT Education Director) that Tidwell be given a place in the ABT Studio Company (the ABT Studio Company's apprentice wing). Tidwell joined the Studio Company early in May 2003 - without an audition - and just after that, he was promoted to corps de ballet just after the Metropolitan Opera House's 2003 season began. He appeared in many of ballet performances, but he was not a corpsist; in Le Spectre de la Rose and Giselle's pessant pas de deux, he was given soloist roles. Tidwell was a company founder of the ABT's 2003 Swan Lake production, which was later broadcast on the program Great Performances: Dance in America and released on DVD. Despite his success, he was finding the rigors of being in a company confining. Tidwell left the ABT in 2004, shocking the dance world and those who knew him.

Tidwell dabbled in a variety of fields over the next two years. Nacho Duato, Jiri Killian, William Forsythe, Kirk Peterson, and Robert Hill all performed contemporary works by choreographers Nacho Duato, Jiri Killian, William Forsythe, Kirk Peterson, and Robert Hill. Tidwell was named one of Dance Magazine's Top 25 to Watch (appearing on the front page) and Pointe Magazine's Top ten VIPs in 2005. In December 2005, he was a guest principal dancer in Ballet Lubbock's Nutcracker. Tidwell worked in Bermuda's National Dance Foundation's International Summer Intensive program, which was held in collaboration with American Ballet Theatre in August. Tidwell, a dance educator who studied at JUMP, was invited to guest teach at many schools and studios around the country.

Tidwell, photographer David Benaym, photographer Roger Moenks, and choreographer Lauren Adams co-created Moving Still, a "life performance" in the style of a live exhibition and a photography art/fashion book. Moving Forward Magazine, a monthly magazine with a focus on fashion, dance, emerging music artists, and social issues that Tidwell co-founded with Benaym, was launched in June 2006. Tidwell was the magazine's Artistic Advisor, and he and former SYTYCD contestant Sabra Johnson posed for the camera in the Spring 2008 issue.

Tidwell joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet for a season under the company's artistic directors Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson's direction in 2006. He was invited back to the United States IBC to perform in the opening ceremonies that summer. After a year, he left Complexions.

Tidwell would often return home from New York to Virginia Beach to be "rejuvenated" and teach at the studio with his mother during this time. Tidwell's career was losing focus, and his mother was concerned that he was losing his passion for dance even though he was still dancing. That all changed in late 2006 when the two siblings saw Tidwell's brother, Travis, perform in the So You Think You Can Dance tour in Madison Square Garden. Travis had appeared in second place in the previous season and had been heavily featured in the touring show. Danny looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "I want to do that," his mother recalled. "My brother is up on stage, dancing and living, and I want to do it." He appeared at the show's open auditions in New York City the following season.

Tidwell was called directly to Las Vegas callbacks after a second audition in June 2007. Judges such as contemporary dance choreographer Mia Michaels and hip hop choreographer Shane Sparks found Tidwell to be selfish, with the former saying Tidwell behaved as if he were "God's gift to the world." Tidwell's reputation as a talented dancer at odds with his aloof demeanor was a recurring theme throughout the show, and he continued to be a star performer with a distinct demeanor. Nigel Lythgoe (head judge and executive producer) for his part found the charges tiresome, responding to choreographer Adam Shankman's assertion about Tidwell's inaniety by saying, "I think you're talking garbage." In an article titled "So He Knows He Can Dance: A Prince Among Paupers," the New York Times praised Tidwell's artistic abilities, but "his unflinching poise and his chiseled, determined jaw" can be misread on television. "If Mr. Tidwell is different from other dancers on the show, the difference has to do with his reputation, as well as his ability to use slight choreography with confidence..." The writer said, "He never mugs for the camera." It's sad, but it's not surprising, that such conduct could be misconstrued as superciliousness." Tidwell could be one of the finest artists," the aforementioned sparks later retracted his previous comments, saying Tidwell would "be one of the greatests."

He was paired up with ballroom dancer Anya Garnis and was named one of the top twenty in the United States. They were a judge favorite early on, with guest judge Debbie Allen remarking, "I can't imagine you all not being at the top of the tournament" at the end of the game. On the third show, the two couples first discovered themselves in the bottom three couples after they danced a hip-hop choreographed by Dan Karaty. Tidwell "danced for his life" in a contemporary solo that permitted him to remain in the tournament the following night. The couple performed a modern routine by Tyce Diorio on the following broadcast, but they soon found themselves in the bottom three. Tidwell had yet another fruitful solo and moved forward. Tidwell and Garnis choreographed a Foxtrot routine choreographed by Jean-Marc Généreux, who was one of the top performers in the top twelve. Garnis was refused to leave the competition for the third time in a row, while Tidwell made it into the top ten, earning him a spot in the upcoming 2007 So You Think You Can Dance Tour. He then was partnered with (in chronological order) Lacey Schwimmer, Sara Von Gillern, and Lauren Gottlieb, who is now out of danger. He made it to the final four contestants, placing him in the final. Danny sang of "We are the Champions" as sung by Gavin DeGraw, who received emulation and the only standing ovation from the judges, with Lythgoe saying that "every young man watching this show should aim to be as good as you." He finished the competition as runner-up behind champion Sabra Johnson on Saturday night.

"I have all kinds of dance styles now, as well as connections to choreographers and music options," Tidwell said of the season. "I discovered that I love to dance again," he said.

The tour began in September 21, 2007 in Albany, New York, and ended in Reno, Nevada, on November 30, for a total of fifty dates. On October 16, 2007, the tour stopped in Tidwell's home of Hampton Roads.

Performance review

Note: Pink's findings show that he was in the bottom third class.

Tidwell appeared on the front page of movmnt magazine in February 2008, with Sabra Johnson as part of an article about "Keep It Real," the magazine's non-profit group.

Tidwell and several other finalists of So You Think You Can Dance also attended American Idol's second annual Idol Gives Back charity festival in April 2008. Both shows were produced at the time by Nigel Lythgoe. Tidwell was a guest teacher on JUMP: The Alternative Convention's 2007-2008 tour. Tidwell made his Broadway debut as a castmember in Memphis in September 2009. Tiler Peck, the principal of the New York City Ballet, performed on Dancing with the Stars in April 2010, on a piece choreographed by Travis Wall. Tidwell was based in Oslo, Norway, where he had been hired as a soloist for Norway's National Ballet beginning in September 2010.

Source

Awards and recognitions

• Silver Medal, Shanghai International Ballet Competition (2001)
• National Outstanding Male Dancer, New York City Dance Alliance (2002)
• Men's Junior Silver Medal, USA International Ballet Competition (2002)
• Named one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" (2005)