By Victoria Looseleaf
The gal with the non-dragon tattoo – but she does have a pierced nostril – rocks. Proving we’re serious straddlers of high and low culture, we interviewed Glee’s super-talented assistant choreographer, Brooke Lipton, for a Dance Teacher Magazine cover story. And what a joy and privilege it was! Talk about an endless supply of energy: In addition to Lipton’s full-time gig on Fox, she teaches at conventions all over the country (below at The Pulse On Tour), further spreading the gospel of dance. On top of that, she’s a loving wife and mother of two.
Find out how the multi-tasking Lipton got her professional start at age 12, dancing at a pediatric AIDS benefit headlined by Paula Abdul, along with a very young Brian Friedman (a major dancer/choreographer in his own right, as well as the consulting producer of Simon Cowell’s U.S. version of The X Factor, Friedman was also the subject of a Dance Teacher Mag; click here to read that).
Lipton eventually went on to tour with such single-monikered chicks such as Britney (see below), Madonna (whose favorite pianists are the Labèque Sisters – click here to read our recent coverage of Katia and Marielle – that’s the high art stuff), Beyoncé (and no, we’re not gonna get into the Beyoncé dust-up re “appropriating” some of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker‘s work, though you can see for yourself in the excerpt below), and Janet Jackson.
Click here, then, to find out how the 32-year old Brooke Lipton is an inspiration to those in the dance world – and beyond.