Few names have shaped the look and language of dance in pop culture quite like Tina Landon. Rising to prominence through her groundbreaking collaborations with Janet Jackson, Tina was the creative force behind some of the most iconic music videos and world tours of the era.
Her bold, precision-driven choreography helped define Janet’s visual identity at the peak of her career – and transformed the standard for dance in mainstream pop.
From there, Tina branched out to choreograph an extraordinary roster including Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Tina Turner, Rihanna, Prince, Shakira, Ciara, Ricky Martin, P!nk and Michael Jackson.
MRNMISTER chats with the MTV Award winning choreographer as she reflects on the creative highs of her extraordinary career and the legacy she continues to leave on the world of dance and entertainment.
So Tina, tell us how you got your start in the industry?
Probably my first door opening into this business was being a Laker Girl, for the Los Angeles Lakers. I did that for one year and in doing that met Paula Abdul, who was choreographer at the time. And she was kind of right at the beginning of coming into her own success.
And through her is how I hooked up with Janet (Jackson), all through the regular process. I was a dancer, I had to audition. You know, it didn’t matter that I knew Paula. And through that, that’s how the doors opened for me as a dancer.
Gosh, probably one of my first videos, I was in the Smooth Criminal video with Michael (Jackson). That was my first video ever. And that was just a big cattle call. I was out there with 800 other dancers, fighting for the part and I ended up getting it. I was the little girl from the small town who didn’t know what was going on but went to the audition anyway, was completely clueless. I found out about the audition when I was taking class in L.A. and I overheard people talking and I just asked them what they were talking about, cause I heard the word audition and then I struggled with whether I wanted to take a chance, or lose my job at the mall because I didn’t give them enough notice to go to this audition or not. So I chose to take that chance.
How did you make the transition from dancer to a choreographer?
Well, the way that happened was really unique, I think. I’d been choreographing for years. To me they always went hand in hand. I mean from my sixth grade talent show, I was the one choreographing our numbers. Just because I was that type of person, and I’d been in the studio dancing. I was the one out of all my friends that knew how to put it together, so I did. And then, through the years I would teach at conventions or at my sisters dance studio. But what probably gave me my biggest break was when I was teaching in Japan, and I was so impressed with my dancers because they couldn’t speak English, I couldn’t speak Japanese. I really realised how universal dance is, and how it has its own language. I was in between tours with Janet (Jackson) at the time. We’d just finished the Rhythm Nation tour, and I was a dancer on that tour, I wasn’t the choreographer. But I was so impressed with the Japanese dancers; I was showing her my tape from what I was teaching over there. Halfway through, I saw her have this glazed look on her face and she called Rene (Elizondo, Janet’s then-husband / creative director) into the room and she said, “I really want you to see this”. That’s when I realised, “Oh my god, she’s checking out MY work!” I wanted her to look at the dancers cause I thought they were amazing. That’s when Janet asked me to choreograph the If video.
Was it always your goal to be a choreographer?
I don’t want to say it was a goal. I don’t really put goals on myself cause it’s too much pressure. But it was definitely a dream.
Whose work do you admire as a choreographer?
I love the old stuff. There’s stuff that I love that Michael Kidd did. Like there’s a musical called Oklahoma. The old musicals are what I loved. Also there’s a scene in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang that Dick Van Dyke does that I absolutely love. You should see it if you haven’t already seen it! It’s called The Old Bamboo. They do this thing with these bamboo sticks and I fell in love with that choreography. It’s really cool. I like choreography that tells a story or that’s got a comedic value to it.
You’ve done countless world tours, as both a dancer and choreographer. What are the best and worst parts of being on the road?
I’ve been really fortunate to tour with some really great artists who put you up in really nice hotels. So I would say the best parts are the fringe benefits, like staying in the best hotels, sometimes taking the private jets, never having to wait in line at a party. The hardest part is the travelling, there’s no doubt. Sometimes you’re doing a show on four hours sleep and not only did you only get four hours of sleep, but it was uncomfortable sleep. Whether it was sleeping on the bus, whether it was flying from one country to the next and having to go right to the show, and that does happen quite a bit. So that’s probably the down side of everything, the hectic travel schedule.
That’s right, because the larger scale tours run for months on end.
Yeah, when we did the janet tour and The Velvet Rope tour we were gone for two to three months at a time with maybe a week off in between. And when I say gone, we were gone! Like didn’t see family, friends, out of the country.
You’ve been to Australia many times, most recently with Rihanna’s tour.
Yeah, I love it there!
What are your memories of Down Under?
You know what my biggest memory is? Its how kind all the people are. I think about the sunshine, because it seems like every time I’ve been there it’s turning into summer for you guys. I just think sunshine and really nice people.
We’re actually in summer here at the moment.
Oh are you, I’m jealous! I’m about to light a fire it’s so cold here.
Do you have any plans to visit Australia again?
I hope so, but I don’t have any plans in the near future. But I do see myself there soon. Something tells me at least in the next couple of years I’ll be back out there.
