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Charm La'Donna

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Charm La'Donna
Born
Charmaine Jordan

(1988-05-14) May 14, 1988 (age 36)
Compton, California, U.S.
EducationLos Angeles County High School for the Arts
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles (BA)
Occupations
  • Dancer
  • choreographer
  • creative director
  • artist
Years active2006–present
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentVocals
LabelsEpic
Websitecharmladonna.com

Charmaine Jordan (born May 14, 1988), known professionally as Charm La'Donna, is an American dancer and choreographer. She is known for her work with recording artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Rosalía, Dua Lipa and Selena Gomez.[1]

Early life and education

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La'Donna was born Charmaine Jordan on May 14, 1988, in Compton, California. She has an older brother, Yki, and was raised by her mother, Debbie. She credits her mother, grandmother and "the village of women in Compton, all connected by blood, friendship or simply proximity" for her success.[2] Yki is a rapper and songwriter who inspired La'Donna to pursue a recording career of her own. After he was arrested and sentenced for 75 years to life in prison, she suspended those dreams and turned to dancing.[2]

After telling her mother at the age of 3 that she wanted to become a dancer, La'Donna was enrolled in a recreational center in Compton that offered dance activities. Counselors at the center referred her to Regina's School of the Arts, where she trained before moving to Miss Monica's Dance School.[3] When she was 10, La'Donna was introduced to dancer and choreographer Fatima Robinson while auditioning for a music video for rapper Mase. She quickly recognized her talents and began mentoring her. La'Donna attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACSHA), where she graduated from in 2006. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in world arts and culture from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).[3]

Career

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During her senior year at LACSHA, La'Donna was hired by singer Madonna as a backup dancer for her Confessions Tour.[4] Following the tour, she worked as Robinson's assistant choreographer, working on various music videos, television specials and Super Bowl halftime shows under her direction while attending UCLA full-time. Her work with Robinson introduced her to fellow Compton native, rapper Kendrick Lamar, while co-choreographing his performance at the 2015 BET Awards.[5] He recruited her in 2017 as the choreographer and sole female dancer for his DAMN. Tour and choreographed and danced in his opening performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in 2018.[6] La'Donna continued to gain recognition by choreographing music videos and live performances for singers Rosalía, Selena Gomez, Dua Lipa and Meghan Trainor.[7][8]Her work in the music video for Rosalía, J Balvin and El Guincho's "Con altura" won her the MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography.[9] She also directed Rema and Selena Gomez's Calm Down (Remix) music video, which guaranteed her a second VMAs for Best Afrobeats. She was the sole choreographer for singer the Weeknd's Super Bowl LV halftime show.[10]

La'Donna's music aspirations resumed in 2020. She signed a recording contract with Epic Records in February and released her first two singles "So & So" and "Westside".[11] Her debut extended play, La'Donna, was released on April 9, 2021.[12][13]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2012 Sparkle Sparkle's Backup Singer #2 Credited as Charmaine Jordan [14]
2019 There Once Was a Woman Chickadee [15]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2010 Barbie in A Mermaid Tale Choreographer Credited as Charmaine Jordan; also motion capture dancer [16]
2013 CeeLo Green is Loberace Choreographer Credited as Charmaine Jordan; also creative director [17]
2015 The Wiz Live! Ensemble Credited as Charmaine Jordan; also assistant choreographer [18]
2016 Dance Camp Assistant choreographer Credited as Charmaine Jordan [19]
The Oscars Television special [20]
2019 Generations Choreographer Episode: "Flamenco"
2020 Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020 Television special [21]
2021 The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show [22]
2022 The Oscars [23]
2024 The Perfect Couple Opening dance sequence [24]

Music videos

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As lead artist

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Title Year Director
"Westside" 2020 Charm La'Donna
Emil Nava
"Queen" 2021
"Palm Trees"

As choreographer

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Title Artist(s) Year Director
"All About That Bass" Meghan Trainor 2014 Fatima Robinson
"Slumber Party" Britney Spears
Tinashe 		2016 Colin Tilley
"Malamente" Rosalía 2018 Canada
"Let You Be Right" Meghan Trainor Colin Tilley
"Pienso en tu mirá" Rosalía Canada
"Di mi nombre" Henry Scholfield
"De aquí no sales" 2019 Diana Kunst
Mau Morgó
"Con altura" Rosalía
J Balvin
El Guincho 		Director X
"Aute Cuture" Rosalía Bradley Bell
Pablo Jones-Soler
"Look at Her Now" Selena Gomez Sophie Muller
"Wave" Meghan Trainor
Mike Sabath 		Mathew Cullen
"Physical" Dua Lipa 2020 Canada
"Break My Heart" Henry Scholfield
"Make You Dance" Meghan Trainor The Reggies
"Levitating" Dua Lipa
DaBaby 		Warren Fu
"The Motto (Part II)" Tiësto
Ava Max 		2022 Charm La'Donna
"Rich Spirit" Kendrick Lamar Calmatic
"Count Me Out" Dave Free
Kendrick Lamar
"Mother" Meghan Trainor 2023 Charm La'Donna
"Dance the Night" Dua Lipa Greta Gerwig
"Not Like Us" Kendrick Lamar 2024 Dave Free
Kendrick Lamar
"Squabble Up" Calmatic

Discography

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Extended plays (EP)

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  • La'Donna (2021)

Awards and nominations

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Awards Year Category Work Result
MTV Video Music Award 2019 Best Choreography Con Altura Won
2020 Physical Nominated
2023 Dance the Night Nominated
2024 Houdini Won

References

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  1. ^ Spence, Sade. "Charm La'Donna wants little Black girls to know that "we are magic"". colorsxstudios.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Exposito, Suzy (June 9, 2021). "How Compton's Charm La'Donna found the courage to go from star choreographer to hip-hop MC". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Smith, Nyamekye (September 14, 2022). "Charm La'Donna Is Choreographing Her Life—and Conjuring an Empire". Dance Magazine. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  4. ^ "GREATEST / Charm La'Donna Interview With Greatest | GOAT". www.goat.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  5. ^ "Charm La'Donna Talks Being The Only Woman On Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. Tour". Essence. October 26, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  6. ^ "Get to know Charm La'Donna, Kendrick Lamar's unforgettable Grammys dancer". The FADER. January 29, 2018. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  7. ^ "Rosalía's Choreographer Reveals Signature Moves Stories". TELEMUNDO.com (in Spanish). June 4, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  8. ^ "That Music Video You Can't Stop Watching? Charm La'Donna Probably Choreographed It". ELLE. November 14, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  9. ^ Valenti, Lauren (August 29, 2019). "VMA-Winning Choreographer Charm La'Donna on Her Beauty Essentials, Working With Rosalía, and Staying Grounded". Vogue. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  10. ^ Creekmur, Chuck (August 31, 2021). "Charm La'Donna's Resume Includes Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd & Dua Lipa, But Her Time Is Now". AllHipHop. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  11. ^ ""Lucky Charm to You": Meet Charm La'Donna: Feature". Annenberg Media. January 11, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  12. ^ "CHARM LA'DONNA RELEASES DEBUT EP LA'DONNA – Sony Music Canada". www.sonymusic.ca. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  13. ^ Ward, Steven (April 12, 2021). "Hot Artist Alert: Charm La'Donna offers a ferociously catchy introduction on debut EP "La'Donna"". Grimy Goods. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  14. ^ "SPARKLE | Sony Pictures Entertainment". www.sonypictures.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  15. ^ "There Once Was A Woman". San Francisco Dance Film Festival. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  16. ^ "Barbie in a Mermaid Tale Movie Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  17. ^ "Cee Lo Green Takes His Voice to Vegas With Loberace Residency". E! Online. March 2, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  18. ^ Fienberg, Daniel (December 3, 2015). "'The Wiz Live!': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  19. ^ "Dance Camp Movie Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  20. ^ Lane, Anthony (February 29, 2016). "The Surreal Achievements of the 2016 Oscars". The New Yorker. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  21. ^ "Obama, Malala, Jonas Brothers Send Off Class Of 2020 In Virtual Graduation". NPR.org. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  22. ^ "After Choreographing The Weeknd's Super Bowl Show, Charm La'Donna Is Stepping Out As Her Own Artist". Essence. March 15, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  23. ^ Charm La'Donna [@CharmLadonna] (March 28, 2022). "My work is on the #Oscars stage for the first time 😭 & it's for ENCANTO. If you know me, you know this moment is beyond special for so many reasons. Everything about this process has been amazing & seeing it come to life last night really was it for me in my @Versace dress 🖤" (Tweet). Retrieved November 21, 2022 – via Twitter.
  24. ^ Yossman, K.J.; Malkin, Marc (September 5, 2024). "Nicole Kidman, Meghann Fahy and 'The Perfect Couple' Stars Started a WhatsApp Group to Protest Opening Credits Dance Sequence: 'The Entire Cast Had a Mutiny'". Variety. Archived from the original on September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
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