Shane Sparks

About Shane Sparks

Shane Sparks (born 1974) is a hip hop choreographer best known for his work as a judge and choreographer on the American television dance competition So You Think You Can Dance. He has also won the American Choreography Award for being co-choreographer of the 2004 film, You Got Served.

Sparks was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the youngest of three children to Wanda and Melvin Sparks, police officers. He has two older sisters, Rene and Buffy. Sparks started dancing at the age of 11, when he attended a local Easter Ball. Hooked on dancing from that point on, he performed in hometown talent shows and high school showcases, performing such dances as The Robot, The Running Man, and the Cabbage Patch Kid, and holding rehearsals in his backyard. When his sister's boyfriend was murdered, dancing became even more important to Sparks, as it was his way to escape and feel safe. Other dancers that inspired him included Pop n' Taco, Bob Fosse, Fred Astaire, Michael Jackson, and Paula Abdul.

After graduating from Aiken Sr. High, Sparks moved to Los Angeles in 1993, at the age of 19, to explore a new career. He was part of a dance group named Cold Krush (named after the New York group Cold Krush) that performed in talent shows, then became a singing group called the Cold Premiere, was signed to Giant Records and made a film and some videos, but eventually disbanded. Around this time he was featured in the "I Wanna Be Down" video by R&B artist Brandy Norwood. Sparks then went to a dance tryout at the Millennium Dance Complex (formerly known as Moro Landis) in North Hollywood. When the teacher to one of the hip hop classes was late, someone saw Sparks standing around in a baseball cap and baggy shirt, assumed he was a teacher, and asked him to teach the class. According to Sparks, he had no choreography experience up to that point, and "It was one of those things that changed my life. I didn't even know how to count [in eights]." When the real teacher arrived 15 minutes later, he drafted Sparks as his assistant, and then when the original teacher moved to Japan a week later, Sparks took his place. Under his tenure, the class grew from three students to ten, to two classes a week, to four classes a week, to the biggest class in Los Angeles, breaking records with over 175 students. Sparks then began getting work as a choreographer for venues such as the American Music Awards, as well as getting a modeling and dancing contract with L'Oréal's Matrix hair products. He has worked with artists such as Aaliyah, Monica, Lindsay Lohan and Benji Schwimmer. He also worked as a choreographer on the film You Got Served, and was a judge at the 2004 World Hip Hop Championship.