Neil Haskell

Last updated
Neil Haskell
Born (1987-04-16) April 16, 1987 (age 36)
Buffalo, New York, United States
Occupation Contemporary dancer

Neil David Haskell (born April 16, 1987) is an American contemporary dancer and actor. He is best known as a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance where he finished third in the final four. On April 22, 2008, he began performing in the Off-Broadway musical Altar Boyz as Luke. [1] Neil later joined The West Side Story National Tour as Snowboy, and in spring 2012 began touring in the show Bring It On: The Musical as Steven. He also returned as an All-Star in Season 7 of SYTYCD.[ citation needed ] As of fall 2019, he plays King George in the national touring company of Hamilton: An American Musical . [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Haskell was born in Buffalo, New York and first started dancing at age five at the David DeMarie Dance Studio in Clarence, New York and at the American Academy of Ballet in Williamsville, New York. He also had small roles in movies. At age 15, he began intensive training in ballet at the Chautauqua Institution for three summers. Haskell was raised in Clarence Center, New York and graduated from Clarence High School (Clarence, New York) in 2005. [3] He attended Point Park University for a year, majoring in dance. Haskell has described his dance style as jazz/ballet. He earned the title of "Male Dancer of the Year" at the American Dance Awards in 2005. He got his Equity card the summer before auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance .[ citation needed ]

Career

He has performed in the Twyla Tharp Broadway show The Times They Are A-Changin' , with music by Bob Dylan, and in Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera's performances Grease , 42nd Street , Seven Brides for Seven Brothers , and Beauty and the Beast . [4] Haskell also landed a supporting role in MTV's movie musical The American Mall, which was broadcast and DVD released in summer 2008. [5] In Spring 2008, Haskell, along with former SYTYCD contestants Sabra Johnson and Danny Tidwell, was featured in movmnt magazine's cover story to promote 'Keep it Real', the publication's awareness nonprofit organization. [6] In April 2008 he began playing the role of "Luke" in the Off-Broadway musical Altar Boyz . He continued playing the role of "Luke" until March 2009, and left to begin working on the new Dolly Parton musical 9 to 5 . Haskell was also cast to play the leading role of Jake in the musical F#@king Up Everything in the New York Musical Theater Festival (NYMF 2009), which performs at various times from October 6 through October 17. All performances sold out. In 2010-11, he returned to So You Think You Can Dance Seasons 7 and 8 to dance as an All Star. He was also in the first national tour cast of West Side Story playing the role of Snowboy. After touring with the musical Bring It On based on the movie of the same name, Haskell went on to originate the role of Steven on Broadway at the St. James Theatre during the fall of 2012. Haskell also has a role in The American Mall . He plays a night janitor at the mall who is also a member of a rock band, where he played guitar and keyboards.[ citation needed ] Haskell most recently was part of the original company of the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton.

So You Think You Can Dance

Haskell was paired up with contemporary-hip hop dancer Lauren Gottlieb. The couple danced together until Week 6, when the couples were assigned new partners. Haskell was then partnered with Sara Von Gillern, and debuted their disco routine.

Haskell noted that he wants to use his experience on the show as a "springboard for the rest of [his] career". [4]

After making it to the top 10 finalists, Haskell joined his fellow contestants in So You Think You Can Dance's 2007 dance tour that concluded on November 30, 2007.

On the August 7, 2008 Season 4 finale, Haskell, along with other finalists from seasons 1–3, joined Season 4's top 20 in a dance number. He also returned as an All-Star in Season 7 of SYTYCD, and again in Season 8.

WeekPartnerDanceSongResult
1 Lauren Gottlieb Salsa "Friday Night Rhythm"Safe
2 Hip-hop "The Way I Are" by Timbaland (featuring Keri Hilson and D.O.E.)Safe
3 Tango "Tanguera" by Sexteto MayorBottom 3 Couples
4 Jazz "Night of the Dancing Flame" by Róisín Murphy Safe
5 Contemporary "Let the Drummer Kick" by Citizen Cope Bottom 3 Couples
6Sara Von Gillern Disco "Knock on Wood" by Rachel Stevens Safe
7 Lacey Schwimmer Latin jazz "Acid" by Ray Barretto Bottom 4
Contemporary "Time" by Billy Porter
8 Sabra Johnson Jazz "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics Safe
Paso Doble "España cañí" by Juan & Gennaro
9 Sabra Johnson Hip hop "Whine Up"—Kat DeLuna 3rd Place
Danny Tidwell Contemporary "Are You the One?"—The Presets
Lacey Schwimmer Lindy Hop "Bill's Bounce"—Bill Elliot Swing Orchestra

Broadway

In the summer of 2015, Haskell joined the company of Hamilton , the musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, for its Broadway transfer to the Richard Rodgers Theatre as a swing.[ citation needed ]

He was also a member of the cast of the new Broadway musical, Tuck Everlasting. [7]

Haskell rejoined Hamilton soon after, and in June 2016 he replaced Jon Rua as Charles Lee in the show's Ensemble. From 7 August to 12 August 2018, Haskell was the principal King George in the Broadway cast of Hamilton. [8]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2020 Hamilton SwingLive film recording of the musical

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2019 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Cat #2Episode: "Kimmy Is Rich*!"

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Morrison</span> American actor, dancer, and singer

Matthew James Morrison is an American actor, dancer, and singer, best known for his role as Will Schuester on the Fox television show Glee (2009–2015).

<i>Altar Boyz</i> Musical comedy by Adler and Walker

Altar Boyz is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker and book by Kevin Del Aguila. Centering on a fictitious Christian boy band from Ohio, the show satirizes, among other things, the phenomenon of boy bands and the popularity of Christian-themed music in contemporary American culture. It began an Off Broadway run on March 1, 2005, and closed on January 10, 2010, after sixteen previews and 2,032 regular performances, making it the 9th longest-running Off-Broadway musical of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allison Holker</span> American dancer (born 1988)

Allison Renae Holker is an American dancer, choreographer, and actress. Holker has worked in film, television, and concert tours. She is known for appearances on the television dance competition So You Think You Can Dance, where she was a contestant in season 2 and as an All-Star in seasons 7–11 and 14.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Wall</span> American dancer and choreographer

Travis Michael Wall is an American dancer, instructor, and choreographer specializing in contemporary and jazz dance styles. He rose to international attention in 2006 as a competitor on the second season of the Fox television show So You Think You Can Dance. As of 2009, he was a choreographer for the show earning Emmy nominations every year from 2011 to 2019; and winning twice. In 2012, he starred in the Oxygen reality show All The Right Moves, where he, Teddy Forance, Nick Lazzarini and Kyle Robinson launched their own dance company called Shaping Sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mia Michaels</span> American choreographer and judge

Mia Michaels Melchiona is an American choreographer and judge on the television show So You Think You Can Dance. She has worked with Tom Cruise, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Prince, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. In 2005 she choreographed Cirque du Soleil's world tour Delirium and Celine Dion's A New Day..., for which she received an Emmy Award nomination. In 2007 she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for her routine on "Calling You" during season two of So You Think You Can Dance. She won another Emmy Award during season five in 2010. She was a judge during season 7 with Adam Shankman and Nigel Lythgoe. She choreographed the dance sequence for "Get Happy" in the episode "Bombshells" of the television series House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desmond Richardson</span> American dancer, actor and artistic director

Desmond Richardson is an American dancer, actor and co-founder, and co-artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. He has mastered a wide range of dance forms including hip hop, classical, modern, classical ballet, and contemporary ballet.

So You Think You Can Dance is an American reality television program and dance competition airing on the Fox network. Season three premiered May 24, 2007.

Sabra Elise Johnson is a Dutch dancer, choreographer, and actress from Roy, Utah and the season 3 champion of the Fox reality television show So You Think You Can Dance.

So You Think You Can Dance is a United States television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox Broadcasting Company network. Season four premiered on May 22, 2008, with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy returning as permanent judges and Cat Deeley returning to host. Joshua Allen was announced as the winner on August 7, 2008, the first hip-hop dancer to win the title.

Tyce Diorio is an American dancer and choreographer. He is best known for his work as a choreographer and guest judge on the Fox television series So You Think You Can Dance. He has choreographed and performed with Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, and Taylor Swift. He won an Emmy Award in 2009 for Outstanding Choreography.

So You Think You Can Dance is a dance reality show and competition aired on 8TV. Premiered on 5 April 2007, it is based on the original United States version of the same name. It has a similar premise to the American Idol series of singing competitions, with nationwide auditions leading to the discovery of the next big star.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joshua Allen (dancer)</span>

Joshua Allen is an American dancer and actor, best known as the winner of the fourth season of So You Think You Can Dance. He had originally auditioned in Dallas, Texas with his friend and fellow contestant, Comfort Fedoke. Allen was announced winner of the show on August 7, 2008, winning $250,000.

So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) is an American reality television dance competition show that aired on Fox in the United States and is the flagship series of the international So You Think You Can Dance television franchise. It was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions The series premiered on July 20, 2005, with over ten million viewers and ended the summer season as the top-rated show on television. The first season was hosted by American news personality Lauren Sánchez. Since the second season, it has been hosted by English former children's television personality and game show emcee Cat Deeley.

So You Think You Can Dance is a United States television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox Broadcasting Company network. Season five premiered on May 21, 2009, with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy returning as permanent judges and Cat Deeley returning to host. Jeanine Mason was crowned America's Favorite Dancer on August 6, 2009, making her the second female to win the show. For the first time, the show moved to a new stage, but it turned out to be the last season at CBS Studios.

So You Think You Can Dance is a United States television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox Broadcasting Company network. Season seven premiered on May 27, 2010. In the August 12 finale, contemporary/jazz dancer Lauren Froderman was named "America's Favorite Dancer" and received the grand prize of $250,000, as well as an appearance on the cover of Dance Spirit magazine and in print advertising for Gatorade. Contemporary dancer Kent Boyd was named runner-up.

Keith Roberts is a professional dancer who performed in Twyla Tharp's Las Vegas show Sinatra Dance With Me, which opened on December 11, 2010, and ran through April 2, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen "tWitch" Boss</span> American dancer and TV producer (1982–2022)

Stephen Laurel "tWitch" Boss was an American freestyle hip hop dancer, choreographer, actor, television producer, and television personality. In 2008, he finished in second place on the American version of So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD). From 2014 to May 2022, he was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a repeated guest host and he was also a co-executive producer of the program. He was featured in Ellen's Game of Games as a sidekick to DeGeneres. Between 2018 and 2020, he and his wife, Allison Holker, hosted Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings on Freeform and Disney+.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Chambers (choreographer)</span>

Jack Chambers is a dancer, singer, actor and choreographer, from Brisbane, Australia. He is best known for winning the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melanie Moore</span> American dancer and actress

Melanie Moore is an American professional dancer and actress best known as the winner of the eighth season of the U.S. reality television competition So You Think You Can Dance. According to the results announced on the broadcast, Moore won "overwhelmingly", garnering 47% of the vote in a four-way final tally.

The sixteenth season of So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD), an American dance competition reality show on FOX, returned on June 3, 2019. The series has won numerous awards since its debut in 2005, including eleven Emmy Awards for Outstanding Choreography, the most for any show. This panel of judges again features series creator Nigel Lythgoe, as well as the return of ballroom dance champion and expert Mary Murphy. New to the panel are choreographer Laurieann Gibson and B-boy dancer/choreographer Dominic "D-Trix" Sandoval, who serve as the third and fourth judges during auditions and live shows. Cat Deeley continues in her role as host for a fifteenth consecutive season, for which she has earned five Emmy Award nominations. The grand prize is $250,000, a cover article in Dance Spirit, and the title of "America's Favorite Dancer".

References

  1. ↑ "Neil Haskell To Join Cast of 'Altar Boyz' as Luke". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
  2. ↑ "North American Tour - Cast & Creative".
  3. ↑ "Local News, High School Sports, Business, Entertainment, Classifieds - Metrowny.com". Metrowny.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  4. 1 2 Fox Broadcasting Company: So You Think You Can Dance Archived July 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ BWW News Desk (2007-12-22). "MTV Develops 'The American Mall' Original Musical". Westend.broadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2007-12-22.
  6. ↑ "Movmnt Magazine keep it real campaign". Movmnt.com. 2012-06-28. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
  7. ↑ Tuck Everlasting The Broadway League. 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016
  8. ↑ Neil Haskell (Performer)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.