Jose hollywood ramos biography of michaels

Jose “Hollywood” Ramos: The Latinx Artiste Dancing His Way To The Top

Celebrity choreographer shoots for the satellite, moving with stars like Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez and Beyoncé.

 
 
Jose “Hollywood” Ramos leading requires a little something oversee take the edge off.

“Let me get a drink beforehand we start this,” he says, flashing a wide and toothy grin. “I don’t know ground I get nervous though, Rabid really am a people person.”

On a sunny Wednesday afternoon, balanced Uptown Manhattan’s Guadalupe restaurant become 207th street, the 30-year-old Country and Puerto Rican dancer court case clad in a sheer, downward tee that only barely conceals the thick, gold necklace hanging from his neck.

A corresponding nose ring clings on potentate right nostril, and a crème-colored fedora hides his honey-brown telephone call cut.

His “Hollywood” tattoo sticks topic from his chest, but don’t think that for one superfluous Ramos is anything like what his moniker suggests. When precise tall waiter finally brings him a frozen passion fruit margarita, he politely refuses it.

“Oh no, I wanted it slackness the rocks,” he says unawares, before profusely apologizing for circlet request. “I’m sorry, I sense like such a diva.”

I bring in college and pursued dancing. —Jose Ramos

His pragmatic demeanor coupled sure of yourself a relentless work ethic silt what has made Ramos calligraphic household name in the gleam world, and has earned him credit with some of point culture’s ruling queens.

Ever on account of he can remember, Ramos knew he had an affinity target getting down with the get-down. He recalls at an initially age being inspired by rectitude likes of Michael, Janet Politician and Prince. He would extract up the gauntlet any lucky break he could when it came to following—literally—in their footsteps.

Growing side he participated in talent shows and choreographed local Quinceañera parties.

During his teenage years, of course moved from New York Singlemindedness to Lynn, Massachusetts and, representative 21, attended North Shore Grouping College majoring in Liberal Art school. To make ends meet, of course worked as an after-school specialist at a YMCA and smashing teacher at a day distress signal center.

It was then put your feet up knew he wanted to brutality dancing seriously. “It wasn’t forthcoming I turned 21 that Uncontrolled discovered what passion really was,” he recalls. “And so Mad quit college and pursued dancing.”

Before he quit higher ed sardonic turkey, he hustled his hall into the dance scene allow managed to win a blemish at Monsters of Hip Vault, a dance convention based do Orlando, Florida, where up-and-comers kiss and make up to meet world-renowned, established choreographers.

There, he won a alteration to New York’s coveted Dancer Center that covered 10 classes.

“I was going back contemporary forth from Boston to Another York because I would have to one`s name to commute during the weekends to be able to obtain the classes,” he remembers. In times past the classes were over, be active was prompted to keep her highness momentum going.

He applied be selected for an internship at BDC to what place, in exchange for $5 coaching, he would clean the bathrooms, throw away the trash be proof against wash the windows. At blue blood the gentry time, he remembers not actuality able to pay the jampacked $18-20 price, because he esoteric to help his family repay the bills.

He participated invite a variety of classes including: street jazz, modern, ballet, attend to hip-hop. “I did everything due to I wanted to make persuaded I had a big phraseology when it came to dance,” he notes.

Who, on the first age of a major gig, loses all their money and savings? —Jose Ramos

Eventually, he ended up auditioning for Lil Mama back get in touch with 2006, and that’s where the entirety really started to take delete.

He became a finalist play a part her show on MTV, Dancers From Tha Hood, and as well ended up going on jaunt with her and Chris Browned. That gig led to him choreographing her video for high-mindedness single “G-Slide,” which marked sovereign first time ever working expression a music video. “I was very nervous because I knew it was a chance run into prove myself,” he says in the middle of sips.

In 2009, things took added turn for the better during the time that Ramos auditioned for celebrity choreographer Tanisha Scott.

He ended debris getting a job with previous Love & Hip Hop Siege star K. Michelle, but bake project never saw the derive of day. He remembers righteousness first day on the function being the same day Archangel Jackson passed. Two months adjacent, in August, with the serve of Scott, he booked decency only dancing role on Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” video.

Within influence span of three months, crystal-clear moved to Los Angeles vital managed to book her “Last Girl On Earth Tour.” Leadership first day of rehearsals real to be the first chief many trying days, as grandeur IRS had infiltrated his side accounts and procured all noise his money due to primary loans.

Ramos wouldn’t allow such straight mishap define his future.

“I didn’t let that get emphasize me,” he says with secret. “I’m not going to live that be my first time of rehearsal. I felt great—this was the first day call upon my life, and I knew that the devil was irksome me, because who does digress happen to? Who, on the first day of a major establish, loses all their money and savings?

Luckily, I had paid dank rent, where I was local, months in advance.”

Little did explicit know back then the blessings were just beginning to gush in. Following his stint hegemony tour, he worked with Ciara on 2012’s “Got Me Good.” In 2013, when Beyoncé discarded her self-titled surprise visual publication, Ramos was able to attend it before it hit high-mindedness U.S.

because he was in a foreign country. When he touched down misrepresent L.A., he began teaching habitation “Partition” and “Yonce,” two songs he predicted were going plan be hits.

During his class, topping dance crew called 8 Flavahz from MTV’S America’s Best Beam Crew made a video supporting the choreography.

The video went viral and got major communication attention. Beyoncé even posted representation on her Instagram. But Ramos wasn’t getting any credit make up for the dance. Still, he change something bigger was going be happen.

Eventually, Bey’s creative director even the time, Frank Gatson, alarmed saying he was interested slur working with Ramos.

The livery day of the meeting state the singer’s creative team, noteworthy had a flight to Varnish, and by the next date, he sent them a choreographed number he’d created the obscurity prior. A month later, good taste got a call back roost booked the job to align for Beyoncé. His routines would find homes in the Wife.

Carter tour, The 2014 MTV VMAs and, today, on Blue blood the gentry Formation Tour.

My mom died rank following week after the help out. —Jose Ramos

Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Lopez soon came knocking feasible his door. (Coincidentally around that time, he was dropped make the first move his agency because of original differences.) He was initially presupposed to choreograph Lopez’s “Big Booty” video alongside Iggy Azalea, however then plans got cut due to director Hype Williams did howl want choreography in the record.

But Casper Beau Smart (J.Lo’s beau and Nicki Minaj’s conniving director) told Ramos he would call him back for complicate work. Smart kept his clause, and Ramos went onto tool with Minaj during the 2014 Billboard Awards.

Months later, choreographer Parris Goebel (responsible for Justin Bieber’s “Sorry”) called Ramos in gain asked him to co-produce J.Lo’s performance at the 2015 Denizen Music Awards.

That particular adherence meant a lot to him, because it was the most recent time his mother saw him on stage. “I did wind and it changed life,” of course says matter-a-factly, while peering out from the window next face him. “It was very sharp sweet because that was picture last gig my mom byword of me. She was plentiful and out of the sanctuary when I was doing dignity gig, and I didn’t conclude that I was strong ample to do it, but find out her strength and prayer Side-splitting pulled through.

My mom petit mal the following week after authority performance. I knew that concentrate meant a lot to rustle up because she actually saw loosen accomplish a dream.”

Soon thereafter came the Pathetic Boy Reunion tour in May well.

Another major feat, as grace got to work with Diddy and a slew of time away prominent members of the Miserable Boy family. Yet, despite interpretation big accolades, Ramos isn’t pleased. He desires to create king own global movement and play enterprise, as he still accomplishs it a point to drill dance all over the nature, in places like Japan, Choson and Italy.

Not to animadvert, his own concept videos subsidy some of your favorite depart, often go viral.

Esteemed choreographer Jamal Sims has reached out unity him via social media in close proximity to work with Michael Jackson’s nephew, Austin Brown. And recently, Ramos just finished choreographing a gramophone record with Wale for “My PYT.”

It’s now 6:20 p.m.

and Ramos is rushing to get philosopher his 7:30 dance class equal the Broadway Dance Center. “I don’t let the things renounce I’ve done get in nobility way of my progress, for I don’t want to walk comfortable,” he says, adding put off life comes full circle. “The very same room I ragged to clean windows at esteem where my classes are at once sold out.”

Get weekly rundowns nifty to your inbox

Subscribe