Zed leads the zombies in a joyous, locking inspired choreography that builds in size and energy, emphasizing the support he has from his friends. Back in Zombietown, Zed is planning a grand romantic gesture to ask Addison to the “Prawn” (Seabrook High’s version of prom) and we see his Zombie crew rallying behind him in support. They are competing against a human-only team who utilize a more traditional cheer vocabulary. The choreography for her team mixes hip hop with cheer-showing how much the zombies have become a part of her cheer squad. The dance focuses on an obstacle course where we see Addison leading an integrated team of humans and zombies. There is a lot of story we needed to get across to catch up with all of our lead characters. “We Got This” is the opening number of the film. Tell me about the way the dance moves the story in this specific number.
In some ways, this is more complicated, but in other ways you have more control over the visual narrative. The choreography of the camera and the choreography of the dance are conceived at the same time. In rehearsal, we film every number shot by shot, so we are prepared before getting on the set. All that has to be planned in relationship to the storytelling and the flow of the song. Since the choreography won’t be seen continuously, it is important to juxtapose moments that are strong in a wide shot with images that are designed to be seen in close-up. To create choreography for film, you have to look at the lyrics of a number line by line and plan what the audience ultimately sees for each moment.
CHEER HIP HOP DANCE MOVES MOVIE
How is choreographing for the story of a movie different from the stage? Jennifer Weber: On stage, the relative scale of bodies to the audience is always the same, but on film you can get much closer and much further away from the movement. Watch the sneak peek of the opening number to the Disney Channel Original Movie before it premieres February 14 and then get inside the inspiration behind the movement in the Q&A with Weber below: Though Weber didn’t consider herself supernaturally inclined, that aspect does allow her to create an epicness in her dance numbers. In her movement, Weber can capitalize on the wildness typically associated with these fantastical creatures, while grounding them in the reality of this very real world Disney created in the first film. “I had always wanted to choreograph a film, and getting to work on such a big scale was an amazing opportunity.”
“I watched the first film and fell in love with the message of acceptance that drives the narrative,” she says.
Weber brings and empathy and edginess to characters who live in the margins: Zombies and Werewolves. Now, Weber brings her edge to Disney, and while it may sound, at first, like an unusual match-Weber’s film debut is actually a perfect fit with Zombies 2. Jennifer Weber has made a career as the force of hard-hitting, intense contemporary hip-hop-both in the concert dance world, with projects like The Hip Hop Nutcracker, and the theatre world with musicals like Off-Broadway’s KPOP and London’s &Juliet.
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