Courtney Miller is the true "Choreographer to the Stars!" His credits include: Cheetah Girls, Michael Jackson's Ghosts, Destiny's Child and Usher's World Tours, and Britney Spears' "Crazy" video!

TGL: What was your first job in dance?

COURTNEY: "REMEMBER THE TIME" MICHAEL JACKSON (GOT THE JOB ON MY 18TH B-DAY)

TGL: Audition advice/tips

COURTNEY: "ALWAYS LOOK THE CHOREOGRAPHER AND OR THE ARTIST IN THE EYE" - YOU'D BE SURPRISED AT HOW MANY DANCERS SHY AWAY FROM BASIC EYE CONTACT.

TGL: What is your fondest memory?

COURTNEY: MY FONDEST MEMORY WAS TAKING MY TWO YEAR OLD SON WITH ME TO REHEARSALS FOR MICHAEL JACKSON'S WORLD TOUR. HE WOULD GET UP AND DANCE AROUND. BY THE END OF THE DAY, HE'D BE POOPED, AND WOULD LIE OUT ON THE COUCH INSIDE THE REHEARSAL SPACE.

TGL: What was your childhood ambition? 

COURTNEY: I WANTED TO DANCE FOR PRINCE, MICHAEL AND JANET JACKSON. TWO OUT OF 3 AIN'T BAD.

TGL: What is your favorite soundtrack?

COURTNEY: IT'S A TIE BETWEEN THE "YOU GOT SERVED SOUNDTRACK AND MO MONEY (FROM BACK IN THE DAY) SOUNDTRACK"

TGL: What is your wildest dream?

COURTNEY: I HAVE A DREAM TO CREATE A NEW TYPE OF DANCE WORKSHOP. I CALL IT, "RE-MAKING THE VIDEO". IN IT, WE WOULD HAVE 300 DANCERS WHO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO DANCE WITH SUPERSTARS. I'M DEVELOPING THE PROJECT AS WE SPEAK, WITH USHER IN MIND. WE PLAN ON RE-MAKING HIS VIDEO "CAUGHT UP". BUT THIS TIME, ALL DANCE, FULL OUT, ALL THE TIME! IT WILL HAVE HIP-HOP, JAZZ, AND TAP, ALL IN ONE! WE WILL SHOOT THE VIDEO ON A SOUND STAGE AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, ALL THE DANCERS ARE IN HOT COSTUMES, AND WE SHOW THE VIDEO AT A HUGE HOLLYWOOD GALA WITH RECORDING ARTISTS, MOVIES STARS, CHOREOGRAPHERS, DANCERS, AND AGENTS IN THE AUDIENCE...

TGL: What is your proudest moment?

COURTNEY: MY PROUDEST MOMENT WAS WHEN I CHOREOGRAPHED THE 1995 EMMY NOMINATED PERFORMANCE OF "DANGEROUS" WITH MICHAEL JACKSON.

TGL: What has been your biggest challenge in dance? 

COURTNEY: MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN DANCE HAS BEEN GETTING PRODUCERS, DIRECTORS, AND INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES TO SEE DANCE AS A MAJOR PLAYER IN FILM TODAY. I LOVE MUSICALS! ESPECIALLY ANYTHING WITH BOB FOSSE, FRED ASTAIRE, OR THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS. DANCE TODAY IS NOT HELD IN THE SAME VAIN AS IT USED TO BE. I, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS ARE TRYING TO CONVINCE THE THE MOVIE EXECUTIVES THAT DANCE CAN BE A HUGE MONEY MAKER IF THEY ARE WILLING TO BACK FILMS WITH DANCE.

TGL: What is your inspiration?

COURTNEY: I DRAW MUCH OF MY INSPIRATION FROM MY EXPIERANCES AT THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS. MUCH OF WHAT I AM DOING TODAY, COMES FROM MY 3 YEARS OF TRAINING, INSPIRATION, AND DISCIPLAIN THAT I LEARNED FROM THAT SCHOOL.

TGL: What has been the best advice that you have received?

COURTNEY: THE BEST ADVICE THAT I HAVE RECEIVED IS TO REMAIN HUMBLE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU ARE NOT CONFIDENT IN YOUR ABILITIES. IT MEANS YOU DON'T NEED TO ANNOUNCE HOW BAD YOU ARE AS A DANCER, LET YOUR DANCING SPEAK FOR YOU!

TGL: Earliest dance influences? 

COURTNEY: MICHELLE JOHNSTON (BEBE FROM A CHORUS LINE THE MOVIE (1ST JAZZ TEACHER)), MICHELLE SIMMONS (DANCED IN THRILLER) SHE TAUGHT ME TO REMAIN HUMBLE BY REMINDING ME THAT SHE TOO HAD DANCED WITH MICHAEL, AND THAT MY CAREER IS NOT DEFIND BY DANCING ON ONE PARTICULAR PROJECT.

TGL: Tell us about your experiences in LA or NY

COURTNEY: I HAVE CHOREOGRAPHED FOR: USHER (MY WAY), DESTINY'S CHILD (NO, NO, NO, - BUGABOO), TLC (WATERFALLS, RED LIGHT SPECIAL), MICHAEL JACKSON (DANGEROUS, GHOSTS, HISTORY WORLD TOUR), BRITNEY SPEARS (CRAZY), DIANA ROSS (TAKE ME HIGHER), BRANDY (BEST FRIEND), RAVEN (PERSONAL CHOREOGRAPHER), THE CHEETAH GIRLS (CHOREOGRAPHED THE WHOLE MOVIE), EN VOGUE (EV3 WORLD TOUR), MANDY MOORE (PERSONAL CHOREOGRAPHER AND STAGE COACH)

TGL: Any up-coming projects that you are working on?

COURTNEY: PRODUCING AND DIRECTING "REMAKING THE VIDEO W/ USHER"

TGL: What can you tell new-comers in the business?

COURTNEY: SHUT UP AND LISTEN. TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK AND MAKE FRIENDS, BUT KNOW THAT NO CHOREOGRAPHER LIKES A "KNOW IT ALL". EVEN IF YOU DO KNOW IT ALL, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF, YOU ARE NOT THE STAR, THE ARTIST AND THE CHOREOGRAPHER ARE THE STARS.

TGL: Tell us about your dance style?

COURTNEY: MY DANCE STYLE IS A FUSION OF JAZZ, HIP-HOP, LYRICAL WITH A TWIST OF MUSICAL THEATER. IT'S HIP-HOP WITH LINES. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO A PIROUETTE AND ACT WHEN YOU ARE PERFORMING ONE OF MY PIECES. TGL: what classes do you recommend individuals to take? - EVERYTHING!, TAP, JAZZ, HIP-HOP, MODERN, ACTING, AFRICAN, BALLET, MUSICAL THEATER. I DID, AND I TURNED OUT FINE!

TGL: Why did you want to become a dancer/choreographer?

COURTNEY: I WANTED TO BECOME A CHOREOGRAPHER BECAUSE I HAD THIS UNDENIABLE CREATIVE URGE WITHIN ME. I WOULD LOOK AT A JANET JACKSON VIDEO AND SAY TO MYSELF "IF THEY HAD ONLY ADD A HEAD POP HEAR, OR POINTED THEIR FINGER THERE! THEN THE PIECE WOULD BE HOT!. I LOVE WATCHING THE FINAL PIECE COME TOGETHER....

TGL: Where are you currently teaching class?

COURTNEY: I AM TEACHING CLASSES WITH MY DANCE CONVENTION: "L.A. ELITE" WE HAVE MANY TEACHERS ON STAFF INCLUDING MYSELF, RINO (GWEN STEFANI) AND CHRISTOPHER JONES (YOU GOT SERVED, THE VILLIAN WADE) GOTO: LAELITEDANCE.COM FOR MORE INFO