I have danced in more than 50 music videos, with artists such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Lady Gaga, Prince and many, many others.
Every dancer’s worst work experience, I can guarantee you, has happened on a music video. It is a crapshoot for each video we accept. The music video industry is the dance world’s lawless Wild West. That is why we have decided to stand up for ourselves.
It’s About Time music video dancers have a fair union contract. If you see me or my fellow dancers on the Grammys, we are working under a union contract. If you see us in movies, commercials, or Dancing with the Stars, for example, we have a union contract. But when you watch dancers perform in music videos, we are working without a union contract and without basic protections on the job and no hope of insurance or pension benefits.
Conditions can be appalling. Just one example. I did a video for a huge superstar back in ’92.
I showed up to the set as a dancer. The director walked me over to the producers and introduced me as the choreographer, much to my surprise. I had never even heard the song before. They told me the choreography was for a dramatic riot scene. There were fences and big barrels full of flames and pipes shooting fire all around the set. Suddenly, I had 30 minutes to try to arrange a riot scene dance with running, fighting and climbing around the fires and try to keep everyone safe so no one was burned or scarred for life.
After the riot scene, I was told to choreograph a tribal dance sequence. I had to come up with the choreography out of nowhere. The dancers had to learn the moves on concrete in a corner with no mirror or music. Sixteen hours into the shoot, they started painting our entire bodies in grease body make-up and put us in loin cloths. They took six hours in the middle of a cold night in downtown L.A. to paint us for our dance sequence and then they wrapped the video without ever having shot the dance, right as our makeup was done.
That was irritating, but the real issue was then they had no way to get the make-up off us. They had no plan — no towels, no soap, no bathrobes, nothing to get the paint off. Finally, the producers agreed to get us one motel room with a shower to share. We had nothing but the little bars of motel soap, which didn’t work on grease. We ended up having to scrape the grease paint off each other with our fingernails in our underwear in the showers. This was after being on set for 24 hours straight.
And this is just one story. I’d like to say that the experience was something completely extraordinary, but truthfully, many of us have come to expect those sorts of conditions. It wasn’t really so much of a surprise. Next time I’ll tell you the one where we were locked-in on a sound stage for the night, not allowed to leave, with bodyguards carrying guns at the doors — seriously.
On January 11 and 12, our union, AFTRA, and the major record labels, including Sony, UMG, Warner, EMI, Disney and most of their subsidiary labels, will return to the bargaining table to continue negotiations for a music video contract for dancers and other professional performers.
We want to establish standards, such as those for safe working conditions and health care, so that future dancers will be protected and respected for their work. We push our bodies to their limits and one tiny incident can be potentially career-ending, especially if we don’t have health benefits.
Today we are rallying outside of the Sony Music Building in Beverly Hills to remind the record companies that we are not a bunch of kids off the street, unorganized and apathetic. We are skilled and highly trained professionals who want to better our community. We have worked for years developing our craft. We just want to be protected in music videos by the unions we already belong to.
After 30 years of waiting, it is about time!
Come by and support us today! We may even have a surprise for you.
WHEN: Friday, January 6, 2012 at Noon.
WHERE: Electric Fountain at Beverly Gardens Park, corner of Santa Monica and Wilshire boulevards in Beverly Hills.
Free parking is available along Walden Drive.
For more on the music video campaign, visit AFTRA Dancers and Dancers Alliance on YouTube.
Kevin Stea has been dancing professionally for more than 23 years. You can follow him on Twitter at @KevinStea; www.kevinstea.com; www.thatrogueromeo.com; www.facebook.com/kstea.

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That Rogue Romeo
aka Kevin Stea
performing Stutter at the
Supper Club in Hollywood
for the Club MSA event
October 23, 2011
AND an earlier performance
of Stutter at the
Choreographer’s Carnival
at the Avalon
That Rogue Romeo/ choreographer Derrell Bullock

Here is the uploaded video of the lyrics….

Watch tons more videos here on the youtube channel, or stalk me at: www.thatRogueRomeo.com
www.kevinstea.com
www.facebook.com/KStea
www.facebook.com/ThatRogueRomeo
www.twitter.com/kevinstea
www.twitter.com/ThatRogueRomeo

aka That Rogue Romeo … share it around!

Welcome to my new adventure, years in the making! I’m pleased to announce the launch of my website

THAT ROGUE ROMEO

Over the course of the next few months there will be a ton of new features, lots of new music, swag and collaborative ventures with my amazingly talented friends! Come join me there (or on any of my sites!) for updates, special offers and cooool freebies!
FIRST up are the brand new and my art project with … check out the Calendar Cover below!

Buy the Calendar HERE!

Visit my store HERE!

AND, make sure to hover over my logo after the teaser video to access all the new stuff on the site!
Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

These numbers were for an all dance show i danced in that Prince created called Ulysses, a pre-cursor to the Erotic City shows (that 4 of us also did). it all took place at Glam Slam, prince’s club downtown LA at 3rd and boylston. the show was one of the 1st choreography efforts by Jamie King, who now directs most major pop tours. the show vaguely followed the myth of Ulysses, travelling to different islands encountering strange creatures such as the intoxicating flowers here, a cyclops and a sorceress. the story followed the capture of Carmen Electra and Ulysses (Frank Williams) and his crew (myself, sebastian lacause, carrieann and laurie sposit) in a quest to find her and bring her safely back home.

the numbers took place all around the club to give a sense of immersion. We did about 15 shows, and also an appearance on the Arsenio Hall show in anticipation of the show touring, but which never happened, presumably due to Prince’s battle with the label and subsequent change of name. the songs were at the time unreleased, you can hear the differences between these and final releases, but eventually were included in Come and Gold Experience and even Crystal Ball. I believe this footage was shot during one of our dress rehearsals (?).

Eventually Prince started a weekly show at Glam Slam called Erotic City, and later created the NPG dance company which did tour. Other performers are: rebecca luckett, stefanie roos, shaun earl, chad allen, joaquin escamilla and Dominique Schatz (?) and a few others (i’ll have to look closer over the whole show).

Here’s a performance of STUTTER from my forthcoming album by That Rogue Romeo
Supper Club Hollywood MSA event 10/23/2011
(Lyrics Published Below)

That Rogue Romeo aka Kevin Stea performing Stutter at the Supper Club in Hollywood for the Club MSA event ‘God Save The Queens’. featuring Gerran Reese, Terrance Spencer, Day Day Bell, Sagiv Karpel, Jonelle Layfield, Bronwyn Moses, Erin Marino, Jamie Overla, Delmar Reina, Laia Martinez, Maki Saruwatari, Michael Silas and Kris Engelstad. the evening was creative directed by Storm Lee and hosted by billy francesca! Song by That Rogue Romeo, Mario Marchetti, Gino Farrago. Produced by Mario Marchetti. Additional Guitars by fernando pantini. styling by avo

yermagyan, makeup by jenny lee, choreography by Derrell Bullock. watch tons more videos here on this youtube channel, or stalk me at: www.thatRogueRomeo.com www.kevinstea.com www.facebook.com/kstea www.facebook.com/ThatRogueRomeo www.twitter.com/kevinstea www.twitter.com/ThatRogueRomeo

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Stutter

Look at me when ur talking

time ain’t free, you’re on the clock now

That I’ve seen the kind of love you’re dishing out

hard to see When You’re Such a generous thief

But if Anyone’s Heart will bleed, this time it won’t be mine, not tonight baby

I been down but I’m comin up for air, Kept me down kept me stuck right there

I know you know i know That this is just some dead affair

now you’re crawling on your knees

I told you we are history

Tell me did i stutter stutter stutter? Did I stutter stutter stutter?

And if you want me to believe

How come you never understand me?

Yeah, tell me baby did i stutter?

Verse

I agree, I’m another s.o.b just like you called me and

Just Maybe it takes one to know one

Hell can pay for me Cause I mean what I say, Ive had enough of shades of grey to last another life or two, and not with you baby

Spin around now you’re crying on the floor

I got you out but you’re right back at the door

You know and i know that its over, but you’re comin back for more

now you’re crawling on your knees

I told you we are history

Tell me did i stutter stutter stutter? Did I stutter stutter stutter?

And if you want me to believe

How come you never understand me?

Yeah, tell me baby did i stutter?

That Rogue Romeo aka Kevin Stea performing Stutter at Choreographer’s Carnival, with choreography by Derrell Bullock and featuring Gerran Reese, Terrence Spencer, Day Day Bell, Beau Fournier of Fanny Pak, Jonelle Layfield, Bronwyn Moses, Erin Marino, Chanel Malvar, Delmar Reina, Reika Ando, Allison Forslund, Cara Horibe, Maki Saruwatari, Randall Watson and Kris Engelstad. Song by That Rogue Romeo, Mario Marchetti, Gino Farrago. Produced by Mario Marchetti. Additional Guitars by fernando pantini. Styling by Avo Yermagyan. makeup by Jeni Chua.

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These were for an all dance show i danced in that Prince created called Ulysses, a pre-cursor to the Erotic City shows (that 4 of us also did). it all took place at Glam Slam, prince’s club downtown LA at 3rd and boylston in 1992. the show was one of the 1st choreography efforts by Jamie King, who now directs most major pop tours (madonna, rihanna, britney, christina etc). the show vaguely followed the myth of Ulysses, travelling to different islands encountering strange creatures such as the sirens, the cyclops and the sorceress. the story followed the capture of Carmen Electra, with Ulysses (Frank Williams) and his crew (myself, sebastian lacause, kerri ann james and laurie sposit) in a quest to find her and bring her safely back home.

the numbers took place all around the club to give a sense of immersion. We did about 15 shows, and also an appearance on the Arsenio Hall show in anticipation of the show touring, but which never happened, presumably due to Prince’s battle with the label and subsequent change of name. the songs were at the time unreleased, you can hear the differences between these and final releases, but eventually were included in Come and Gold Experience and even Crystal Ball. I believe this footage was shot during one of our dress rehearsals (?).

Eventually Prince started a weekly show at Glam Slam called Erotic City, and later created the NPG dance company which did tour. Other performers are: rebecca luckett, stefanie roos, shaun earl, chad allen, joaquin escamilla and Dominique Schatz, dina lee helm, alexis valentin and sergio carbajal.

more numbers to come, join my site and you will be notified of new posts Sorry for the QUICKLY disabled audio on Loose, but i’ve filed a dispute for fair use, hopefully it will be back up soon!

the hysterical part four of the Eating Out series, directed by equally hysterical Allan Brocka premiered yesterday out Outfest 2011! it will be on Logo on July 24th at 10pm/9pmC, check out the hilarity and then rent the uncensored version for the more *ahem* in your face bits. i choreographed this with my lovely assistants Yusef Nasir and Sagiv Karpel, whom you can see there in the mix in the little song and dance number it was guerilla filmmaking full out, 2 takes go, 2 takes go, next next next. the cast were troopers though understandably under-rehearsed and nervous (one actor hadnt even seen the number before hand. Bravi! here’s a few pix from rehearsal in my back yard, a day out at camp, and our fiery after party… i dont know what was going on with my hair. i guess thats what happens after an hour under my helmet going to malibu in the wee morning hours on my moped.

i just had my little phone with me, so not the best quality pics, but we had fun as always!