Top 20 Iconic Dances Surprisingly Choreographed by the Same Person

#20: Thriller (Michael Jackson) & Joyful, Joyful Finale (Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit)

Michael Peters

When it comes to legendary 80s music videos, Michael Peters is the choreographer behind some of the greatest. From Lionel Richie to Billy Joel, his resumé is packed with hits, but hes best known for his work with Michael Jackson. More than just memorable moves, his contributions to the Thriller film helped take the art of the music video to the next level. After taking his talent to the big screen, Peters went from the gang members of Beat It to the nuns of Sister Act II. Using a fusion of styles, his spirited choreographies bring the 90s comedys praise scenes to life.

#19: The Lady Marmalade Can-Can (Moulin Rouge!) & Thats How You Know (Enchanted)

John O'Connell

When John O'Connell first collaborated with Baz Luhrmann on a low-budget music video, the two instantly clicked. O'Connell would go on to choreograph for all of the directors biggest hits, from Romeo + Juliet to The Great Gatsby. For the jukebox musical Moulin Rouge!, his award-winning numbers skilfully combine a wide array of dance genres. His work with Luhrmann is characterized as edgy and experimental, so you might not guess hes also the brains behind the romantic flash mob in Enchanted. From a routine about absinthe to turning Central Park into a dance floor, the choreographer doesnt shy away from pushing the boundaries.

#18: Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) (Beyoncé) & Body (Megan Thee Stallion)

JaQuel Knight

Few people make pop culture history at just 18 years old, but JaQuel Knight is an exception. Taking inspiration from a 60s Fosse routine, Knight choreographed the well known Single Ladies dance for Beyoncé when he was just a teenager. Since his early start, hes worked with all kinds of influential female artists, from his hit 2010s music videos to creating the viral Hot Girl Summer moves of the 2020s. Working with rapper Megan Thee Stallion as a choreographer and creative director, Knights genius is adapting his style to highlight the star power of the artists he works with.

#17: Everybody (Backstreet's Back) (Backstreet Boys) & Try Again (Aaliyah)

Fatima Robinson

Another choreographer who started young, Fatima Robinson was only 20 when she worked on the music video for Michael Jacksons Remember the Time. This paved the way for her to work with some of the biggest 90s artists from Mary J. Blige to The Backstreet Boys. One of her many well-known dances, Everybody (Backstreets Back) is still an undeniable boy band classic to this day. Robinson was also the mind behind many of Aaliyahs choreographies, including the routine for her hit song Try Again. Though the styles of these numbers arent polar opposites, they do show just how wide-spanning Robinsons hip-hop influence became.

#16: An American in Paris Ballet (An American in Paris) & Jailhouse Rock (Jailhouse Rock)

Alex Romero

After he was hired by MGM studios, Alex Romero had the chance to work with some of the movie musical greats. As the 50s rolled around, Romero helped movie star Gene Kelly choreograph An American in Paris, where hes even featured as a dancer in the famous ballet sequence. Unlike Kelly, classic dance training doesnt come to mind when you think of Elvis Presley. However, we have Romero to thank for encouraging the legendary musicians instantly recognizable moves. While Presley was initially resistant to being turned into a Hollywood boy, his performance of Jailhouse Rock went on to become a groundbreaking musical scene.

#15: The Machine Gun Hustle (Boogie Nights) & The Final Contest (Bring It On)

Anne Fletcher

Working alongside Adam Shankman, Anne Fletcher got her start in the film industry as an assistant choreographer. Together, the duo created routines for several recognizable 90s movies, including the dance floor scene in the award-winning Boogie Nights. A few years later, Fletcher took on her first job without Shankman: the cheerleading classic Bring It On. Working with stunt and hip hop specialists, she ran a pseudo-cheer camp to come up with those famous all-out performances. Even with a wide range of films under her belt as both a choreographer and director, Fletcher still says Bring It On is one of her favorites.

#14: Hoedown Throwdown (Hannah Montana: The Movie) & Final Dance (Step Up)

Jamal Sims

After he was hired as part of Anne Fletchers choreography team, Jamal Sims played a big part in launching the successful Step Up franchise. The dance film fuses street and studio styles, allowing Sims to bring his Hip-hop background to the routines. In front of the camera, you might recognize him from RuPauls Drag Race, but behind the scenes, hes also been a longtime Disney collaborator. From Descendants 3 to Aladdin to Encanto, hes even behind the catchy dance to Hannah Montanas Hoedown Throwdown. Whether hes working as a director or choreographer, Sims has grown his expertise to span both genres and mediums.

#13: Cell Block Tango (Chicago) & Ten Minutes Ago (Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella)

Rob Marshall

Building on his foundation as a Broadway dancer, Rob Marshall is well known for his work on musicals. Though Chicago marked his first time directing a feature film, he also served as the projects choreographer. Hot off of his Academy Award-winning debut, Marshall would continue to work on an array of well-received productions, including several Disney blockbusters. However, one of his earliest jobs with Disney was working on the 1997 Cinderella television movie. Though the ballroom scenes are a far cry from the more salacious moves of Chicago, the choreographer shared that the fairytale film is what ultimately taught him how to craft dances for the screen.

#12: Nasty (Janet Jackson) & African Dance (Coming to America)

Paula Abdul

After she was discovered as a courtside choreographer, Paula Abdul quickly became a dance sensation. Even while still working as a Laker Girl, she was simultaneously creating an award-winning routine for Janet Jacksons Nasty. Thanks to both her collaborations with other artists and her own record-breaking music career, her name has become synonymous with the iconic era of late 80s dance videos. However, her resumé also expands to movies and TV, including taking on the show-stopping African Dance scene in Coming to America. Whether its a live performance or a behind-the-scenes role, Abduls goal has always been to make sure everybody wanted to dance along.

#11: We're All in This Together (High School Musical) & Material Girl (Madonna)

Kenny Ortega

When it comes to genre, Kenny Ortegas choreography knows no bounds. With a career that spans decades, his credits include Michael Jacksons tours, Olympic ceremonies, and popular childrens franchises, just to name a few. In the 80s, he worked with some of the biggest stars, including choreographing Madonnas hit Material Girl. After working under director John Hughes, Ortega also went on to direct his own hit movie musicals like the Disney Channel classic High School Musical. Though he definitely has a recognizable style, comparing something like Xanadu to The Cheetah Girls 2 shows the award-winning choreographers ability to bring all kinds of worlds to life.

#10: Applause (Lady Gaga) & Karma (JoJo Siwa)

Richy Jackson

After getting his start in the industry as a dancer, Richy Jackson found his footing when he joined Lady Gagas team as an assistant choreographer. As a duo, he and Laurieann Gibson brought some of the stars biggest hits to life. In 2011, Jackson took over as principal choreographer, continuing Gagas out-of-the-box visuals with music videos like Applause. So while Karma might feel random, it isnt. Jackson actually first met JoJo Siwa on Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition. Years later, she tapped him to create a head-turning routine for her rebrand. And just like that, the viral head-banging choreography was born.

#9: Opening Credits (Austin Powers) & Super Freak (Little Miss Sunshine)

Marguerite Derricks

Originally, Marguerite Derricks was set to be a go-go dancer in the first Austin Powers film. However, thanks to her vision for the opening sequence, her choreography became an iconic hallmark of the franchise. On the heels of the groovy movie and a famous go-go Gap commercial, Derricks launched an award-winning career in film and television. She's the genius behind some of cinema's most iconic dance scenes, including the beloved performance in the Oscar-winning Little Miss Sunshine. In fact, she pitched the idea that instead of a pageant routine, Olive should perform the age-inappropriate moves her grandfather taught her.

#8: Not Like Us (Kendrick Lamar) & All About That Bass (Meghan Trainor)

Charm La'Donna

In 2024, Kendrick Lamar took things to the next level with Not Like Us, but it was longtime collaborator Charm La'Donna who brought his storytelling to life. From the Grammy-winning music video to Lamars Super Bowl halftime show, she expertly pays homage to their shared Compton roots. However, this isnt the only smash hit on her resumé. A decade earlier, the choreographer gave Meghan Trainor her popstar moment with All About That Bass. Though you'd never connect the bubblegum pink scenes to the green room in Squabble Up, its clear LaDonna has a knack for catchy choreographies.

#7: Rhythm Nation 1814 (Janet Jackson) & I2I (A Goofy Movie)

Anthony Thomas

When imagining the visuals for her 1989 album, Janet Jackson knew she wanted to create something powerful and unexpected. Looking to resonate with the youth, she tapped Anthony Thomas to choreograph her long-form video. The huge success of Rhythm Nation propelled him from an under-the-radar dancer to an award-winning and culture-shaping artist. A few years later, Disney wanted to give their character Powerline in A Goofy Movie the popstar treatment. Thomas was a natural choice to choreograph, and his moves were also reportedly captured and translated into animation to create those iconic dancing scenes.

#6: Oops!I Did It Again (Britney Spears) & The Dance-Off (White Chicks)

Tina Landon

Award-winning choreographer Tina Landon has worked with everyone from Rihanna and Jay-Z to Janet and Michael Jackson. Shes responsible for so many memorable music video dances from the 90s and 2000s, including Britney Spears intergalactic performance of Oops!I Did It Again. However, her work in the cult classic White Chicks shows she can deliver humor as well. Youd never guess that Marlon and Shawn Wayans hilarious moves come from the same mind who choreographed Britney, Shakira and Christina Aguilera. But theres no debating that the dance-off scene is comedy gold.

#5: Sorry (Justin Bieber) & Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show (Rihanna)

Parris Goebel

After capturing the world's attention as a dancer, Parris Goebel made her mark by choreographing one of YouTubes most-viewed videos. Originally, her crew was set to make a lyric video for Justin Biebers Sorry, but their performance was so impressive that it was released as a dance video. The New Zealand choreographer combines Polynesian influence with DanceHall, Hip Hop, and an incredible attention to detail. Rihanna can attest. The two had collaborated before staging the singer's Super Bowl comeback, where once again, Goebel's distinctive choreography took the world by storm.

#4: Another Day of Sun (La La Land) & The Eras Tour (Taylor Swift)

Mandy Moore

An Emmy-winning choreographer who is well established in film and television, Mandy Moore is best known for her show-stopping scenes in La La Land. In the opening traffic jam turned all-out dance number, Moore puts on a masterclass in elevating everyday movements into narrative choreography. So how did she end up working with Taylor Swift? Turns out we have Emma Stone to thank for connecting the two. Moore was then able to bring her own expertise to the tour, transforming Swifts concert into a cinematic experience.Together, they brought each era to life with eye-catching stagings and storytelling performances.

#3: Smooth Criminal (Michael Jackson) & Vogue at The 7th MTV Video Music Awards (Madonna)

Vincent Paterson

After working with Michael Jackson as a dancer and assistant choreographer, the Smooth Criminal short film was a project where Vincent Paterson could take the reins. As Jackson continued to add in more dancers and more music, Patersons outside the box thinking led to a series of iconic moments, including the famous lean. His bold ideas carried over into his work with Madonna, who had originally planned to perform Vogue at the 1990 VMAs with gender-bent clothing. However, Paterson suggested the fans, wigs, and hoop skirts that made the Marie Antoinette number a standout.

#2: Pitch Perfect Franchise & Black Panther Franchise

Aakomon Jones

From getting his start touring with Monica and TLC to becoming Usher's creative director, Aakomon Jones has done it all. He's even behind the moves in some of your favorite films, including the Pitch Perfect franchise. Jones was brought in for the casts a cappella boot camp, and his iconic choreography takes the comedy to the next level. From the Barden Bellas to Wakanda, Jones then got connected to Marvel through Chadwick Boseman, who hed previously worked with on Get On Up. Boseman personally requested he help bring the tribal movements to life, and the thrilling waterfall scenes prove the choreographer's talent has no limits.

#1: What Is This Feeling? (Wicked) & Cruisin' For A Bruisin (Teen Beach Movie)

Christopher Scott

While the world fell in love with Christopher Scotts incredible choreography in Wicked, this wasn't his first Jon M. Chu collaboration. The two had worked together on projects like the Step Up films and In the Heights before taking on the 2024 musical blockbuster. Even before that, Scott choreographed some of Disney Channel's biggest musicals from Lemonade Mouth to the Teen Beach Movie franchise. He's best known for his large ensemble numbers, but they aren't just for show. He focuses on the all-important details, making sure his routines weave into the storytelling as naturally as possible.

Which of these choreographers dances were you familiar with? Let us know which combos shocked you the most in the comments below.