Hollywood Jade is one of Toronto's greatest visionary talents who continues to find new and exciting ways to present his timeless creativity to the masses. This dancer/choreographer turned artistic director has showcased his multidimensional artistic creations on both the big and small screens, local and international stages, and has worked with some of the world’s greatest organizations, artists and talents. As an innovator and creator, he constantly has his finger on the pulse to cultivate new and exciting collaborations and to push the boundaries of creation.
Hollywood’s passion for excellence in dance was first brought to the forefront through his performances in projects such as, “Save The Last Dance 2”, “Camp Rock 2”, “Make Your Move” and the smash-hit blockbuster, “Hairspray,” as well as by sharing the stage and screen with the likes of Nelly Furtado, Divine Brown, Rihanna, Janelle Monae, Kelis, and Canadian Idol finalist, Gary Beals. Combined with his natural leadership skills and passion for artistry, these experiences created endless opportunities for him to begin working in choreography.
Alongside some of North America’s most noteworthy choreographers, Hollywood has been involved in the choreography for TV performances, tours, music videos and award shows for some of the globe’s biggest names, including Keshia Chanté, Snoop Dogg, Estelle, Bebe Rexha, and Meghan Trainor. Following these successes, Hollywood secured the position of artistic director and choreographer to Canada's Queen of R&B, Jully Black. "Hollywood Jade Presents,” Hollywood’s own performance company, launched in 2011 with the successful premiere of Urbanesque and, since then, the company has orchestrated several sold out shows which fuse the classic style of Burlesque with modern and contemporary music and movement. Hollywood also served as the artistic director of The Black Diamond Ball for five consecutive years.
In 2018, Hollywood was a part of the Holla Jazz cast’s production of FLOOR’D, a soulful and propulsive performance of dance, live music, and raw energy, all honouring the spirit of jazz. The cast was honoured with the Dora Mavor Moore Award for outstanding dance performance ensemble for their unparalleled vision and storytelling abilities.
Most recently, Hollywood served as the resident choreographer for the premiere season of Canada’s Drag Race, aiming to shift the lens surrounding dance and artistry to celebrate LGBTQ performers. Hollywood has reprised his role for Season Two of the show in 2021 and has also taken on the additional role of Special Guest Judge. He was also featured on the cover of IN Magazine in July 2021 to discuss the power of authenticity, transparency, and unity.
Hollywood reminds himself daily of a quote he heard from one of his idols, Debbie Allen: "If you stay ready, you never have to get ready”. Hollywood is committed to remaining constantly ready for the next phase of his career and continues to put innovation and uniqueness at the forefront of everything that he does.
