Bronx
born dancer and actor Darrin DeWitt Henson is one of the hottest choreographers
in the entertainment business. Darrin learned his dance
craft on the streets of New York and got his first break
performing with world-renowned music and dance producer
DJ Scott La Rock. After a
successful stint on Broadway, Darrin set out on his career
as choreographer.
In
2007, Darrin starred in the critically acclaimed
HBO film "Life Support," starring Queen Latifah,
Wendell Pierce and Evan Ross.
Without any formal
training, Darrin became one of the hottest dancers and
choreographers in the world, working with all of the major
players in the music industry including
LL Cool J,
Michael Jackson,
Prince,
Britney Spears,
Christina Aguilera,
Usher, Justin Timberlake,
‘N SYNC and
Jennifer Lopez.
His skill and dedication as dance teacher has won him
numerous awards including the highly prestigious
MTV Music Award for Best
Choreography.
In 2002, Darrin released
his first DVD, Darrin
Henson’s Dance Grooves
– it was a massive success across the world and became the
one of the biggest dance instructional video of all time!
The DVD sold over 3,000,000 copies worldwide and won a
Billboard Award for the biggest selling Health and Fitness
Video.
In 2005, Darrin produced
his follow-up DVD: Darrin
Henson’s Dance Grooves 2.
With 5 new routines, fresh from the street, this new DVD
breaks down the moves step by step to give you an insight
into how to get into professional dancing, keeping fit and
how to learn the secret dance moves of the stars. In 2000,
and again without any training, Darrin landed a starring
role in hit TV show Soul
Food, which ran
for five seasons. Christmas 2005 sees the release of
The Salon
in which he stars alongside
Vivica Fox.
Darrin is currently filming The Last Stand with
Anthony Anderson and Guy Tory, and early next year he will
produce and star in his first feature, In The Groove,
with Loretta Devine.
Darrin uses his experience
and knowledge of street dance to keep his students up to
date with the hottest moves and at the cutting edge.
Darrin’s Dance Grooves Workshop has traveled throughout the
US, and on to Iceland, Japan, Germany, France, China and
this August he took the school to the United Kingdom.
Darren recently took time
to talk with us about his career.
The Darrin Henson
Interview
BMIA.com: Darrin,
thank you for taking the time to participate in this
interview. Brother, you are some kind of talent. Where do
I start? Tell us about your background.
Darrin
Henson: I grew up in
the Castle Hill section of the Bronx, with 6 brothers and 2
sisters in the same neighborhood as Jennifer Lopez and just
minutes away from where Africa Bombarda would throw Zulu
Anniversary jams.
BMIA.com: You are
accomplished at so many things. Tell our readers a little
bit about your career as an actor, choreographer, producer
and as a director?
Darrin
Henson: I started off
as a dancer, I was frustrated for certain artists that I was
dancing for and I didn’t always like the steps they were
doing… so, I started making up my own. Whilst I was
choreographing, I kind of blew up after a about 5-6- yrs in
the business and then, after wining the MTV music award I
didn’t feel challenged anymore so, I decided to start acting
and partaking in my own career. As an actor, I learned about
camera work and lighting, which segued me into directing my
first film Violation for Showtime – I guess you can say that
I caught the bug. I am, currently producing, directing and
starring in my own musical, Dreams Do Travel (11/25/05 and
11/26/05).
BMIA.com: How long
have you been in the entertainment business?
Darrin
Henson: All my life.
BMIA.com: What TV
shows and movies have you been a part of?
Darrin Henson:
Soul Food, The Salon, April Fool’s, The Last Stand, fabric
of a man Stage play, if these hips could talk, stage play.
BMIA.com: Who are
some of the musical artists that you’ve worked with?
Darrin
Henson: Michael
Jackson, Prince, Britney Spears, J-Lo, MVP, Christina
Aguilera, *NSYNC.
BMIA.com: Do you
consider your talents to be a gift? Hard work? Or both?
Darrin
Henson: Both.
BMIA.com: When you
think about all of your entertainment talents, which one is
your favorite?
Darrin
Henson: I don’t have
a favorite. I love them all. BUT, if I could only do one
thing it would be dance.
BMIA.com: There are
several shows on TV that have renewed an interest in
dancing. (Ballroom, Steppin’ and Handancing). What do you
think about all of the interest in dancing now?
Darrin
Henson: I think
America is slow to wake up in general. They have been
sleeping. If they would have taken notice they would have
seen that dance is in just about every medium (TV, Movies,
Commercials) either selling products or just being the
driving energy in a movie or TV show.
BMIA.com: Tell us
about Darrin’s Dance Grooves?
Darrin Henson: Darrin’s Dance Grooves was created after
I booked Soul Food. I could not be in the normal areas that
I was used to being in as I was in a TV series now. So, I
devised a video that could be everywhere. I took the dance
steps that I created for the stars and gave them to the
world.
BMIA.com: How many copies has the video sold?
Darrin Henson:
It has sold over 3,000,000 copies, won numerous awards
including a Billboard Award for Best Fitness Video and was
the biggest selling direct response TV product of 2002.
This year I produced, directed, choreographed and starred in
the follow-up, Darrin’s Dance Grooves 2. This video focuses
on street and Hip Hop dance and I’ve been getting the most
amazing response from people who bought the first video and
those new to the Darrin Henson experience.
BMIA.com: Who are
some of the people in your life that you admire?
Darrin
Henson: Michael
Jackson, Prince, Mohammed Ali, my dad and truthful,
spiritual leaders
BMIA.com: Who are some of the people in “show business”
that have mentored or helped you in your career?
Darrin Henson: Gregory Hines was a big inspiration, God
Rest His Soul. Prince. Jim Brown.
BMIA.com:
What role did they play in
your personal and/or professional development?
Darrin
Henson:
Knowledge and information.
BMIA.com: OK, this is
the part of the interview where we “strap” you in the Black
Men In America.com Hot Seat. This is our version of “Call
and Response,” where we say something and you call out the
first thing that comes to mind. Are you ready?
Darrin Henson: Ready
BMIA.com: Great.
BMIA.com:
Who is your favorite
choreographer?
Darrin
Henson:
Jerome Roberts
BMIA.com:
Favorite musical artist
Darrin
Henson:
Michael Jackson
BMIA.com:
Favorite dancer
Darrin
Henson:
Gregory Hines
BMIA.com:
Favorite movie
Darrin
Henson:
West Side Story
BMIA.com:
Movies or television
Darrin
Henson:
Soul Food
BMIA.com:
Snoop Dogg
Darrin
Henson: Weed
BMIA.com:
James Brown
Darrin
Henson:
Bad
BMIA.com:
Beyoncé or Mariah Carey
Darrin
Henson:
Fine
BMIA.com:
Your Best Album or CD
Darrin
Henson:
Best of Lionel Richie
BMIA.com:
Darrin Henson,
you are officially off of the Black Men In America.com Hot
Seat!
BMIA.com: What’s the
best thing about being Darrin Henson?
Darrin
Henson: Being Darrin
Henson
BMIA.com: What’s the
hardest thing about being Darrin Henson?
Darrin
Henson: Being Darrin
Henson
BMIA.com: You spend a
lot of time trying to educate people about HIV and AIDS.
Why?
Darrin
Henson: It’s an
ongoing problem in the Black Community and I feel that I
have a voice now that people will listen to so I must use it
to help.
BMIA.com: In your
opinion what’s the biggest challenge facing black men in
America?
Darrin
Henson: Education
BMIA.com: How can
people reading this article support you?
Darrin
Henson: By educating
themselves firstly, and second, research.
BMIA.com: What’s next
for Darrin Henson?
Darrin
Henson:
Dreams Do Travel
is scheduled to play for two dates in November 2005 (25th
and 26th) if all goes well the show will be
picked and be an ongoing off-Broadway show. Then who knows?
BMIA.com: What advice
would you give to someone who wants to get into the
entertainment industry?
Darrin Henson:
Educate, research and study. Know your craft.
Click here to check out
Darrin's web site or to buy one of his tapes and DVD's.
Special thanks to
Pippa Lambert for
arranging this interview. This interview was posted on
December 5, 2005 and conducted by conducted by Gary Johnson.