242. The Power of Adaptability: Comfort Fedoke's Journey Through Dance

Comfort Fedoke on Emotional Choreography, Collaborative Art-Making, and the Power of Adaptability In this episode, Emmy Award-winning dancer, choreographer, and multi-hyphenate artist Comfort Fedoke opens up about her innovative approach to movement as emotional language and the art of authentic collaboration. The Nigerian-American performer, known for her journey from So You Think You Can Dance contestant to All-Star to judge, reveals: Her groundbreaking new show "A/VOID"—a double entendre exploring the emotions we avoid and the void they create, developed with creative partner Zoe Rappaport and set within the immersive light-and-sound installation Chromasonic Field in downtown LA The magic of synesthetic performance—how she's creating work where "color becomes audible and sound becomes visible," using all the senses to help audiences viscerally understand what they're feeling through movement Her collaborative choreographic process—the late-night living room sessions that led to the Ozdust Ballroom Scene in Wicked, where authentic movement language emerges through freestyle experimentation, building "like a puzzle" until the soul speaks louder than technique The biggest lesson from her So You Think You Can Dance journey: learning to be adaptable and understanding her role as a muse and influential collaborator, discovering how to elevate choreographers while maintaining lasting artistic relationships As a performer who has shared stages with H.E.R., John Legend, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, and countless other A-list artists, while also working as a commentator for Red Bull TV and judge on Nigeria's Maltina Dance All, Comfort embodies the evolution of dance as storytelling. From splitting time between London (where she's associate choreographer on "Wicked" and the West End's "Cabaret") and LA, she's creating work that transforms spaces and challenges audiences to feel more deeply. Whether you're interested in the intersection of technology and movement, the business of being a creative collaborator, or simply want to understand how dance can make the invisible visible, this conversation offers profound insights into making art that moves both bodies and souls. Watch the full episode here. Show Notes: Connect with Comfort on IG Get Tickets to Comfort’s show Donate to A/VOID Watch “Try A Little Tenderness” from SYTYCD Listen to our episode with the In The Heights Team Watch the full Ozdust Ballroom Scene For more DANA For coaching with me, join the WTMM COMMUNITY  To donate to WTMM through our Fiscal Sponsor, THE DANCE RESOURCE CENTER