Charm La'Donna
{{short description|American dancer and choreographer (born 1988)}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Charm La'Donna
| birth_name = Charmaine La'Donna Jordan
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|05|14}}
| birth_place = Compton, California, U.S.
| education = Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
| alma_mater = University of California, Los Angeles (BA)
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Dancer
- choreographer
- creative director
- artist
}}
| years_active = 2006–present
| module = {{Infobox musical artist |embed=yes
| instrument = Vocals
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| label = Epic
| website = {{URL|charmladonna.com}}
}}
}}
Charmaine Jordan (born May 14, 1988), known professionally as Charm La'Donna, is an American dancer and choreographer. She is known for her work with recording artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Rosalía, Dua Lipa and Selena Gomez.{{Cite web |last=Spence |first=Sade |title=Charm La'Donna wants little Black girls to know that "we are magic" |url=https://colorsxstudios.com/editorials/charm-la-donna |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=colorsxstudios.com |language=en}}
Early life and education
La'Donna was born Charmaine Jordan on May 14, 1988, in Compton, California. She has an older brother, Yki, and was raised by her mother, Debbie. She credits her mother, grandmother and "the village of women in Compton, all connected by blood, friendship or simply proximity" for her success.{{Cite web |last=Exposito |first=Suzy |date=June 9, 2021 |title=How Compton's Charm La'Donna found the courage to go from star choreographer to hip-hop MC |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2021-06-09/charm-ladonna-compton-kendrick-lamar |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} Yki is a rapper and songwriter who inspired La'Donna to pursue a recording career of her own. After he was arrested and sentenced for 75 years to life in prison, she suspended those dreams and turned to dancing.
After telling her mother at the age of 3 that she wanted to become a dancer, La'Donna was enrolled in a recreational center in Compton that offered dance activities. Counselors at the center referred her to Regina's School of the Arts, where she trained before moving to Miss Monica's Dance School.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Nyamekye |date=September 14, 2022 |title=Charm La'Donna Is Choreographing Her Life—and Conjuring an Empire |url=https://www.dancemagazine.com/charm-ladonna/ |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=Dance Magazine |language=en-US}} When she was 10, La'Donna was introduced to dancer and choreographer Fatima Robinson while auditioning for a music video for rapper Mase. She quickly recognized her talents and began mentoring her. La'Donna attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACSHA), where she graduated from in 2006. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in world arts and culture from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Career
During her senior year at LACSHA, La'Donna was hired by singer Madonna as a backup dancer for her Confessions Tour.{{Cite web |title=GREATEST / Charm La'Donna Interview With Greatest {{!}} GOAT |url=https://www.goat.com/editorial/charm-la-donna-interview |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=www.goat.com |language=en-us}} Following the tour, she worked as Robinson's assistant choreographer, working on various music videos, television specials and Super Bowl halftime shows under her direction while attending UCLA full-time. Her work with Robinson introduced her to fellow Compton native, rapper Kendrick Lamar, while co-choreographing his performance at the 2015 BET Awards.{{Cite web |title=Charm La'Donna Talks Being The Only Woman On Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. Tour |url=https://www.essence.com/celebrity/charm-ladonna-interview/ |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=Essence |date=October 26, 2020 |language=en-US}} He recruited her in 2017 as the choreographer and sole female dancer for his DAMN. Tour and choreographed and danced in his opening performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in 2018.{{Cite web |title=Get to know Charm La'Donna, Kendrick Lamar's unforgettable Grammys dancer |url=https://www.thefader.com/2018/01/29/charm-ladonna-dancer-kendrick-lamar-damn-grammys |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=The FADER |date=January 29, 2018 |language=en}} La'Donna continued to gain recognition by choreographing music videos and live performances for singers Rosalía, Selena Gomez, Dua Lipa and Meghan Trainor.{{Cite web |title=Rosalía's Choreographer Reveals Signature Moves Stories |url=https://www.telemundo.com/entretenimiento/billboard-en-espanol/rosalias-choreographer-charm-ladonna-reveals-stories-behind-signature-moves-tmna3266326 |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=TELEMUNDO.com |date=June 4, 2019 |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=November 14, 2019 |title=That Music Video You Can't Stop Watching? Charm La'Donna Probably Choreographed It |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/music/a29741474/charm-ladonna-choreographer-interview-selena-gomez-look-at-her-now/ |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=ELLE |language=en-us}} Her work in the music video for Rosalía, J Balvin and El Guincho's "Con altura" won her the MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography.{{Cite web |last=Valenti |first=Lauren |date=August 29, 2019 |title=VMA-Winning Choreographer Charm La'Donna on Her Beauty Essentials, Working With Rosalía, and Staying Grounded |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/charm-la-donna-vma-best-choreographer-beauty-essentials |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}} She also directed Rema and Selena Gomez's Calm Down (Remix) music video, which guaranteed her a second VMAs for Best Afrobeats. She was the sole choreographer for singer the Weeknd's Super Bowl LV halftime show.{{Cite web |last=Creekmur |first=Chuck |date=August 31, 2021 |title=Charm La'Donna's Resume Includes Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd & Dua Lipa, But Her Time Is Now |url=https://allhiphop.com/features/charm-ladonna-kendrick-lamar-the-weeknd-dua-lipa/ |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=AllHipHop |language=en-US}}
La'Donna's music aspirations resumed in 2020. She signed a recording contract with Epic Records in February and released her first two singles "So & So" and "Westside".{{Cite web |title="Lucky Charm to You": Meet Charm La'Donna: Feature |url=https://www.uscannenbergmedia.com//2021/01/11/lucky-charm-to-you-meet-charm-ladonna-feature/ |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=Annenberg Media |date=January 11, 2021 |language=en}} Her debut extended play, La'Donna, was released on April 9, 2021.{{Cite web |title=CHARM LA'DONNA RELEASES DEBUT EP LA'DONNA – Sony Music Canada |url=https://www.sonymusic.ca/press_release/charm-ladonna-releases-debut-ep-ladonna |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=www.sonymusic.ca}}{{Cite web |last=Ward |first=Steven |date=April 12, 2021 |title=Hot Artist Alert: Charm La'Donna offers a ferociously catchy introduction on debut EP "La'Donna" |url=https://www.grimygoods.com/2021/04/12/hot-new-artist-charm-ladonna-debut-la-donna/ |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=Grimy Goods |language=en-US}}
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" |Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
| scope="row" |2012
|Sparkle's Backup Singer #2 |Credited as Charmaine Jordan |
|---|
| scope="row" |2019
|There Once Was a Woman |Chickadee | |
= Television =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" |Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
| scope="row" |2010
|Choreographer |Credited as Charmaine Jordan; also motion capture dancer |
|---|
| scope="row" |2013
|CeeLo Green is Loberace |Choreographer |Credited as Charmaine Jordan; also creative director |
| scope="row" |2015
|Ensemble |Credited as Charmaine Jordan; also assistant choreographer |
| rowspan="2" scope="row" |2016
| rowspan="2" |Assistant choreographer |Credited as Charmaine Jordan |
| The Oscars
|Television special |
| scope="row" |2019
|Generations | rowspan="5" |Choreographer |Episode: "Flamenco" | |
| scope="row" |2020
|Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020 | rowspan="3" |Television special |
| scope="row" |2021 |
| scope="row" |2022 |
| scope="row" |2024
| Opening dance sequence |{{Cite web|website=Variety|accessdate=September 6, 2024|date=September 5, 2024|title=Nicole Kidman, Meghann Fahy and 'The Perfect Couple' Stars Started a WhatsApp Group to Protest Opening Credits Dance Sequence: 'The Entire Cast Had a Mutiny'|first1=K.J.|last1=Yossman|first2=Marc|last2= Malkin|url=https://variety.com/2024/scene/global/the-perfect-couple-opening-credits-dance-scene-1236119606/|archive-date=September 5, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905193927/https://variety.com/2024/scene/global/the-perfect-couple-opening-credits-dance-scene-1236119606/|url-status=live}} |
= Music videos =
== As lead artist ==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" style="width:16em;" |Title ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Director |
| scope="row" |"Westside"
|2020 | rowspan="3" |Charm La'Donna |
|---|
| scope="row" |"Queen"
| rowspan="2" |2021 |
| scope="row" |"Palm Trees" |
== As choreographer ==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" style="width:16em;" |Title ! scope="col" |Artist(s) ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Director |
| scope="row" |"All About That Bass"
|2014 |
|---|
| scope="row" |"Slumber Party"
|2016 |
| scope="row" |"Malamente"
| rowspan="4" |2018 |Canada |
| scope="row" |"Let You Be Right"
|Meghan Trainor |Colin Tilley |
| scope="row" |"Pienso en tu mirá"
| rowspan="3" |Rosalía |Canada |
| scope="row" |"Di mi nombre"
|Henry Scholfield |
| scope="row" |"De aquí no sales"
| rowspan="5" |2019 |Diana Kunst |
| scope="row" |"Con altura"
|Rosalía |
| scope="row" |"Aute Cuture"
|Rosalía |Bradley Bell |
| scope="row" |"Look at Her Now" |
| scope="row" |"Wave"
|Meghan Trainor |
| scope="row" |"Physical"
| rowspan="2" |Dua Lipa | rowspan="4" |2020 |Canada |
| scope="row" |"Break My Heart"
|Henry Scholfield |
| scope="row" |"Make You Dance"
|Meghan Trainor |The Reggies |
| scope="row" |"Levitating"
|Dua Lipa |
| scope="row" |"The Motto (Part II)"
| rowspan="3" |2022 |Charm La'Donna |
| scope="row" |"Rich Spirit"
|rowspan="2"| Kendrick Lamar |
| scope="row" | "Count Me Out" |
| scope="row" |"Mother"
|Meghan Trainor | rowspan="2"| 2023 | Charm La'Donna |
| scope="row"| "Dance the Night"
| Dua Lipa |
| scope="row"| "Not Like Us"
|rowspan="2"|Kendrick Lamar |rowspan="2"|2024 |Dave Free |
| scope="row"| "Squabble Up"
|Calmatic |
Discography
= Extended plays (EP) =
- La'Donna (2021)
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
!Awards !Year !Category !Work !Result |
| iHeartRadio Music Awards
|2021 |Favorite Music Video Choreography |{{nom}} |
| rowspan="4" |MTV Video Music Award
|2019 | rowspan="4" |Best Choreography |{{won}} |
| 2020
|{{nom}} |
| 2023
|{{nom}} |
| 2024
|{{won}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://charmladonna.com/}}
- {{IMDb name|nm2582240}}
{{MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:La'Donna, Charm}}
Category:21st-century American dancers
Category:21st-century American rappers
Category:African-American choreographers
Category:American choreographers
Category:African-American female dancers
Category:American hip-hop singers
Category:American music video directors
Category:Dancers from California
Category:Los Angeles County High School for the Arts alumni
Category:MTV Video Music Award winners
Category:Musicians from Compton, California
Category:Rappers from California