You may or may not know who Compton, California native Dave Scott is, but if you have seen the movies You Got Served or Stomp The Yard then you have seen his moves.

 

As a self-taught dancer, Dave Scott has worked his magic on the big screen and television. He has also choreographed many music videos and stage performances for the likes of Ginuwine, Tyrese, Brian McKnight, Bow Wow, Immature and B2K.

 

Back with the new movie Step Up 2 The Streets, Dave is steadily developing new shows for TV and more movies. We talked with him about the ins and outs of a choreographer’s career, the challenges he faced in mixing step and dance styles for Stomp The Yard and his views on Hip-Hop dance crazes .

 

AllHipHop.com: What was it like growing up [in Compton]?

 

Dave Scott: It had its complications, but like any other difficult situation, it makes you stronger.

 

AllHipHop.com: How did you get involved in dancing?

 

Dave Scott: I grew up in the breakdancing era, with the movies Breakin and Beat Street. Dancing was my hobby and a way to have fun - hanging out with my boys, we developed crews. It was a chance to be creative and put little things together. We would hit spots like The Palladium and battle crew versus crew.

 

AllHipHop.com: Were you a pretty good breakdancer?

 

Dave Scott: [laughs] I was a better breakdancer back then. I still have a couple of moves that grew out of that forte’.

 

AllHipHop.com: When did dancing become a career for you, instead of a fun hobby?

 

Dave Scott: It was while I was in school out in Utah. I was approached by someone while at a club dancing. They were a part of a tour for a rapper and they had lost one of their dancers. They asked if I wanted to replace that dancer’s role for the tour.

 

I agreed, but I was also second-guessing myself. Although I had a passion for it, I never thought that I could make a career out of it - because I wasn’t exposed to that world. At that point, everything I had known about it was from what I saw on TV. However, I agreed to go on tour and I just went from there.

 

AllHipHop.com: Did you ever receive formal training through a dancing school?

 

Dave Scott: No. I am self taught.

 

AllHipHop.com: Really? No dance academies?

 

Dave Scott: None. I learned by watching. I was watching videos and mimicking them. I would then come up with my own styles by doing moves that I thought should have been in those videos.

 

AllHipHop.com: Do you recommend school for would-be dancers?

 

Dave Scott: As far as being a professional dancer, it all depends on what kind of dancing that you want to do. If you want to do more of Broadway and things of that nature, then I would highly recommend it. But I don’t recommend school as far as college is concerned, to be a professional dancer.

 

There are a lot of different avenues available today than there were years ago. There are work-shops and dance classes available to help develop your skills. That is one thing that I have done along the years to enhance my skills. Those things help your own style and technique to be more advanced.

 

AllHipHop.com: Aside from that tour you mentioned earlier, what was your big break in the industry?  

 

Dave Scott: It was when I started dancing for Ginuwine. That tour with him was a very big one with Bone Thugs N Harmony, Aaliyah and Mary J. Blige. Each act had their own dancers, and I started developing relationships. I started choreographing for Immature and then later on I developed B2K.

 

AllHipHop.com: Out of your many clients, which has been your favorite to work with?

 

Dave Scott: My favorite one to work with? I would say B2K. I started from scratch with them. It’s a different feeling to see somebody come from nothing to something - and to peak as high as they did.

 

AllHipHop.com: On the flip side, which client has been the most challenging or difficult for you to work with?

 

Dave Scott: [laughs] There have been a few of them. As far as “difficulty” goes, I would say the actors. When I did Stomp The Yard everybody was talented, but I did have a couple of people in there that had a dancing background but [gives a failing whistle]. It wasn’t what they thought it was going to be.

 

AllHipHop.com: I can respect that. I know that you don’t want to put anybody on blast, but I had to try at least.

 

Dave Scott: [laughs] Yeah.

 

AllHipHop.com: You did the choreography for Stomp The Yard and You Got Served. Which experience did you enjoy the most?

 

Dave Scott: Both of them had the equal level of enjoyment. Stomp The Yard was a life-changing experience because I was in Atlanta for four months and I wasn’t home. It was a different kind of thing because stepping is aggressive too, as well as Hip-Hop. I had to add the two elements together.

It was a challenge and it had to be something different from You Got Served. You Got Served was first, so I had the excitement factor of having something to prove. Plus I got to bring Hip-Hop to the forefront in a big way. So both movies had their different levels of excitement.

 

AllHipHop.com: Did you have a stepping background? Or was that something that you had to learn yourself for the movie?

 

Dave Scott: I did not have a stepping background, although I was familiar with it from college. I could step a little bit - but don’t tell Screen Gems that. [laughs] They thought I was a professional. I am now though! When I got the call - I did all of my research and put myself on that level. I had to prove myself to my own self.

 

AllHipHop.com: How difficult was the jump from choreographing videos to full-scale movies?

 

Dave Scott: I love a challenge. When I do a video, I always have way more than a video can hold. So to do a movie, I get the chance to go for broke. Instead of doing 30 minutes, I have two hours. There were moments that I had blocks. I was like, “What am I going to do next?”

 

AllHipHop.com: How did you get passed those creative blocks?

 

Dave Scott: By sleeping, [laughs] I just needed to get away from it for a moment. Sometimes you need to step away and appreciate what you’ve done already. I am the biggest critic of my own work, so I always think that something is horrible. I had to step away once everything had started to look the same to me. I would also step away by getting out and going to the clubs.

 

AllHipHop.com: Dancing changes so much over the years. How do you stay on top of it all?

 

Dave Scott: I like to keep my ears to the streets and see what’s new or what’s coming out. I also like to be innovative and different from everybody else. A lot of times I go outside of the box,  leave the stuff that everybody else is doing alone and come up with my own thing.

 

AllHipHop.com: Since you are the pro, what is your opinion on some of these “rap dances” coming out these days?

 

Dave Scott: Everything repeats itself. Back in the day you used to have The Robocop or The Running Man and so forth. You had names for these dances and rap songs to go along with them - and people jump on the bandwagon. The dances that they do for these songs are simple little dances - they’re cool - they’re cute. If they want to get down on some choreography, then let them Pop or Boogaloo. You know? Stuff like that.

 

AllHipHop.com: You are also working on your own projects. Tell us about them.

 

Dave Scott: I have a pilot that was done for Nickelodeon called Dance Throw Down. Also I have another movie that we are starting production on real soon. I can’t release any information on that yet. I am also working on a couple of more TV show projects. When everything hits the trades, I will be able to talk about all of that some more.

 

AllHipHop.com: You also have instructional DVD’s out?

 

Dave Scott: Yes sir. I have a series of instructional DVD’s coming out. I am going to show you stuff that you can do in the clubs and stuff that you can do for routines. I also have one that you can use just for fitness and staying in shape. These will be different volumes.

I am also going to throw some bonus footage of stepping moves. This will be for those looking to just have fun and those that want to take dancing seriously. I will have all of the upcoming postings on my website: www.theofficialdavescott.com

 

AllHipHop.com: Is there anything that you would like to leave us with?

 

Dave Scott: Yes. I want all of the fellas to take their girls out for Valentine’s to see the new film Step Up 2 The Streets.

 

AllHipHop.com: Ah yes. I saw the commercial for that the other day.

 

Dave Scott: That’s coming out on February 14. It’s phenomenal and something way different. I think it will be appreciated.