Mia Michaels

Mia Michaels Melchiona (known professionally as Mia Michaels; born February 22, 1966) is an American choreographer and judge on the television show So You Think You Can Dance. She has worked with Tom Cruise, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Prince, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. In 2005 she choreographed Cirque du Soleil's world tour Delirium and Celine Dion's A New Day..., for which she received an Emmy Award nomination. In 2007 she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for her routine on "Calling You" during season two of So You Think You Can Dance. She won another Emmy Award during season five in 2010. She was a judge during season 7 with Adam Shankman and Nigel Lythgoe. She choreographed the dance sequence for "Get Happy" in the episode "Bombshells" of the television series House.

Early life Mia Michaels was born in Coconut Grove, Florida on February 22, 1966, to a family of dancers. Her father, Joe Michaels, taught her jazz, tap, and ballet from the age of three at the Miami Dance Center. Her sister, Dana Michaels, taught her contemporary dance. Her brother Joe Melchiona owned and taught dance at Heidi & Joe's Dance Center in Miami Florida. While growing up, she attended summer sessions at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan and at Jacob's Pillow in Becket, Massachusetts.

Michaels is a judge and contributing choreographer for the FOX television show So You Think You Can Dance (abbreviated SYTYCD). Michaels later revealed she left the show to participate as a choreographer for the Canadian and Australian versions of SYTYCD. In addition, Michaels shared she was moving forward on several other projects, including her own choreography show, participating in a documentary/reality show, working on a clothing line, and working on a book deal. Michaels did choreograph a routine for So You Think You Can Dance Canada's second season finale on October 25; the theme of the piece evoked her choice to depart the franchise. During rehearsal in Toronto, she injured her back and could not be present for the live performance.

Since June 2006, Michaels has been a columnist for Movmnt magazine.

In 2010, Bravo announced a television program focusing on Michaels.

Included in her concert and stage work is the dance company RAW (Reality at Work). She is the founder, artistic director, and choreographer since the beginning in 1997.

Michaels was one of many choreographers set to pay tribute to Michael Jackson at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Michaels was to join Wade Robson, Tyce Diorio, Laurie Ann Gibson, Brian Friedman, and other dancer-choreographers in performing with Janet Jackson for her rendition of the song "Scream", but sustained an injury during rehearsals and was unable to perform on the show.

Michaels has been on the faculty of schools including the Harid Conservatory, the Ailey School of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Broadway Dance Center in New York City, and her alma mater, the New World School of the Arts. Her choreography has been enlisted for the Miami City Ballet, Joffrey II, the Kirov Academy, and the Jazz Theater of Amsterdam.

When So You Think You Can Dance returned for its ninth season, Michaels returned to the show and choreographed the Top 20 group performance.

In 2012, Michaels choreographed for the film Rock of Ages. In 2015, she provided the choreography for the Broadway musical Finding Neverland. In 2016, she choreographed the New York Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes. In 2019, it was announced that Michaels would provide choreography for the 2020 animated film The SpongeBob Movie: It's a Wonderful Sponge.

So You Think You Can Dance

LVW=Las Vegas Week MT20=Meet Top 20

So You Think You Can Dance Canada

Awards and honors