| Charm La'Donna | |||||||
| Birth Name: | Charmaine Jordan | ||||||
| Birth Date: | 14 May 1988 | ||||||
| Birth Place: | Compton, California, U.S. | ||||||
| Education: | Los Angeles County High School for the Arts | ||||||
| Alma Mater: | University of California, Los Angeles (BA) | ||||||
| Years Active: | 2006–present | ||||||
| Module: |
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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.[1]
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.[2] 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.[3] 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).
During her senior year at LACSHA, La'Donna was hired by singer Madonna as a backup dancer for her Confessions Tour.[4] 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.[5] 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.[6] La'Donna continued to gain recognition by choreographing music videos and live performances for singers Rosalía, Selena Gomez, Dua Lipa and Meghan Trainor.[7] [8] 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.[9] 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.[10]
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".[11] Her debut extended play, La'Donna, was released on April 9, 2021.[12] [13]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Sparkle | Sparkle's Backup Singer #2 | Credited as Charmaine Jordan | [14] | |
| 2019 | There Once Was a Woman | Chickadee | [15] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Barbie in A Mermaid Tale | Choreographer | Credited as Charmaine Jordan; also motion capture dancer | [16] |
| 2013 | CeeLo Green is Loberace | Choreographer | Credited as Charmaine Jordan; also creative director | [17] |
| 2015 | The Wiz Live! | Ensemble | Credited as Charmaine Jordan; also assistant choreographer | [18] |
| 2016 | Dance Camp | Assistant choreographer | Credited as Charmaine Jordan | [19] |
| The Oscars | Television special | [20] | ||
| 2019 | Generations | Choreographer | Episode: "Flamenco" | |
| 2020 | Television special | [21] | ||
| 2021 | The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show | [22] | ||
| 2022 | The Oscars | [23] |
| Title | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| "Westside" | 2020 | Charm La'Donna Emil Nava |
| "Queen" | 2021 | |
| "Palm Trees" |
| Title | Artist(s) | Year | Director | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "All About That Bass" | Meghan Trainor | 2014 | Fatima Robinson | |
| "Slumber Party" | Britney Spears Tinashe | 2016 | Colin Tilley | |
| "Malamente" | Rosalía | 2018 | Canada | |
| "Let You Be Right" | Meghan Trainor | Colin Tilley | ||
| "Pienso en tu mirá" | Rosalía | Canada | ||
| "Di mi nombre" | Henry Scholfield | |||
| "De aquí no sales" | 2019 | Diana Kunst Mau Morgó | ||
| "Con altura" | Rosalía J Balvin El Guincho | Director X | ||
| "Aute Cuture" | Rosalía | Bradley Bell Pablo Jones-Soler | ||
| "Look at Her Now" | Selena Gomez | Sophie Muller | ||
| "Wave" | Meghan Trainor Mike Sabath | Mathew Cullen | ||
| "Physical" | Dua Lipa | 2020 | Canada | |
| "Break My Heart" | Henry Scholfield | |||
| "Make You Dance" | Meghan Trainor | The Reggies | ||
| "Levitating" | Dua Lipa DaBaby | Warren Fu | ||
| "The Motto (Part II)" | Tiësto Ava Max | 2022 | Charm La'Donna | |
| "Rich Spirit" | Kendrick Lamar | Calmatic | ||
| "Count Me Out" | Dave Free Kendrick Lamar | |||
| "Mother" | Meghan Trainor | 2023 | Charm La'Donna | |
| "Dance the Night" | Dua Lipa | Greta Gerwig | ||
| "Not Like Us" | Kendrick Lamar | 2024 | Dave Free Kendrick Lamar |