Bonnie Story

Bonnie Story (born March 18, 1959) is an American Dancer and Emmy Award-winning choreographer. Best known for her choreographic works spanning tv, stage and film. Her most iconic and well known being High School Musical, High School Musical 2, and High School Musical 3. Her work has been featured on FOX dance show So You Think You Can Dance.[1] several seasons and she is often collaborating with Gene Kelly’s last protégé, Kenny Ortega.

Career

“Bonnie Story is an Emmy and World Choreography Award-winning choreographer whose work spans film, television, commercials, music videos, and large-scale live events. Best known for choreographing Disney’s High School Musical trilogy, Bonnie’s style blends technical mastery with emotionally resonant storytelling. She has choreographed feature films including Horizon: An American Saga (Kevin Costner), Image of You, Stranger in My Home, The American Mall (MTV), and multiple Hallmark films. Her choreography for music videos—including Pale Ember and Body of Water—has been screened and awarded at international film festivals, including Tribeca. Bonnie has worked extensively in the commercial world with brands like REDKEN, Marriott, Play-Doh, MGM Grand, and Columbus Zoo. Her TV credits include four seasons of So You Think You Can Dance (FOX), Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Show Offs, and Disney Channel’s Muppets segments featuring Ashley Tisdale and Miley Cyrus. Her large-scale live and event choreography includes Cirque du Soleil’s Viva Elvis, Donny and Marie Live in Las Vegas and on tour, multiple REDKEN Symposia across the globe, and halftime shows for the Orange Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and the 2002 Winter Olympics. Bonnie trained at Juilliard and the School of American Ballet, was a Principal Dancer with Ballet West, and has appeared in commercials with Michael J. Fox, Ray Charles, and Shaquille O’Neal. As an educator, she tours nationally with Hollywood Convention, teaching Commercial, Lyrical, and Contemporary dance to the next generation of artists.”[2]

She was previously the Artistic Director of Odyssey Dance Theater [3] and choreographed many pieces for Odyssey She was brought on to Choreograph for the trilogy of High School Musical [[4]] for Gene Kelly’s protégé Kenny Ortega (Director)[4]. After the success of High School Musical she decided to take a break from her work at Odyssey to run various dance programs at The Collective Performing Arts Center within Treehouse Athletic Club located in Draper, Utah where she started a pre-professional company called Expansion, “a program that prepares student dancers for professional or company work.“ [5] (2011-2014) In 2012, Story choreographed international dance scenes for Loving the Silent Tears, a Broadway-style musical, based on Supreme Master Ching Hai's poetry collection, Silent Tears.

She has choreographed for Cirque du Soleil, Hans Zimmer and his Orchestra Band and re-staged and re-choreographed the “Donny and Marie Show” at The Flamingo in Las Vegas. [6]

Story is now touring with Hollywood Connection Dance.[7][8]

In her early career as a Dancer, Bonnie was a ballerina and a principal Dancer for Ballet West.[2] She had been instructed under Carolyn Barnett, Ben Lokey, Teri Port, Sonia Arova, and Thor Sutowski. She attended Ballet West and School of American Ballet. [3]

Personal life

Bonnie grew up watching her sister Ruth Ann’s dance classes at Shirley Dias Dance School where her mom was the pianist. Her parents signed her up when she was five years old.[3]

She has 5 children: Kelli, Bayli, Zach, Tobin, and Easton Baker. Her daughter Kelli Baker was a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance (season 4). She auditioned in Salt Lake City, USA and made it to the second week in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, she was eliminated just before the Top 20 were selected.[9]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Opening and closing ceremonies for The USA Winter Olympics Co-choreographer Worked along side Kenny Ortega[3]
2004 Pixel Perfect Choreographer Disney Channel Original Movie
2006 High School Musical Choreographer Disney Channel Original Movie
2007 American Pastime Choreographer
HSM2: Rehearsal Cam Herself / Choreographer Video documentary Short
HSM2: Anatomy of a Dance Number Herself / Choreographer Video documentary Short
High School Musical 2 Choreographer Disney Channel Original Movie
2008 The American Mall Choreographer TV movie
High School Musical 3: Senior Year Choreographer
Lock and Roll Forever Choreographer
2008-2014 So You Think You Can Dance Herself / Choreographer 4 episodes
2009 HSM3: Prom-The Night of Nights Herself Video documentary Short
2013 The Man Behind The Throne Herself Documentary
Dear Dumb Diary Assistant Choreographer
2013-2015 Rachel & The TreeSchoolers Choreographer / Director 7 episodes
2014 Signing Time! Christmas Choreographer
2016 Saturday's Warrior Choreographer

References

  1. ↑ "Choreography Online". choreography.online. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  2. 1 2 "BONNIE STORY — Bio". Movement Talent Agency.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Bonnie Story Shares Her Story".
  4. 1 2 By : Firriolo (January 21, 2026). "20 Years later, Kenny Ortega reflects on The Moment He Knew High School Musical Would Change Lives". Buzz Feed.
  5. ↑ "Dance: Follow Ballet West on 'Expansion' auditions". The Salt Lake Tribune. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
  6. ↑ "Bonnie Story". Choreography Online.
  7. ↑ Loving the Silent Tears in L.A., Broadwayworld.com; accessed April 19, 2016.
  8. ↑ Loving the Silent Tears website Archived 2012-09-26 at the Wayback Machine, Silenttearsmusical.com; accessed April 19, 2016.
  9. ↑ "#39. A Conversation with Kelli Baker". Retrieved 2022-06-10.


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