YG Bounce interview with Shaun Evaristo

Shaun Evaristo really doesn’t need an introduction at this point, but for any YG fans who have been living in a cave for the past year, Shaun is the genius behind the choreographies for Fire, Breathe and Heartbreaker, and also created the choreographies for Where U At and Wedding Dress with Lyle Beniga. You can read more about Shaun and his current projects on his personal website.

On top of having some serious talent, Shaun was nice enough to answer a few questions for YG Bounce despite his busy schedule. We hope you’ll enjoy learning a bit more about him and his work with YG Family. [And as a fellow curry fan, I have to mention that the restaurant recommendations were greatly appreciated - thanks, man!]

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We hear that you were planning to rest for a while and regain some creativity/energy. Are you still working on anything at the moment?

well in since the year started i haven’t been resting, i’ve just been doing stuff for myself. creating videos, thinking about my next steps, enjoying my apartment, and developing as an artist. i feel like the time for myself is soon running out though, a little bit of travel in feb to spain, and a lot in march. i plan to let april, may, and june be for me again.

How do you stay in shape? How many hours per week would you say you spend dancing?

i try to work out everyday. if not lifting then taking classes or some cardio, i actually was very opposite about a year and a half ago. i didn’t really care too much about my health, it wasn’t until YB and master wong (his trainer) that made me decide to completely change. i like bruce lee and manny paquiao a lot, i see dancers as athletes, and if i don’t train like them then how can i really be serious about what i do. and well i take what i do really seriously….even though it’s a lot of fun. dancers use their physical bodies everyday, it’s important for us to stay fit, train hard and eat right.

How do you prepare before a concert/big performance? Are there any little rituals you always do?

i usually can’t sleep the night before. if i do sleep well then something’s wrong. there are always things to think about before a live show, MV, tour, etc. i feel like people are counting on me to be the go-to guy when things go wrong. and when i’m the dancer as well there’s even more to think about.

It’s not uncommon for dancers to climb up the ladder and become singers or rappers (YG Entertainment’s very own Sean is one example). Is that something you’ve ever considered?

i wish i could sing, lol then i definitely would have tried to become an artist. but i can’t….haha and so dancing and creating is what i’ll stick to.

Was it hard for you to adapt to Korean culture and people, in comparison to other countries you’ve worked in?

BB was the first artists that i traveled overseas for. and usually i only travel to other countries for a few days, or a week at the most. so when i went to korea for my first time, i stayed for a full month. it was huge for me to do that by myself. scary actually. nowadays i can pretty much get myself around, esp. in the hong-dae area. lol, but before, i was scared to leave the hotel room. the streets were confusing, there was so many people, i didn’t know what to eat! but now, korea feels like a second home whenever i go. it’s easy for me to adapt over there and i always have a good time.

Do you like Korean pop music? What are some of your favorites?

yes! i think koreans love to sing and dance, and i think that’s dope because Filipinos do too! as far as my favorites….i think i’m biased. i really enjoy a lot of YG’s artists. their sound isn’t too far from what i enjoy listening to, and i get variety from each of them. i feel blessed to have worked with artists that i really like….YB, GD, se7en, BB, 2ne1. as far as other artists…..i really like BOA. it would be great to do something for her someday.

You’ve already talked about Big Bang’s English skills, so let’s turn the tables: Have they taught you any Korean?

yea, plenty! do i remember it all….that’s another question. haha but i know how to say hello and bye, i know how to say i’m hungry and full, haha i know how to ask for rice at a restaurant, and in the studio i know enough korean to get by while we practice.

Have you had the occasion to hang out with some of YG Entertainment’s older artists and producers? What was it like?

yea! teddy is awesome. probably the first guy within the label to really make me feel welcomed. everyone else was quiet. i’m inspired by him whenever i see him. i guess i relate to him the most, behind the scenes most of the time, working hard to make sure everything comes out the way he wants it, critical, and then some. i believe this guy is so talented! sometimes he’ll have a beat that he gives to me, and then i’ll come up with a part of the dance, and then we’ll end up going back and forth to make the same product look and sound great. those moments are always exciting for me.

If you’ve worked with YG Entertainment’s choreographer (Jae Wook), we’d love to hear how that went. Was the language barrier ever an issue when working with him or with other foreign dancers?

language is always a barrier for us, but we get through it and work together great. me and jae completely understand each other though. it’s like we see the same mistakes at the same time, it’s just he says them in korean. what’s great is going back and forth with him as well, if i’m focusing on formations, he’s worrying about cleaning, if he’s doing staging, i’m making up the next section. not only do i see him as a good resident choreographer, but i see him as a friend. good guy and i always enjoy his company, jae is the homie!! if only i knew enough to korean to have more conversation.

Which singers or fellow choreographers would you like to work with, if you had the chance?

as far as american artists….i would say all of the good ones. justin timberlake, I’m too short to dance for him but i would love to choreograph one of his songs or something for his tour. marty kudelka is his choreographer and i’ve always admired his work. usher, i was a fan since i was younger so i think it would be dope to work with him too. his choreographer is AJ, and that dude can get down! i would love to even dance for him, i think it would be fun. there’s sooo many!

ok as far as new choreographers, right now there are a lot that i really love. i suggest after reading this you go and look them up and become fans of them too. because i am.

jillian meyers, lyle beniga, jaffar smith, misha gabriel, damian gomez, pat cruz, jeka kalotkin, the list goes on!

You mentioned being too short – I did notice that you usually dance for YB but never for G-Dragon, even though you choreographed a few of his songs. Does it depend on the style each artist is going for, or is it just a standard thing in the industry to have about the same build as the artist you’re dancing for?

every artist is different. some are picky some aren’t, GD needed a different look and so we went with that. the total package…..fashion, sound, style, swagger, etc. GD’s performance needs to match his style and energy, so for him… everything is a factor. as for YB, me and lyle dancing for him was a good look, we 3 were on the same page and went for it. lyle and my style mesh pretty well so whatever us 3 wanted is what came out. as you know YB loves to dance, and isn’t about being flashy, at least in my opinion. he’s about what he likes and what he wants to put out. just real with it, and i respect that.

Just going by your blog entries, you seem to be a bit of a foodie, so: Tell us where to go for awesome food if we hit your hometown. How about Seoul?

well in the bay area, i would say you have to hit NOODLE THEORY! my favorite by far, a really chill spot and there’s so many things to try. if you are in the bay right now, you need to go and you need to tell people about this place. haha

in LA, hmmm. i really like woodranch. it’s woodfired/grilled food. and all the sides are amazing. haha if you go, get the tri tip. lol. or if you’re looking for a more kick back vibe, peep aroma cafe in north hollywood.

now for korea….ok the best thing i ever ate is in korea.lol there’s 2 places, and i probably could eat there all the time. sanchome curry and del mundo. oh man, just thinking about it, if you’re just trying to get your eat on, then go to the first one. but if you’re looking for something a little different go to del mundo. overall that’s my spot! it’s curry as well but they offer other things. i’ve never ordered anything else there though….haha anyway. i should stop thinking about it, makes me sad i can’t have it now. jk

To finish up, can you recommend a couple of good songs to dance to? Old favorites or just whatever’s been inspiring you lately.

i would say alicia keys’ new album, ryan leslie, and drake. i enjoy what they do and it makes me feel good when i hear their music. lately i’ve been also listening to a lot of old skool stuff. late 90′s music and a lot of house stuff as well.

i guess that’s it, i hope you enjoyed and got something out of it. couple links if people wanna get to know more:

youtube.com/shaunevaristo (subscribe)
twitter.com/shaunevaristo
shaunevaristo@mac.com

for event booking:
movementlifestyle@me.com