Jason Gilkison is an Australian professional ballroom dance champion and choreographer.

Early life

Gilkison was born in Perth, Australia.[when?] He was raised by his single mum, Kay. At age 4, he began dancing at the Perth ballroom dance studio, founded by his grandparents Sam and Ronnie Gilkison, the first of its kind in Australia. Gilkison has lived in Sydney, London, England and Los Angeles, United States. He realised he was gay when he was 16 or 17.

Dance career

At the age of 7 Gilkison was first paired with Peta Roby.[when?] Gilkison formed a professional partnership with Peta Roby in 1980 and were undefeated Australian Latin champions from 1981 to 1997. At age 23, Gilkison and Roby were the ranked pair in Ten-Dance Competition.

In 1990, Gilkison and Roby received the "Young Australian of the Year" Award. In 1991, they became the residing teachers at one of London's most prestigious ballroom schools, where they remained for seven years, training many of the world's leading dancers.

Stage

Gilkison has served as choreographer and director for the ballroom dance stage show Burn the Floor Gilkison's longtime dance partner Roby served as associate producer of the show.[when?] Burn the Floor began touring in 1999 and reached Broadway, Manhattan in 2009.

In 2012, Gilkison choreographed Dancing with the Stars: Live in Las Vegas, a live stage show at the Tropicana in Las Vegas featuring celebrities and dancers from ABC's Dancing with the Stars. The production opened in April 2012 and ran for twelve weeks.

TV and film

In 2008, Gilkison became a contributing choreographer for Australian version of the American reality dance-off series So You Think You Can Dance. Months later he joined the US version. Superstars of Dance, which he co-choreographed with Nakul Dev Mahajan.

As of 2014, Gilkison worked as the director of choreography on BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing.

As choreographer

So You Think You Can Dance

SeasonWeekDancersDance styleMusic
48Courtney Galiano Mark KanemuraViennese Waltz"The Time of My Life"—David Cook
Katee Shean Joshua AllenPaso Doble"Filet" from Le Rêve
9Courtney Galiano Joshua AllenJive"The Dirty Boogie"—The Brian Setzer Orchestra
60Karen Hauer Ashleigh Di Lello Ryan Di LelloSamba"Everything I Can't Have"—Robin Thicke
1Channing Cooke Phillip AttmoreJive"Rockin' Robin"—The Jackson 5
Brandon Dumlao Pauline MataSmooth Waltz"You Light Up My Life"—Whitney Houston
7Kathryn McCormick Ryan Di LelloCha-Cha"Put Your Hands on Me"—Joss Stone
Mollee Gray Jakob KarrViennese Waltz"Ordinary Day"—Vanessa Carlton
8Kathryn McCormick Ryan Di LelloSamba"Magalenha"—Sérgio Mendes
Ellenore Scott Russell FergusonPaso Doble"Village Attack" from Blood Diamond
70Anya Garnis Pasha Kovalev Cristina SantanaSamba"Work" (Freemason remix)—Kelly Rowland
80Iveta Lukosiute Pasha KovalevBallroom Medley"Ven a Bailar (On the Floor)"—Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull
1Miranda Maleski Robert Taylor Jr.Jive"Runaway Baby"—Bruno Mars
Iveta Lukosiute Nick YoungQuickstep"The Ballroom Blitz"—Sweet
6Chelsie Hightower Marko GermarSamba"Cinema Italiano (The Ron Fair Remix)"—Kate Hudson
Melanie Moore Pasha KovalevViennese Waltz"Everybody Hurts"—Tina Arena
90Lindsay Arnold Nick Bloxsom-Carter Witney CarsonBallroom Medley"Dance Again"—Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull
1Amber Jackson Nick Bloxsom-CarterViennese Waltz"Nights in White Satin"—Tina Arena
Lindsay Arnold Cole HoribePaso Doble"Unstoppable"—E.S. Posthumus

So You Think You Can Dance Australia

SeasonWeekDancersDance styleMusic
11Jemma Armstrong Rhys BobridgeWaltz"A New Day Has Come" from Celine Dion
Stephanie Golman Marko PanzicJive"Untouched"—The Veronicas
2Kate Wormald Hilton DenisFoxtrot"2 Hearts"—Kylie Minogue
3Jemma Armstrong Rhys BobridgePaso Doble"O Verona" from the film Romeo + Juliet
Top 16Ballroom"Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)"—Louis Prima
4Henry Byalikov Vanessa Sew HoyAfrican Samba"Lo-Lo Dzama"—Sum Svisti
8Kate Wormald Rhys BobridgeRumba"Message to My Girl"—Split Enz
9Demi Sorono Jack ChambersCha-cha-cha"Mercy"—Duffy
21Talia Fowler Emmanuel RodriguezCha-Cha"Hound Dog"-Smoky Joe's Cafe
2Top 18Rock and Roll/Latin Ballroom"Objection (Tango)"-Shakira
3Amy Campbell Damien SamuelRumba"Stepping Stone"-Duffy
4Penny Higgs Charlie BartleyViennese Waltz"I Have Nothing"-Whitney Houston
6Talia Fowler Charlie BartleyQuickstep"Valerie"-Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse
Penny Higgs Ben VeitchFoxtrot"Rock with You (Frankie Knuckles Remix)"-Michael Jackson
7Top 8Foxtrot"Ain't That A Kick in the Head"-Robbie Williams
8Kat Risteska Charlie BartleyTango"Gotta Get Thru This (Acoustic)"-Daniel Bedingfield
Amy Campbell Ben VeitchPaso Doble"Overture"-Australian Cast of Jesus Christ Superstar
9Ash-Leigh Hunter Damien SamuelFoxtrot"Hurt"-Christina Aguilera
30Jessica Prince Kieran McMahon Matt Geronimi Will CenturionViennese Waltz"Never Tear Us Apart"—INXS
4Robbie Kmetoni Ivy HeeneyPaso Doble"Sweet Disposition"—The Temper Trap
7Nick Geurts Jessie HeskethCha-cha-cha"Istanbul 1:26 am"—Orient Expressions

As judge

In 2014, Jason Gilkison joined the judging panel on the 4th season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia alongside Aaron Cash, Shannon Holtzapffel and Paula Abdul.

See also

External links

  • . Official website.
  • at IMDb