Fatima Robinson

Fatima Robinson has choreographed everything from the Black Eyed Peas' recent world tour to performances in the award-winning film “Dreamgirls.” In her Guest DJ set, she talks about the music that inspired her to dance as a youngster and how that musical history influences stage shows across the world. Fatima also gives us a behind the scenes view of artists she’s worked with, like Michael Jackson’s particular way of counting beats to Sade’s effortless sensuality.

/www.fatimarobinson.com

Tracklist

1) Rock With You (Single Version) - Michael Jackson

2) Can You Feel It - The Jacksons

3) Love Is Stronger Than Pride - Sade

4) Children's Story - Slick Rick

5) Rock The Boat - Aaliyah

Transcript

FR: The first song that I brought for you is Michael Jackson's "Rock With You". Because, I have to say, “Off The Wall” was the first time I saw an album and I was completely amazed by everything on the album -- the artwork, every song on the album. I can remember it playing in our apartment and I just remember staring at Michael and watching every music video intensely. And "Rock With You" was the song that kind of stayed with me.

FR: I always danced to Michael Jackson. I grew up with two younger sisters all over Los Angeles and my sisters and I would make up dance routines whenever my Mom would have guests over. I mean, there were moments of “Dreamgirls” where I felt like I was standing with my two sisters, making up a routine. It was really, really weird.

MS: Also, you got a chance to work with Michael on the "Remember The Time" video.

FR: I was 21 when I did that video, so it really set the precedent for my work ethic, in being around someone who was such a perfectionist and so great at the time. It was good.

MS: How was he really like in person? You got to work with him -- was he really just a normal person -- was he sweet or could you tell there was this kind of disconnection?

FR: No, he was really just a normal person, I mean, he listened to music in a different way. As a choreographer, you're so used to counting for an artist and Michael didn't like to count at all; he liked for you to kind of repeat the rhythm of a song. So, in a normal setting, I would count ‘Okay, here we go - 5-6-7-8 and 1-2-3-4,’ whereas Michael, he would like you to go, ‘Uhn-Ah-Uhn-Ah, Uhn-Ah-Uhn-Ah,’ and so you would dance to the rhythm of the song as opposed to counts because it made you feel the song more.

MS: Wow.

Song: Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You”

MS: That was Michael Jackson "Rock With You." This is Mathieu Schreyer and I'm here with Fatima Robinson. What is your next song?

FR: I don't mean to drill the Jacksons into everybody's head, but it has to be the Jackson 5, "Can You Feel It."

MS: Really?

FR: Yeah.

MS: And there was a big difference between the Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson?

FR: Well, I remember going to a concert for the first time, and I was going to Jackson 5. And now that I've put together concerts that are on that big of a scale…as a kid I remember the excitement of laying out my clothes a week before the concert, like sleeping on my bed and the clothes would still be on the side, you know? I remember getting dressed for the concert, I remember everything that I wore, to this day. And so I look around at kids at the concerts I do now, and I'm like ‘they probably do the same thing,’ and it's so crazy.

Song: Jackson 5’s “Can You Feel It”

MS: That was the Jackson 5, "Can You Feel It." This is Mathieu Schreyer and I am sitting here with Fatima Robinson. What's next in your crate?

FR: I'm going to go for Sade, "Love Is Stronger Than Pride." My mom listened to Sade a lot when I was growing up, so she was always in the house. Once I started looking at her videos… it was just so sensual and sexy, without trying. It wasn't contrived in any way.

MS: I know you worked with her, so how was it to work with her?

FR: She was probably the only artist I've ever worked with where I go ‘wow, I wish I could move like her.’ Instead of making them move like me.

Song: Sade’s “Love is Stronger Than Pride”

MS: Because all her songs are sexy and pretty much similar, why that song in particular? Does that song have a meaning?

FR: Love is stronger than pride -- I think that, as a kid, I didn't realize what that meant really. Later on, as an adult, I started to fall in love with men and have a few heartbreaks and things like that. I think that definitely, as a woman, you reach a point where you're in a relationship and I just remember being heartbroken and then listening to that song and going ‘wow, I know exactly what that means now,’ you know? So it was one of those things -- like I enjoyed the song as a teenager, but once I became an adult, it really resonated. I just…you know, you feel her pain in a way and you can tell that she's lived these stories that she's telling. They're from her heart.

MS: That was Sade "Love Is Stronger Than Pride." This is Mathieu Schreyer and I'm sitting here with Fatima Robinson. What's next?

FR: Next, I have Slick Rick's "Children's Story" because I remember listening to this song over and over and over and just really enjoying the storytelling behind his rap.

Song: Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story”

MS: That was Slick Rick "Children's Story" and this is Mathieu Schreyer. I am here with Fatima Robinson. What is your last song?

FR: My last song is going to be from my favorite artist that I've ever worked with, and it is Aaliyah - "Rock The Boat."

MS: Hmmm

FR: Yeah, this is a song that was Aaliyah's last music video that we all did together. And I remember her mother not really liking the song because of the subject matter. It was just -- it was a song that she loved and she felt like she was growing up and getting older and, you know, it was time for Mom to kinda cut the apron strings in a way, so it was like one of those. But we would always play this song. We loved the song. The video was a great experience and just working with Aaliyah was a wonderful experience.

Song: Aaliyah’s “Rock the Boat”

MS: And this was "Rock The Boat" from Aaliyah and I'm Mathieu Schreyer, here with Fatima Robinson. For a complete track listing and to find these songs online, go to kcrw.com/guestdjproject. Thank you very much.

FR: Thank you.