Jawkeen Howard has a long list of accomplishments when it comes to the world of dance and choreography. As a dancer, he’s performed in Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson ONE and in Cirque’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour. As a choreographer, he’s worked with stars including Britney Spears, Demi Lovato and Jill Scott; most recently he helped choreograph the half-time show for the 2022 Pro Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. Howard is also the resident choreographer for AREA15 and choreographed its adults-only show Rated Red.
How did you get involved with doing the choreography for Rated Red?
I spoke with Kim (Beneville), Winston (Fisher) and Hope (Bellueme) with AREA15. I was currently choreographing for their RuPaul’s Drag Race season 13 viewing party, (which) was at AREA15, that they hosted; and I was choreographing for Elliott with 2 T’s. They saw my work with that and they had an idea to create a new-style burlesque show, and asked if I would be interested in choreographing the show and being on the creative team for AREA15.
What styles of dance did you focus on for the show?
As far as the dancing, I thought it would be nice to bring something different from your normal Las Vegas revue shows, burlesque shows as far as style-wise. I wanted to tap into more of the street jazz, jazz funk and commercial dance. I wanted to draw inspiration from the older generation, too, like Bob Fosse and Fred Astaire, and also bring back 80’s jazz like Paula Abdul.
Most revues are either all-female or all-male casts—what was the reason behind featuring both sexes in Rated Red?
We wanted to tap into something that was for all audiences. If a man came, they could see beautiful women; if a woman came, she could see beautiful men. I think Vegas was missing that as far as preference—we needed something for all audiences. That’s why the show is male and female, all shapes and all sizes and even different races.
Do you think the show is pushing the envelope with having different body types, different displays of love and sex, different dance styles?
We are definitely pushing the envelope. AREA15 always pushes the envelope—they want to be different than any other immersive experience or any show that is out there in Las Vegas.
What are your favorite vignettes in the show?
We should talk about our singer in the show and that particular number. Sophia Monica, the singer—I get a lot of great feedback on her. How she is vocally, the striptease she does, her dancing. I think she’s a triple threat, and that is one of my favorite numbers. The Rated Red band—the sound is amazing how they play that number. We did our own rendition of “Seven Nation Army” with the live singer and the live band. And the number “Rockstar,” because it’s the women-empowerment number with four badass women of all races hitting the choreography with so much confidence. And the pole number because Sarah Johnston brings sexy athleticism, control, strength and dynamic musicality to the pole.
Where do you draw your inspiration from as far as the music and dancing and putting it together?
I listen to a lot of music. It comes from the lyrics. My day-to-day plans. My relationship with my new husband, Dylin Lujan, he inspires me a lot—my marriage and my love life and how happy I have been. My family inspires me, too. I just put all that in my work.
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