,” he and his creative team had one goal: to make it so interesting, engaging and funny that people wouldn’t want to skip it.Choreographer Charissa Barton recalls that the catchy ear worm “Do Ya Wanna Taste It” by Wig Wam was in the script and early drafts, and to prep the dance moves she listened to it on repeat. Gunn’s suggestion to her was, “think of the 1960s and 1970s variety shows for inspiration.
She kept in mind that she would be working with non-dancers and her ensemble would feature the show’s cast: John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Chukwudi Iwuji and Robert Patrick, as well as recurring actors like Elizabeth Ludlow, who plays Adebayo’s wife. Barton says, “I found what felt right, accessible and attainable. It started in my body. I shot moves and sent James footage with the song over the top.
Barton’s next step was to do some research online, looking into who had movement training or any previous dance work. She says, “I saw that Danielle Brooks was an excellent mover. I thought, ‘Yes, she can move.’ I learned Jen Holland was a former gymnast, and so I got this sense of what the different levels could be.”