With the world still catching its collective breath following Beyonce‘s epic Coachella performance, so too are the team of dancers she drafted in for the desert spectacle.
Jacques Bell, a Jamaican native who currently resides in Atlanta, was one of said talents recruited for the most talked about showcase of the year.
A professional dancer, choreographer, musician, and creative director, he performed alongside Queen Bey as a percussionist/member of her troop of dancers.
We caught up with him for a quick chat about the experience. Find out what he had to say below….
How did you get involved working with Beyoncé on the Coachella show?
I was initially contacted by Don Roberts, CEO of Drumline Live Entertainment. He explained that there was an opportunity to perform with a major artist. At that time not much information could be given about the artist nor the actual project. However, he thought that I would be a great fit because of my unique background in both dance and music. I have worked with Don on many other projects including the stage production ‘Drumline Live,’ ‘Drumline 2: A New Beat,’ and the BET series ‘The Quad’ to name a few. In this case, It was a leap of faith but something told me it would be worth it.
What was Beyonce’s work ethic like and how did that impact your role?
Well I think it’s no secret that Beyonce’s work ethic is unparalleled. She has spoken many times about how hard she works to make sure everything is done right. This project was no different. When you’re working in that type of environment, the desire to give 110% is inevitable. It just makes you want to always be on top of your game, knowing that you’re a part of something so powerful.
What is something you could tell us about the process that may surprise some people?
As we all know, there were probably 150 people on that stage giving it their all to make this project come to life. However, it might be shocking to know that (despite mass) we all became a really close knit family. It was always a fun, positive, and friendly work environment. It’s actually hard to call it work when you’re literally having that much fun. I feel like I gained 150 new brothers and sisters… B?K family (laughs).
What was your favourite part of the show itself?
This one is easy….THE WHOLE THING!!! This performance was so necessary and fitting during today’s social and political climate. The show brought a profound sense of awareness to be apart of African-American culture that far too few of us are even aware of. I think we all needed this.
Reflecting on the process, what’s the one thing you’re taking away from working with Beyonce?
I think this process just reinforced the idea that hard work does pay off and that we should always believe in ourselves. It is important that we just never give up on the things that make us happy. This has been a goal of mine for almost 2 decades, and to see it manifest is a dream come true.
Finally, there’s a lot of talk about Beyonce being on-par or having surpassed Michael Jackson after the Coachella performance. What’s your take on that?
This is a pretty loaded question (laughs). But, I think it’s important to recognize how amazing both of these artists have been. It’s interesting that many of us don’t seem to think this conversation should even occur because of the legacy that Michael Jackson has left. However, to those people, I will say this. Go to a live Beyonce concert and you will see how relevant this discussion is. She is truly a living legend.