Lesbian Actors Who Choreographed Their Own Dance Sequences

It’s common for actors to have skills beyond acting, and many express themselves through dance. While big productions usually have choreographers, some actors prefer to create or significantly contribute to their own movement for roles. This gives them more control over how their characters physically express themselves, adding authenticity. Here’s a look at lesbian and queer actors who have designed or heavily influenced the dance sequences in their projects.

JoJo Siwa

This performer first became well-known through reality TV, and quickly developed a strong brand based on her unique style and energetic dancing. She creates all her own choreography for social media and concerts, ensuring she has complete artistic control. Her music videos feature a blend of jazz and hip-hop dance styles that she personally arranges to fit her music. Now, she’s expanded into acting, bringing her self-choreographed routines to bigger projects and TV shows.

Alyson Stoner

Initially gaining recognition as a young dancer in music videos, Stoner has become a versatile artist who often creates her own choreography. She’s independently produced dance projects and videos, handling all the choreography herself and demonstrating her range from hip-hop to modern dance. This skill extends to her acting work, where she can perform challenging dance sequences without needing a stunt double or a lot of guidance. She’s also openly queer and uses her public voice to explore how movement connects with personal identity.

Kate McKinnon

This comedian gained popularity on ‘Saturday Night Live’ for her hilarious physical comedy and unexpected dance breaks within sketches. She’s especially known for creating unique, quirky dance moves – like the ones she improvised for her role in the ‘Ghostbusters’ reboot, where she preferred to move freely instead of following a set routine. Her knack for spontaneous movement really brought her characters to life, especially when playing well-known figures like Ellen DeGeneres or Hillary Clinton. McKinnon has explained that she likes to let a character’s personality guide her physical performance, rather than sticking to planned choreography.

Aubrey Plaza

In the TV show ‘Legion’, Aubrey Plaza delivered a striking dance scene that was mostly made up on the spot, set to a Nina Simone song. While she collaborated with the director on the overall feeling, Plaza herself created the unpredictable and frantic movements. This performance brilliantly turned her character into a frightening but fascinating villain, demonstrating how she can use dance to tell a story. Plaza frequently uses this kind of spontaneous movement in her acting to build unsettling or dreamlike scenes.

Kristen Stewart

While filming the Rolling Stones’ ‘Ride ‘Em On Down’ music video, actress Kristen Stewart created a dance sequence on the spot at a gas station. Driving a classic Mustang, she performed raw, energetic movements that fit the song’s rock and roll vibe. The director gave her creative freedom to move how she felt the music, and the resulting performance was praised for its authenticity. This style of improvisational movement is also a feature of her independent films, where she frequently uses physical expression to convey inner turmoil.

Hayley Kiyoko

Kiyoko is a musician and director who takes complete creative control of her work, often appearing in and directing her own music videos. A trained dancer, she designs the choreography herself, combining popular dance styles with storytelling. This allows her to express the emotions of her songs through movement and performance. She’s become an important artist in queer pop, notably portraying lesbian relationships in her visually-driven videos.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga frequently works with professional choreographers on her large-scale tours, but she’s also known for creating unique and unconventional movement for her performance art and acting. For example, in ‘American Horror Story: Hotel,’ she drew on her dance background to develop the powerful and predatory way The Countess moved. She’s said her time performing in clubs in New York City’s Lower East Side taught her how to confidently control a stage through self-created movement, and this deliberate physicality consistently shines through in her acting, often making it hard to distinguish between acting and dance.

Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe is known for her distinctive stage presence, including self-created, energetic dance moves like her quick footwork. This physical control and movement aren’t just performance skills; they’re deeply connected to the characters she develops in her music and films, as seen in movies like ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’. She often directs the choreography for her ambitious concept albums and films, essentially being the lead creative force behind it. Her style is a unique combination of the high-energy performance style of James Brown and a precise, robotic aesthetic, a blend she’s perfected through years of live shows.

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus is famous for constantly changing her style and taking control of her artistic vision. In recent years, she’s directed her own stage performances and music videos, even creating the provocative dance moves that made headlines during her ‘Bangerz’ period – essentially crafting the image she wanted to project. When acting, she brings a natural, rebellious energy to her roles, often choosing to move in a raw, punk-influenced way instead of following typical pop choreography. This spontaneous and unique movement has become a signature part of her performances, both on stage and on television.

Ariana DeBose

Ariana DeBose is a highly skilled dancer, trained in the Broadway tradition, and familiar with iconic choreography. However, she’s also a creative choreographer herself, developing routines for her own cabaret shows and independent projects. When filming movies, she frequently collaborates with choreographers, offering suggestions to tailor the movement to her character’s feelings. Early in her career, she independently produced and starred in dance projects, creating all the choreography herself. Her deep knowledge of dance technique even helps her refine her physical performance in non-dance roles, allowing her to self-direct and enhance her acting through movement.

Julianne Hough

Before becoming a film actress in movies like ‘Safe Haven’, Julianne Hough was a successful choreographer for television, creating award-winning dance routines. She’s also choreographed her own concert tours and parts of films, combining the exactness of ballroom dance with the needs of acting. Being able to create dances from the beginning has helped her land roles that demand strong physical performance. Hough is openly queer and uses her choreography to investigate different styles of partnered dance and self-expression.

Cynthia Erivo

Cynthia Erivo is an incredibly dynamic performer known for crafting the complete physical presence of her characters, including how they move during songs. She often directs her own performances and choreography, drawing on her fitness background and innate musicality. For roles like Harriet Tubman, she undergoes intense physical training, independently managing the process to convincingly portray the character’s strength. Though she isn’t always officially listed as a choreographer, Erivo has complete and independent control over her physical performance.

FKA Twigs

FKA Twigs began her career as a dancer for other artists, but she’s now a successful solo musician and actress known for carefully planning all of her own choreography. Her dancing incorporates styles like vogueing and pole work, which she skillfully combines into intricate performances for her music videos and films. She’s appeared in movies like ‘Honey Boy’ and ‘The Crow’, bringing a unique awareness of how the body moves to her acting. Every gesture she makes on screen is intentional and designed to express a particular feeling or create a specific look.

Kiersey Clemons

Clemons brings both musicality and physical expressiveness to her roles, as seen in films like ‘Hearts Beat Loud’ where she shaped how her character moved. She’s also known for creating spontaneous, fitting movement in music videos, responding to the feel of the indie-pop music. Unlike many actors, she typically develops this physical style on her own, without a movement coach. This independent approach helps make her characters feel authentic and natural.

Amandla Stenberg

Amandla Stenberg, in her role in ‘The Hate U Give’, brought a natural ease to her character, even improvising dance moves to feel more authentic. This reflects her broader artistic practice, where she often directs the visual aspects of her music projects, experimenting with expressive and flowing dance. Stenberg’s performances are strongly rooted in physical expression, and she carefully shapes her body language to create distinct differences between how her characters present themselves publicly and privately. She has discussed using movement as a way to express herself freely and find liberation through her art.

Cara Delevingne

As a film lover, I’ve always been fascinated by actors who truly inhabit their roles, and Cara Delevingne is a great example. Coming from a modeling background, she brings this incredible physical presence to everything she does. It’s not just about looking the part, though – she’s actively involved in shaping her performances, even coordinating stunts like in ‘Valerian.’ What really stands out is her willingness to improvise movement and dance, not just in films, but even in promotional stuff and fashion films. She clearly feels comfortable and confident in her body, and that allows her to essentially choreograph her own energy and presence, especially in those really dynamic scenes. It’s a cool thing to watch – she’s not just in the movie, she’s shaping how she moves within it.

Ruby Rose

Rose started her career performing as a video jockey and host, often using spontaneous dance and movement to engage audiences. While she works with stunt professionals on action projects, she typically defines how her characters move and carry themselves. She even wrote, directed, and starred in a short film called ‘Break Free,’ where she created the choreography for a key transformation scene. Her experience as a DJ has given her a natural sense of timing and rhythm, which she uses to create authentic movement in her performances.

Ellen DeGeneres

For almost twenty years, Ellen DeGeneres began each episode of her talk show with a spontaneous dance she created in the moment. These daily performances became her trademark, and she constantly had to come up with new moves to different songs. She also uses this playful, self-created physical comedy in her stand-up and acting, helping to make her jokes even funnier. She believes this freedom of movement is a major reason she connects with people.

Sara Ramirez

Sara Ramirez, a Tony Award winner known for ‘Spamalot’, is a highly experienced performer with a strong understanding of physical acting. She’s famous for a memorable scene on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ where her character, Callie Torres, danced in her underwear, using movement to express a sense of liberation. Ramirez often incorporates her theatrical background into concert performances, creating and directing her own choreography. This allows her to powerfully convey both strength and vulnerability through her movement on stage.

Stephanie Beatriz

Beatriz, famous for her work on ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’, started her career in theater, where she trained as a dancer. She brings this background to her acting, often adding improvised physical comedy and dance to her roles, even when playing serious characters. In the movie ‘In the Heights’, she performed challenging choreography and also added her own unique movement style to the group dance numbers. She frequently shares her own dance creations on social media, demonstrating her range as a performer.

Indya Moore

I was completely captivated by Dominique Moore in ‘Pose’. What truly struck me was how she brought her own life experience from the ballroom scene to her role – it made everything feel so incredibly real. She clearly understands runway and vogueing inside and out, and she wasn’t afraid to guide the direction of her movements on set. Having a background in performance art, she could create these amazing sequences that weren’t just modeling or dancing, but something entirely new. It was through her incredible physical control that she showed the strength and grace of who she is as a trans woman – it was truly inspiring to watch.

Dominique Jackson

Dominique Jackson brought years of experience and authenticity to her role in ‘Pose,’ drawing on her celebrated history in the ballroom scene where she was known for creating unique and impactful performances. She personally choreographed her runway walks for the show, making sure they perfectly matched each category’s requirements. Her acting and signature movement style are deeply connected, and she uses this to captivate viewers. Jackson continues to share her talent with live audiences through performances and choreography.

Hailie Sahar

Sahar portrayed a key figure in ‘Pose,’ using dance and movement to showcase her character’s strength and influence. She developed the character’s unique physical style based on her personal experiences, often creating dances on the spot during elaborate ball scenes. This improvisation brought a sense of realism and vibrancy to the entire cast. Beyond acting, Sahar also creates music and directs the choreography for her visual projects.

Hunter Schafer

Before becoming known for ‘Euphoria’, Hunter Schafer worked as a high-fashion model, learning to control her body for photoshoots. She used this skill when playing Jules, often creating the character’s graceful, flowing movements on the spot during fantasy scenes. Schafer also helped write and produce a special episode, allowing her to directly influence how scenes were physically staged and how the actors moved. Her acting focuses on natural, spontaneous movement instead of being strictly directed.

Barbie Ferreira

Like many of her ‘Euphoria’ co-stars, Ferreira began her career in modeling, which gives her a natural ease and awareness of her body on screen. She’s also created video content featuring improvised dance and movement, demonstrating a fun and self-assured style. This background translates to her acting, where she often adds her own physical comedy and carefully crafted movements. Ferreira intentionally uses her physicality to redefine typical body image standards seen in media, actively shaping how she appears on camera.

Lily Tomlin

Lily Tomlin is a comedy legend known for creating memorable characters like Edith Ann and Ernestine, complete with their own unique ways of moving and dancing – all developed by Tomlin herself. During her time on ‘Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,’ she often performed quirky, self-choreographed dances that added to the humor. Even in her one-person shows, she expertly uses movement and staging to create the illusion of multiple characters on stage. She still relies on this physical comedy and self-direction in her work today.

Jane Lynch

Jane Lynch is known for her work in improv-heavy sketch comedy and mockumentaries. While she famously performed a memorable dance to “Vogue” on ‘Glee’, she creates all the choreography for her own touring shows, focusing on comedic dances. She’s developed a unique physical comedy style – a deliberately stiff and commanding way of moving – which she uses to establish her characters and often to create a sense of power or even intimidation.

Wanda Sykes

Joanne Sykes is a physical comedian, famous for using precise movements and acting out scenes on stage. In movies, she often adds spontaneous dances or funny physical reactions that really stand out. She carefully controls the rhythm and timing of all her movements, as she writes and performs everything herself. She sees her physical comedy as a natural part of how she creates her material.

Rosie O’Donnell

Rosie O’Donnell began her career as a comedian and successfully moved into movies and stage performances, consistently using her physical presence to make people laugh. She was known for incorporating dance into her talk show, often creating opening numbers or playful routines with guests. Even in films like ‘A League of Their Own,’ she’d add improvised dance moves to scenes to make them feel more authentic and bring her characters to life. Her theater training helps her learn choreography easily, but she always puts her own unique spin on it.

Sandra Bernhard

Bernhard’s performances are a carefully crafted mix of speaking, singing, and physical movement. She uses her body to emphasize her often humorous and critical observations, creating a distinctive style of movement that doesn’t fit neatly into any established category. This same unpredictable energy carries over into her acting, where she moves in ways that can be both unsettling and fascinating. She’s a leading figure in one-person shows, taking complete creative control of every element of the performance.

Lea DeLaria

DeLaria, a jazz musician and comedian, brings a natural rhythm and energy to everything she does, including her movement on stage and screen. On ‘Orange Is the New Black,’ she created the character of Big Boo using her physical presence, often adding spontaneous, dance-inspired motions to lighter scenes. Whether on Broadway or in cabaret shows she directs, DeLaria controls her movement and how she interacts with musicians. Her physical style is a deliberate part of both her butch identity and her performance style.

Raven-Symoné

Raven-Symoné’s childhood in the entertainment industry gave her a talent for physical comedy and dance, which she showcased in ‘That’s So Raven’. She was actively involved in creating the show’s funny moments and dances, even choreographing disguises and musical numbers. As a singer, she also helped design the dance routines for her concerts and music videos, making sure they were both fun and appropriate for her audience. Today, she continues to oversee the visual and physical elements of her work as a director and producer.

Da Brat

Da Brat, a pioneering female rapper who achieved platinum status early in her career, has always controlled how she performs and moves on stage. She’s successfully transitioned into acting, appearing in shows like ‘Empire,’ and uses her hip-hop roots to inform her character’s physical performance. She creates her own unique movement style, incorporating distinct hand gestures and body language that sync with her rapping. This physicality is a key part of who she is as an artist, and she brings it to everything she does, including her acting roles.

Queen Latifah

As a film fan, I’ve always been impressed by Queen Latifah’s versatility. She started out with a real hands-on approach, choreographing her own early music videos. While she tackled some seriously demanding dance routines in films like ‘Chicago’ and ‘Hairspray,’ it’s her comedic roles where she really shines – she often comes up with the dance moves on the spot! She just has this incredible natural rhythm that makes her perfect for leading musical numbers and creating these spontaneous, joyful moments. Plus, having her own production company gives her the power to really shape how she’s presented on screen, which is fantastic.

Margaret Cho

I’ve been following Cho’s work for a while now, and what consistently impresses me is her incredible control and creativity. Her burlesque isn’t just about the tease; it’s a fully realized performance where she choreographs these really intricate, daring routines for herself. She seamlessly blends dance, striptease, and comedy, but it’s the way she uses movement to really push boundaries – to challenge how we think about bodies and sexuality – that’s truly captivating. And that boldness doesn’t stop at the stage. As an actress, she brings that same physicality, often using movement in unexpected ways to subvert what you expect. It’s clear she believes deeply in the power of performance as a form of political expression, and honestly, it’s inspiring to watch.

Hannah Gadsby

Hannah Gadsby’s special ‘Nanette’ completely reimagined stand-up comedy. She didn’t just tell jokes; she used her body and movement to create and release tension, almost like a carefully planned dance. Gadsby intentionally controlled how the audience felt by precisely staging her movements, and used stillness and bursts of energy to enhance the story she was telling. For her, physical performance wasn’t separate from the words – it was a crucial part of the story itself.

Tig Notaro

Maria Bamford is famous for her dry, understated delivery, but she also cleverly uses physical comedy. She’s known for unexpected moments, like deliberately and slowly moving objects around on stage. This isn’t random, though – it’s a way to break up the typical flow of a comedy routine. In movies and TV, she often adds small, awkward physical details to her characters, making them more unique. Every movement she makes is intentional, carefully chosen to emphasize her dry wit.

Fortune Feimster

Feimster often adds dance and physical comedy to her stand-up, frequently ending with an improvised dance. She even created a character called the “Ice Cream Dance” with a unique set of moves. When acting, she prefers to do her own stunts and physical comedy, bringing a lot of energy to her performances. She uses dance to connect with audiences and make them feel comfortable with her humor.

Samira Wiley

Yvonne Wiley’s acting in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ powerfully communicated her character’s inner strength and defiance, often without relying on words. She skillfully used physical expression – movements she developed herself – to reveal what her character was feeling. This focus on physical storytelling comes from her background in theater, where she helped create movement-based performances and choreography. Using her body to tell a story is a central part of how she approaches acting.

Rutina Wesley

Wesley is a skilled actor, trained at Juilliard, with a solid foundation in dance. She uses her movement expertise to fully embody her characters, as seen in shows like ‘True Blood’ and ‘Queen Sugar,’ where she brings a natural, graceful quality to their physicality. She even showcased her talent in the dance film ‘How She Move,’ mastering challenging step routines and adding her own unique style. Wesley consistently focuses on how a character moves and occupies space to create a compelling performance.

Devery Jacobs

Jacobs brings a strong and believable physical presence to her acting, especially in ‘Reservation Dogs,’ where she often uses quiet stillness to make a point. In independent films, she creates movement on the spot to express a connection to nature or explore spiritual ideas. She also directs some of her own work, allowing her to fully control how actors move and position themselves. Her acting focuses on natural, carefully chosen movements.

Paulina Alexis

Alexis is known for creating popular videos on social media, often through dancing and lip-syncing, where she shows off her great sense of rhythm and humor. While acting in ‘Reservation Dogs,’ she came up with many of her character’s unique movements and dance steps, which helped make Willie Jack a beloved character. She uses dance to honor her Native American culture and to add moments of lightness to more serious situations. Her free-spirited dancing style lets her captivate audiences and bring a lot of energy to every scene.

Eliane Umuhire

Umuhire, a Rwandan actress trained in physical theater, creates her own unique movements for each role. She powerfully conveys her characters’ emotional journeys – their pain and strength – primarily through physical expression, often without spoken words. In the film ‘Augure,’ she contributed to developing a distinctive style of movement that matched the film’s fantastical atmosphere. Umuhire sees acting as a physically demanding art form and actively shapes the choreography of her performances.

Adèle Haenel

Adèle Haenel’s physical performance was a key element of ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire,’ especially in the memorable bonfire scene. She worked closely with the director to develop a unique way of moving for her character, almost like creating a dance. Haenel is known for a strong, energetic acting style where she appears completely in control of her body. More recently, she’s shifted her focus from acting to political activism, and continues to use her physical presence powerfully through protest work.

Evan Rachel Wood

As a total film buff, I’ve always been fascinated by actors who truly become their characters, and Tilda Wood is a master of that. She’s not just an actress, though – she’s a performer, even fronting a band called Evan + Zane where she gets to really play with movement and connect with the audience. You might recognize her from musicals like ‘Across the Universe’ where she danced, but what I find even more compelling is how meticulously she crafts the physical details of her dramatic roles. She’s talked about how crucial body language is to defining a character, and she often starts building a role from the outside in – thinking about how someone moves before diving into their inner life. And her live performances? They’re amazing because she gets complete creative control, choreographing her own emotional expression through dance. It’s a really holistic approach to acting that I really admire.

Halsey

Halsey is an artist who works with both visuals and performance. She directs the choreography for her films and concerts, and often brings her unique physical style to acting roles. While she collaborates with choreographers on the dance routines in her music videos, she always has final creative control. Halsey sees painting and movement as equally important ways to share her inner thoughts and feelings.

St. Vincent

St. Vincent, also known as Annie Clark, carefully planned the robotic and perfectly timed movements for both her ‘Masseduction’ tour and related films. She also starred in ‘The Nowhere Inn’, a unique movie where she created the unusual, artificial world of her on-screen character. Her distinct style of movement – precise, sharp, and intentional – mirrors the way she writes her music. She views her body as an integral part of the overall artistic presentation, controlling it with the same care and detail she gives to set design.

Carrie Brownstein

Carrie Brownstein, known for her work in Sleater-Kinney and as the co-creator of ‘Portlandia’, frequently uses physical comedy. She created the funny, often clumsy movements and interactions for her characters on ‘Portlandia’, essentially directing the humor through physical action. This translates to her guitar playing, where she’s developed a dynamic and energetic stage presence over years of touring. She brings that same energy to her acting, often portraying characters who are always moving or seem unable to stay still.

Miranda July

July is an artist who works with performance and film, focusing on physical expression and how people move. In films like ‘Me and You and Everyone We Know’, she creates unusual and personal interactions between characters. Her live performances often get the audience involved, with specifically designed movements and activities. She explores how close people get to each other through dance and physical touch, and she creates all the movement herself.

Share your favorite dance moment from these actors in the comments.

2025-12-13 18:27