“The category is: dance or die.” And so begins Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra” music video, a gloriously chaotic, beautifully anarchic visual accompaniment to her new single from her album Mayhem (out March 7) that premiered in partnership with Mastercard during a Grammy Awards commercial break.
Co-directed by Gaga along with Parris Goebel, and choreographed by Goebel, the video centers, obviously, around dance and movement. But to fully appreciate the choreography, it’s crucial to understand the song, which in Gaga’s words, is about “the magic of the night — your friends, the people you find when you’re out, the people who keep you going. We wanted to bring back the mistress of mayhem and have me face her, like an inner demon struggle.”
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Translated into movement, that meant a thoroughly captivating, nearly hypnotic 44-person dance battle between two sides: dark and light, bad and good, Mistress Gaga and Virgin Gaga.
And on a much deeper, more profound level, so much of the video is about fighting for your spot, about persevering through trials and tribulations, which reflects Gaga’s own tenacity and the way in which she approaches her craft: with sophistication, with dignity, and with a whole lot of hard work. “The older you get as an artist…your beauty, or your looks, or your fashion, that one thing is not going to be what people remember you for,” she says. “To me, the only way I earn my position is to earn it.”
Watch behind-the-scenes footage of the making of “Abracadabra” (above) — all of which wouldn’t be possible without Mastercard. The brand collaborated with Gaga and Goebel to celebrate and reward fans with once-in-a-lifetime Priceless Experiences by inviting them to recreate “Abracadabra” dance moves for the chance to attend Lady Gaga's Club Mayhem dance party and be featured in the "Abracadabra" (Fan Version) music video, and in doing so, inspire them to follow their passions.
“Lady Gaga shares Mastercard’s passion for music and commitment to innovation and creating unforgettable fan experiences. Together with Lady Gaga and Parris, we have propelled a movement through the power of dance and music,” says Rustom Dastoor, EVP of Marketing and Communications for the Americas, Mastercard. “It’s been remarkable to see people recreate the choreography in their own way, and we’re honored to offer fans with once-in-a-lifetime Priceless Experiences that bring them even closer to the music and artist they love in ways only Mastercard can.”
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Keep reading to learn more about the choreography from Goebel herself below.
What inspired the choreography for “Abracadabra” and what did you want the video to convey?
"So many things, including the multiple personalities that live in Gaga's world, where she is now as an artist and as a woman, and all the different sides of her that we've seen throughout her career. We tried to bring those all together and create these two sides within her that constantly battle each other and put that onto the dance floor.. We created this world of dance where you have to fight for your spot and what that means as humans being — and as women — in a competitive world. We’re always being compared to each other, to ourselves, and to what we've done. I think she wanted to show the world where she is now, and I feel like she’s stronger than ever.”
"So many things, including the multiple personalities that live in Gaga's world, where she is now as an artist and as a woman, and all the different sides of her that we've seen throughout her career. We tried to bring those all together and create these two sides within her that constantly battle each other and put that onto the dance floor.. We created this world of dance where you have to fight for your spot and what that means as humans being — and as women — in a competitive world. We’re always being compared to each other, to ourselves, and to what we've done. I think she wanted to show the world where she is now, and I feel like she’s stronger than ever.”
As co-directors, what was that collaboration like between you and Lady Gaga when it came to the choreography?
“It was amazing. Gaga gave me the space to really have my hands in everything, even the creative direction, and it was such a dream. She really trusts me. As an artist myself, that’s when I can do my best work: when I have no limits to the creative process. Choreography is one thing, but also having a say on how it's shot is another, and I think that really translated in the video through the camera angles and movement.”
“It was amazing. Gaga gave me the space to really have my hands in everything, even the creative direction, and it was such a dream. She really trusts me. As an artist myself, that’s when I can do my best work: when I have no limits to the creative process. Choreography is one thing, but also having a say on how it's shot is another, and I think that really translated in the video through the camera angles and movement.”
What would you think was the most challenging part about the choreography?
“Nothing was overly challenging choreography-wise, but I do think trying to shoot so many dance sequences in a certain amount of time was probably the biggest challenge. You obviously just want to shoot so much of every section, while keeping in mind that we have a million sections to shoot.”
“Nothing was overly challenging choreography-wise, but I do think trying to shoot so many dance sequences in a certain amount of time was probably the biggest challenge. You obviously just want to shoot so much of every section, while keeping in mind that we have a million sections to shoot.”
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Compared to your other jobs that you've choreographed, what made this one different?
“What made this project really special was Gaga trusting me and giving me the room to do whatever I wanted. Also, her investing so much into the dance community and elevating them through her music video is really unique. When we were shooting, we knew we didn't want to cut away too much — we wanted to focus on the art of the dance, which is really rare in music videos. [Usually in music videos], even if you choreograph a whole section, you're only going to probably see 30% of it because you're cutting in and out of it. But you can really see the choreography in this video; it's all about the dance and that was really important to the both of us.”
“What made this project really special was Gaga trusting me and giving me the room to do whatever I wanted. Also, her investing so much into the dance community and elevating them through her music video is really unique. When we were shooting, we knew we didn't want to cut away too much — we wanted to focus on the art of the dance, which is really rare in music videos. [Usually in music videos], even if you choreograph a whole section, you're only going to probably see 30% of it because you're cutting in and out of it. But you can really see the choreography in this video; it's all about the dance and that was really important to the both of us.”
What was it like partnering with Mastercard? How are they bringing their fans, and Gaga fans, and your fans closer to music, dance, and their own passions?
“It's been incredible. I’m proud to work with a brand that’s celebrating the dance community. I don't think I've ever seen an opportunity like this for the fans. Mastercard is giving them a chance to be right in the room with us, creating a fan version of the music video, which is truly a priceless experience. It will really be a dream come true for a lot of her fans and it’s giving back to her community in a way both she and I have dreamed of doing. For Mastercard to connect people to their passions in this way is really special for the both of us. I can’t wait to see it come to life.”
“It's been incredible. I’m proud to work with a brand that’s celebrating the dance community. I don't think I've ever seen an opportunity like this for the fans. Mastercard is giving them a chance to be right in the room with us, creating a fan version of the music video, which is truly a priceless experience. It will really be a dream come true for a lot of her fans and it’s giving back to her community in a way both she and I have dreamed of doing. For Mastercard to connect people to their passions in this way is really special for the both of us. I can’t wait to see it come to life.”
Do you think the dance competition ran by Mastercard could open doors for a new choreographer in the industry?
“It could open doors for anyone, really! That's the fun part of the competition: We inspired people to follow their passions and rewarding them for doing what they love. Sometimes you just need that one door to open to meet someone that could change your life. I know that happened for me at a young age.”
“It could open doors for anyone, really! That's the fun part of the competition: We inspired people to follow their passions and rewarding them for doing what they love. Sometimes you just need that one door to open to meet someone that could change your life. I know that happened for me at a young age.”
What inspiration do you want to leave people following their dreams? Anything you would want to tell anybody who would like to follow in your footsteps?
“Life is too short to be doing something you don't want to do. Really value your time on Earth and chase after that dream, no matter what it takes. Honestly, if I didn't get my big break at 19, I would still be trying to do this and posting my work until someone scouted me. This is the only thing I want to do. Having that as your goal — to do what you love to do, no matter what the circumstances — then the right doors will open, and the opportunities will come eventually. You never know when, but I think staying on that path and walking within your purpose allows the universe to do what it does. Things will happen eventually if you don't give up.”
“Life is too short to be doing something you don't want to do. Really value your time on Earth and chase after that dream, no matter what it takes. Honestly, if I didn't get my big break at 19, I would still be trying to do this and posting my work until someone scouted me. This is the only thing I want to do. Having that as your goal — to do what you love to do, no matter what the circumstances — then the right doors will open, and the opportunities will come eventually. You never know when, but I think staying on that path and walking within your purpose allows the universe to do what it does. Things will happen eventually if you don't give up.”
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT