#157 Matt Cady. Madonna. FannyPak. Katie Perry.

Matt Cady is an extremely creative, versatile, and dynamic choreographer and artistic instigator. Madonna said of his movement: “It’s pristine.. wonderful staging.” Adi Salant, Co-Artistic Director of Batsheva Dance Company, remarked: “His movement is very smart.”

An young introverted Matt started expressing himself in Sign Language freshman year of high school, which blossomed his interest in theater and ultimately modern dance. In college, Matt double majored in Deaf Studies and Dance, dropping out after two years to pursue an apprenticeship at Millennium Dance Complex, needing to enrich himself in the ever changing culture of the commercial LA dance scene.

After being offered his own class at Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio, Matt’s professional choreographic career took off with the success of his company Fanny Pak on MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew. This is where he met supervising choreographers Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo, whom gave him his first taste at choreographing for a touring show with ABDC Live.

Matt went on to contribute choreography under Chonique Sneed and Lisette Bustamante for Ricky Martin’s World Tour and Britney Spears’ Femme Fatal Tour, which is where he first met tour director Jamie King, whom he would work under years later on Madonna’s tours.

Meanwhile, Fanny Pak’s success catapulted being the only dance company to ever win a MTV Video Music Award. They were enlisted for several music videos, Yelle’s “Que Vuex Tu/Safari Disco Club,” Lil Mama’s “Truly In Love,” Patrica Kazadi’s “Go Crazy,” and soulful icon Toni Braxton’s “You Make My Heart.” The movie Honey 2 was Fanny Pak’s cinematic debut, directed by Billy Woodruff. Off screen, Fanny Pak was commissioned for corporate events and collaborations with Canon Electronics, toy makers Hasbro, TeenVogue, MetroPark Clothing, and the hugely popular dairy company, WhiteWave.

Continuing in the cinematic world, Pepsi sponsored a short film through USC which Matt choreographed called “Beth Hooper and the Super Awesome Dance Battle.”

Matt’s most favorite of his collaborations are with colleague Megan Lawson, whose initial teamwork was scoped by Madonna herself off of a youtube video. Together, they choreographed multiple numbers for her most recent tours MDNA and Rebel Heart, including the tension filled blood bath Gangbang, and “..broadway worthy..” opening number Iconic.

Most recently Matt and Meg were commissioned to create dance works for Ariana Grande’s Dangerous Woman Tour, Ricky Martin’s All In Vegas Residency, brotherly duo Mak + Val’s (from Dancing With the Stars) touring show Our Way, and Katy Perry’s “Bon Appetite” music video.

Matt’s ability to materialize an intention and translate his movement across such a spectrum has made him a sought after collaborator and dance instructor, having worked on several American and international dance conventions as well as in studio workshops.