Excelling in every creative avenue that he explores, CRIS JUDD is now not only known as one of the elite dancers/choreographers that this country has produced, but has also garnered attention as a music video director, actor, host, song writer, music producer and his most recent accomplishments, show creator and executive producer.
Currently, CRIS has been offered an exciting opportunity which brings him back to his first days in the Entertainment business, as he is currently choreographing the Here Come The Boys project. This project is special to him, as it is reuniting the original Chippendales dancers for a 3 month tour in the UK, and being an original Chippendales dancer himself, he is honored to have been asked to be a part of this project!
While working on the Here Come The Boys project, CRIS is giving back to the community, currently touring with the Broadway Dance Studio's Pulse On Tour with famed choreographers Mia Michaels, Wade Robson, Brian Friedman, Dave Scott, Tyce Diorio, Shane Sparks, and Laurie Ann Gibson, teaching dance intensive workshops to young kids across the country. During this tour, Cris was inspired to create a television show that would recognize amateur choreographers across the country, just as So You Think You Can Dance recognizes amateur dancers. CRIS collaborated with actor/dancer Taye Diggs and CRIS is proud to announce that he sold his first show to ABC Studios that, not only did he create, but he will also be an executive producer and will proudly be seen on screen as a mentor.
His one-of-a-kind personality and soft spoken demeanor made him the perfect Hip Hop Judge on this year's finale of MTV's Made and the favorite celebrity judge on Lifetime Television's reality series Your Mama Don't Dance. CRIS also hosted the hit television series Dirty Dancing for the WE Network (premiering during the 20th Anniversary re-release of the film by the same name) and was the host and choreographer for the pilot Bust A Move for MTV.
CRIS' art of expression doesn't stop there, as he has been offered opportunities to lend his acting talents to the big and small screens, as well as on stage. On the big screen, he landed roles in the independent films Goyband and The Outside which are soon to be released, while Five Up, Two Down and Be My Baby are making the rounds. CRIS also performed in and choreographed the dance sequences in the hit film, Bringing Down the House, starring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah and worked closely with Nicole Kidman during her performance in the feature film The Human Stain. He also plays the leading role in the short film La Noir which is currently on the film festival tour, where it has won several awards. On the small screen, CRIS began by winning the $250,000 prize, which he donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, on ABC's highly rated show I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, which garnered CRIS his first impressive and growing number of admiring fans, as he was voted the winner by the viewers by a landslide. Also adding to his list of credits are guest-starring roles on Nickelodeon's Unfabulous and UPN's Half and Half and Eve and had a starring role in the Off-Broadway, Victoria Theatre production of Dracula.
CRIS' dance career began after college, when he landed a job as a dancer at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. As his passion for dance grew, so did his popularity as not only a dancer, but a choreographer as well, which soon landed him a contract with Disney's Pleasure Island and then was chosen as one of the original Chippendales dancers, where he was afforded the opportunity to tour the world.
With CRIS' fame on the rise, his creative and performing skills were brought to the attention of MTV and Michael Jackson. His appearance with the entertainer at the 1995 MTV Video Awards led to his becoming one of the lead dancers on Michael Jackson's Dangerous and History world tours, where he performed with the music icon in front of some of the biggest concert crowds in history at the height of Michael Jackson's career.
CRIS' dance career quickly exploded. He performed at the Billboard Music Awards with Celine Dion, the MTV Music Awards with N'SYNC, the American Music Awards with Enrique Iglesias and Brian McKnight, and at the 69th Annual Academy Awards for Best Song nominee "That Thing You Do." Other performances include Usher's video for the song "My Way," The Brian Setzer Orchestra video for "Jump, Jive, & Wail," the video for Angie Martinez' song "If I Could Go," and can be seen in 5 different videos in Julio Iglesias' "Tango" documentary.
Shortly thereafter, his innovative and diverse choreographic aptitude was recognized by many top artists and hired by the following: Jordan Knight, for whom he choreographed several dance numbers, Perry Farrell with whom he worked on the Jane's Addiction's 2001 Festival dates with, and Jennifer Lopez, for who he choreographed videos for the songs "Ain't It Funny" and "I'm Real," directed the music video "Ain't It Funny-Remix" with Ja Rule and was the creative director and choreographer on her NBC Network TV Concert Special "Let's Get Loud" following the tragedies of 9-11. CRIS' diverse, inspired and unique works have been recognized by the acclaimed director/choreographer Kenny Ortega, thus offering CRIS the opportunity to have assisted him.
It is obvious that CRIS' talents run deep. His love of music and songwriting brought him to compose his first track "Alive" that can be found on the Enough soundtrack, which also went on to be a hit on the music charts as well. Other artists that he is musically tied to include: Think, Steve Carlson, Angelica Bridges, Kropp Circle, and the Vegas show Fantasy in which he is not only the music producer, but also the choreographer and director.
CRIS' talent is coupled with his good looks and adoring personality as he was selected as one of People Magazine's '25 Hottest Bachelors' and InTouch Magazine's 20 Hottest Hunks.
CRIS' start in life was a humble one. He was born in Abilene, Texas, the son of an enlisted, non-commissioned Air Force officer, where he spent his early years growing up on Air Force bases in the Philippines and Hawaii and eventually landed in Florida, where he spent the majority of his childhood. CRIS saw the lights of many cities, but finally chose the place he loves the most to make his home, Los Angeles. LA is not only where he lives and does the majority of his work, but he believes it provides the inspiration needed for his choreography, music, songwriting, acting and his artistic endeavors. CRIS is not done. Look for CRIS' clothing line, which will be on the market later this year.