Kevin Bago is in demand. A fusion of fashion and dance and music and culture, he’s become one of the most sought-after bodies – and brains - in the business.

From choreographing adverts for the likes of Paco Rabanne and Lacoste to motion directing editorials for Numero and dancing in campaigns for Burberry – their infamous Singing In The Rain video no less – Bago is top of his class.

A late bloomer or an incredibly fast learner and raw natural talent – depending on how you look at it - Bago famously discovered dance at 17. Whilst he may have started with electro, he soon added ballet, contemporary and hip hop to his repertoire, landing paid gigs almost instantly.

Top of our list then, when it came to who should choreograph our Christmas 22 The Party Never Stops campaign. A festive time warp in which dance became the central character, accompanying each of our protagonists home.

We caught up with the choreographer and dancer to talk his dance beginnings, the power of great clothes and what he hopes to be his legacy.

Get to know Kevin Bago.

Dance is a huge part of our ‘Party Never Stops’ campaign. Can you explain how the process worked to define what this would look like?

For this project, I first focused on the given theme, then I went to work on the brands involved. It allowed me to refine and adapt the movement to each identity and what the brands make you feel when you wear them. So, for example for Prada, there is a lot of lines in there, and for me that was really easy to think about this idea of this identity of Prada.

How important are the clothes when choreographing?

For me, the garment is a kind of second skin for the model or talent or dancer… this is a continuity of the movement for me. The garment has a crucial importance in the movement and in the choreographic narrative, it goes along with the movement, and it can make it harder or stronger or more flexible or dreamlike. For example, if it’s a hard leather trench coat, it will not have the same movement as normal trench. So, it has another story, even if the body inside has the same movement. It means something else.

And how do you work with the dancers to ensure they achieve the right moves?

First, I speak with the talents, ask them about their background, their own vision of dance, and then I ask them to improvise and freestyle with music of their choice. From that I can start creating a movement on their own bodies, because each body has its own language and its own way of moving.

How would you describe your style of dance?

My dance style is a mix of several styles. I started with electro dance, then studied ballet, contemporary and hip hop. I use all this vocabulary to express myself, so it has no name, it's just Kevin Bago. Everybody is unique, so my way to move is different, even if we do the same style, even if it’s hip hop or ballet, it’s quite different.

What’s been your own personal journey with dance?

I started dancing quite late when I was 17/18 years old. As mentioned, I started with electro dance then I entered a dance academy where I studied classical dance, modern jazz and contemporary. Actually, I quickly made into the scene.

How did you find picking up ballet, which is so technical, so late in life?

When I started dancing, I started with electro dance, which wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to have more vocabulary in my body. I knew from my curiosity, that ballet is the base foundation that you need to have as a dancer to understand the other styles of dance.

How would you describe your style of dance?

My dance style is a mix of several styles. I started with electro dance, then studied ballet, contemporary and hip hop. I use all this vocabulary to express myself, so it has no name, it's just Kevin Bago. Everybody is unique, so my way to move is different, even if we do the same style, even if it’s hip hop or ballet, it’s quite different.

 What’s been your own personal journey with dance?

I started dancing quite late when I was 17/18 years old. As mentioned, I started with electro dance then I entered a dance academy where I studied classical dance, modern jazz and contemporary. Actually, I quickly made into the scene. 

How did you find picking up ballet, which is so technical, so late in life?

When I started dancing, I started with electro dance, which wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to have more vocabulary in my body. I knew from my curiosity, that ballet is the base foundation that you need to have as a dancer to understand the other styles of dance.

What does dance mean to you? 

Dance is one of the most important things for me. Dance can heal and is a real way of expression for me. What makes dance so special is that it’s constantly evolving, it’s a discipline that cannot be frozen and fixed. 

Dance is one of the most important things for me. Dance can heal and is a real way of expression for me. What makes dance so special is that it’s constantly evolving, it’s a discipline that cannot be frozen and fixed.

What made you want to make it into a career?

What made me want to make a career of dance was at first this feeling of wellbeing I have while dancing. The people I can meet along [the way] with this journey and then the emotions that can be transmitted through dance.

What advice would you have for others who want to pursue it?

My advice would be to be patient with yourself, don’t be discouraged while facing obstacle and keep your goals straight. There are a lot of things that you have to go through to be a choreographer and professional dancer, so my advice would be to keep your goals in mind and never give up. It’s a cliché but it’s true. Never give up, even if there’s some failures, some obstacles, it’s part of the game so we have to deal with it.

You’ve worked on campaigns for the likes of Burberry and Moncler. What do you see as the relationship between fashion and music and dance?

I think they’re all connected. They all need each other. Dance needs fashion. Music needs dance. And it’s a kind of triangle. The words that connect these three worlds is art and creation. I think that art feeds itself from other arts. For me, one cannot go without the other.


What do you hope to be your legacy?

I hope that my journey will inspire people who want to succeed in the dance industry and make them understand that everything is possible. I want to leave behind me creativity and braveness.