Jeff was born in
Spokane, Washington, and credits his mothers love of music and the fact that she danced while she was pregnant with him for his love of dance. As a kid he says he never sat still - he always danced. He remembers when he was a kid that there was always music on in their house whether it was the radio or his mom playing music and the whole family would dance. Jeff says he was always the first one who danced at the school dances. He would just go at it on the dance floor and people would form a circle around him and watch. He thought this was normal. Then when he won a statewide talent competition by dancing, a teacher asked him to come to her studio to develop his talent and he went. He says as soon as he took that first class, he knew it was his destiny. From that day on all he wanted to do was move out of his hometown and dance every style of dance there was from
ballet and
Broadway to film and television. When he started dancing at age 14, he was only taking tap and jazz but later he began ballet which by age 16 was his focus. Jeff credits two of his teachers,
Terry Grizzell and
Peggy Goodner Tan, for his successful career. He says they taught him 10 years of ballet technique in the three years he studied with them and danced in their company,
The Spokane Ballet. And he also gives them credit for being so patient with him even though, in his words, he was "full of potential and not much else." After completing his training, Jeff made a successful transition into the world of professional dancing and choreographing. He created the role of Slave Master in the original
Los Angeles cast of
"The Phantom of the Opera" starring
Michael Crawford, had the honor of doing pre-production work and working with the legendary choreographer
Michael Kidd on the
Academy Awards, worked with famed
"Chicago" film choreographer and director
Rob Marshall on
Cinderella with
Brandy and
Whitney Houston, was in the original workshop for
Jerome Robbins Broadway, toured the US with the
Joffrey Ballet Concert Group for three years and was a soloist with the
Chamber Ballet USA in
New York City directed by
Finis Jhung. Jeff also partnered with
Paula Abdul in her
"Blowing Kisses in the Wind" video, danced with
Gloria Estefan on the
American Music Awards, appeared on
The Tracy Ullman Show three times, in the films
"Leonard Part 6" with
Bill Cosby, "
Back to the Future II," and
"I’ll Do Anything" choreographed by
Twyla Tharp. His television work includes being featured on
Dancin’ to the Hits and
Coach, television specials
The 100th Anniversary Salute for the Statue of Liberty and the
All Star Salute Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King at the Kennedy Center as well as appearing as Eddie the chocolate bear on the
Teddy Grahams Cereal commercials. Jeff was an assistant choreographer for the original
London production of
"Saturday Night Fever" and the
Houston Opera’s production of
"Pagliacci". His credits as a choreographer include the productions of
"Golden Boy," "The Rink" and
"Shock" in
Tokyo, Japan,
Bette Midler’s 2000 concert in
New York City,
Fashion Rocks Broadway,
The Elan Awards honoring
Susan Stroman, multiple productions of
Broadway Bares,
Grease for the esteemed
Paper Mill Playhouse, and the daytime dramas
Guiding Light and
All My Children. The first episode he choreographed for
All My Children had six dream sequences involving dance and won the
Daytime Emmy Award for Best Direction. Jeff is most proud of the show he conceived, choreographed and directed,
A Few Good Men Dancing, which enjoyed three sold out shows at the
New Victory Theater on
Broadway, two sold out tours of the US and a sold out tour of the
Netherlands. He has won numerous choreographic awards and received a
Lifetime Achievement Award from
Dancers Responding to AIDS for the enormous contributions his shows and choreographic ventures have made to their organization. In addition to his work in dance, Jeff also bred and raised an
American Quarter Horse,
Brooklyn Bar Beggar, which finished 8
th Placed in Junior
Pole Bending at the 2005
American Quarter Horse Associations World Championship Show and won $10,000 in
Barrel Racing. Jeff is an incredibly gifted dancer, choreographer and educator and we are very excited that he has joined the Tremaine dance family.
