Rihanna could count on the Quebec talents to shine during the Super Bowl halftime show. The singer worked closely with assistant choreographer Gab Robert and dancers James Dhaïti and Ada Ba on this long-awaited performance.
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“I’ve been pinching myself every day since November,” Gab Robert said on the phone from Los Angeles.
The Quebecer, who has been living in California since 2017, therefore spent more than three months preparing intensively for this prestigious musical performance.
Photo courtesy of Gab Robert
As assistant to New Zealand choreographer Parris Goebel, he not only taught Rihanna dance moves but also led the 280-dancer troupe during last Sunday’s Super Bowl.
“I feel like I’m living a waking dream,” breathes Gab Robert. The Super Bowl is a big deal; even those who don’t like sports watch the halftime show. I grew up listening to Madonna’s, Janet Jackson’s, even Beyoncé’s. I dreamed of being a part of it… and now it’s done. This is totally insane. »
work secretly
Obviously, the upstream work had to be carried out in the utmost secrecy. Non-disclosure agreements were signed by the entire show crew to not only preserve details of the performance but also Rihanna’s pregnancy, which was announced with much fanfare at the event.
However, the singer’s bulging stomach did not in any way complicate the work of the dancers or choreographers. It has to be said that they didn’t know that Rihanna was expecting their second child until rehearsals began.
“She was very comfortable with the moves and the choreography we created. His vision remained the same, and the security measures for the performance were already in place. We just asked the dancers to give her even more attention during the show,” explains Gab Robert.
Marked for life
Among these dancers, millions of viewers were able to admire the work of two local talents: Ada Ba and James Dhaïti from Quebec. The latter said Tuesday on QUB Radio that he was deeply affected by the event.
“I’m sure I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. A lot of things happen at the same time, but it happened so quickly. The 13 minutes go by in two seconds,” he confided to Sophie Durocher.
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