JaQuel Knight was 19 years old when he walked into the studio for Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" video. What he created that day would become one of the most replicated, celebrated, and culturally analyzed pieces of choreography in history — and, eventually, the first commercially copyrighted dance sequence in hip-hop. That achievement alone would be enough for a career. But Knight has spent every year since building on it: more iconic work, a publishing company, a foundation, a Broadway debut, and a film career. He is not standing on "Single Ladies." He is sprinting past it.

Born in North Carolina and raised in Atlanta, Knight grew up absorbing hip-hop culture through MTV music videos before taking his first formal dance class at 14. His instinct for movement married to music — developed partly through playing saxophone in his high school marching band — gave him a choreographic sensibility that was cinematic from the start. After "Single Ladies," he became Beyoncé's go-to choreographer for her Coachella performance and touring productions, and expanded his roster to include Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, and dozens more.

Broadway Debut — The Wiz (2024)

In 2024, Knight made his Broadway choreographic debut with the revival of The Wiz, directed by Schele Williams at the Marquis Theatre following a pre-Broadway tour. His choreography fused hip-hop, jazz, and contemporary dance — expanding the vocabulary of the original 1975 production while honoring its cultural roots. The Wiz revival was one of the most anticipated productions of the 2023–2024 Broadway season, and Knight's work received significant attention for its dynamism and cultural specificity.

Biters — Dance Film (2025)

In 2025, Knight directed Biters, a short dance film produced by Knight Haus Studios and Metalwork Pictures. The film revives early-2000s music video aesthetics with supernatural elements, featuring intricate choreography performed by a diverse ensemble. Biters marks Knight's continuing evolution as a filmmaker using dance as its primary language — and a visual statement about creativity, ownership, and the history of Black movement culture.

The Copyright Revolution

In 2021, Knight made history as the first commercial pop choreographer to successfully copyright original dance works — beginning with "Single Ladies" documented in Labanotation, a notation system that transcribes human movement the way sheet music transcribes sound. He then launched Knight Choreography & Music Publishing Inc., which operates as a dance rights company: brokering licensing deals, protecting intellectual property, and representing choreographers across genres. In partnership with Logitech, he helped ten BIPOC choreographers — including Keara Wilson (the "Savage" dance) and Chloe Arnold — secure copyright registrations for their viral work. The 2023 short film Own the 8-Count, which tells that story, won the Jury Prize for Best Short Film at the Essence Film Festival.

Major Collaborations

Learn more at KCM Publishing. Explore more Dance Mogul profiles including Frank Gatson Jr. and Lauriann Gibson.