Choreographer Parris Goebel was “born with a passion and love for dance.”
It was a passion that led to her collaborate with the duo of Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, as well as Rihanna on their respective Super Bowl halftime shows in 2020 and 2023. “It doesn’t matter the scale, I give it my all,” she says.
As creative directors and executive producers Lady Gaga and Michael Polansky were conceiving the singer’s Coachella set and subsequent Mayhem Ball tour, the duo brought Goebel on as choreographer.
The theme of the tour is a grand opera house with stone columns and grand archways, which allow Gaga and her dancers to seamlessly switch from the opening moments of Gaga emerging in a caged dress, housing mayhem dancers to two queens facing off during “Poker Face.”
Goebel says “Paparazzi’s” rainbow cape, worn when Gaga emerged from a sandbox, representing a grave, was the most challenging element, and also deeply meaningful one. “Being an artist that can survive the test of time, which she is, is such a testimony to her resilience, and how fearless and unapologetic she is,” she says.
Here, Goebel, who was recognized on Variety’s Women’s Impact report, spoke about her work as a choreographer and working with Gaga.
I went to the L.A shows in July, and saw you in the audience that night, watching the show. How often do you go in to see the show and make sure everything is on track?
I usually watch the first couple of shows and make sure it’s all good. I have other stuff that I’m working on so I can’t be on the road like that. So, when I went to watch it in L.A., I genuinely went to go and enjoy it.
Since we’re honoring you for the women’s impact report, let’s go back. Where did your love for dance begin?
I was born with a passion and a love for dance. I don’t distinctively remember a moment where I discovered dance. I just have memories of dancing at home in my bedroom and in the lounge. Most of us are just born with something that we really love, and we’re called to do, you know, everyone has a purpose. Some of us find it when we’re kids, and some of us find it later in life. I was blessed to find it when I was a little girl.
Well, here you are working with some of the biggest music stars in the world. What makes you say yes to a collaboration?
Just genuinely being a fan of their work. It’s obviously changed over the years. Before, I definitely was just saying yes to everything because I couldn’t believe I was in L.A. and people wanted to work with me. Now, being in the industry for 10-plus years, I’m way pickier. I understand my value a lot more. Does this artist or person excite me, and am I genuinely a fan of their work? Those are probably the two things.
Over the course of your career, you’ve done two Super Bowl halftime shows. What is that pressure like when you’re doing something for an audience of that size, and does the approach change at all?
My approach is always pretty much the same. It doesn’t matter the scale. I give it my all. I don’t stop until it’s done, and I just want it to be great; it doesn’t matter what the stage is like. I approached everything with the same amount of hard work and execution. I grew up in New Zealand, so I didn’t really understand the magnitude of the Super Bowl to be completely honest. I knew it was big, but I don’t know if I understood how big it was.
Going back to the Mayhem Ball tour, what was the collaborative process behind the opening of the show and Gaga coming out in this caged dress?
We landed on the idea of doing an opera. Once I had that, my brain went crazy. When you think of a female opera singer, you think of these big, gorgeous gowns and the drama of it. With Stefani, you take an idea and think, “How can this be bigger and more epic and louder and bolder?” I became quite literal about it in my head, like, what if it’s massive and larger than life? And then, how do you bring choreography into it? OK, you put dancers in the skirt. It would be sick if there were levels under her dress and it was a cage. We had created these mayhem characters that were extensions of Queen Mayhem. It’s always cool when an artist is elevated, but there was something quite cool about her being elevated, but because of what she was wearing, because of the dress, which was really innovative. That idea has been done in different ways. But when Gaga does it, it’s different; it’s a mic drop.
I’m fascinated by the choreography of “Poker Face” and the idea of the two queens. What’s the story behind the choreography there?
I kept thinking, “What are visuals that people can resonate with and relate to?” With the chessboard idea, we ran through that being on different types of songs, and then I was like, “Wait for ‘Poker Face, it’s brilliant.’ It made sense, so we started to develop the story of this push and pull with her and a different version of herself. I thought a battle on a chessboard to “Poker Face” was sick, and being able to tape the squares in the studio was really fun, easy and effortless. Everyone knows how to play chess and putting that in her emotional storyline was really cool and powerful. It landed really strongly.
What was the most challenging number to put together?
Probably “Paparazzi” with the cape and crutches, because of the logistics of the cape. I love that song. When you listen to the lyrics, it can also be taken vulnerably. I said to Stef, “I’d love to hear a ballad version, this slow, emotional rendition of ‘Paparazzi.’” She was coming out of the sandbox, representing a grave. Being an artist that can survive the test of time, which she has, has been such a testimony to her resilience, and how fearless and unapologetic she is. She came out from the grave, and “Paparazzi” was a journey of her soaring and finding her wings again. The cape represented that and showed how strong she is.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation
Speaking of the grave, what is in that?
It’s kitty litter.
What’s next for you?
I’m releasing my own music. I’m signed to Diplo’s label. And I’ve just handed in a complete dance project that I’ve been working on all year, in my spare time. That’s coming out next month.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
