Sergio Trujillo

Sergio Trujillo
https://sergiotrujillo.com/bio · CC0 · source
Name	Sergio Trujillo
Birth date	1968 ?
Birth place	Cali
Occupation	Choreographer, Dancer, Director
Years active	1990s–present
Notable works	Jersey Boys, On Your Feet!, Ain't Too Proud, Memphis, Glee

Sergio Trujillo is a Colombian-born choreographer and director known for his work on contemporary Broadway musicals and international theatre productions. He has created dance and movement for productions spanning Broadway, the West End, television, and regional theatre, collaborating with a wide range of companies, directors, and performers. Trujillo's choreography blends influences from Latin American dance, pop culture, and classic musical theatre idioms.

Early life and education

Born in Cali, Trujillo grew up in a city renowned for salsa and vallenato music traditions, absorbing rhythms associated with Cumbia, salsa and popular Colombian performers. He emigrated to Canada as a teenager and later relocated to the United States, where he trained in multiple movement disciplines. Trujillo studied technique that connected him to institutions and artists in Toronto, New York City, and other North American cultural centers, encountering teachers and programs linked to American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and the conservatory milieu that included alumni of Juilliard School and NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Dance and choreography career

Trujillo began his professional career performing in touring productions and regional companies before transitioning into choreography for stage and screen. Early engagements included ensemble and solo work with touring musicals that crossed paths with creative teams from Broadway and the West End. He went on to craft movement for off-Broadway productions and commercial projects involving choreographers from the circles of Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett, Gower Champion, and contemporaries influenced by Jerome Robbins and Susan Stroman. Trujillo's credits expanded to television specials and live events where he worked alongside directors and producers associated with NBC, CBS, and award ceremonies such as the Tony Awards and the Grammy Awards.

His choreography repertoire encompasses jukebox musicals, biographical pieces, and original book musicals, bringing a kinetic vocabulary that synthesized Latin social dance, street styles, and classic Broadway technique. Trujillo has collaborated with creative teams linked to producers like Randy Johnson and companies including R&H Theatricals, Nederlander Organization, and The Shubert Organization. Internationally, he staged work in the West End, at festivals and in national tours that visited venues affiliated with Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, and regional theaters connected to Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Goodman Theatre.

Broadway and major theatre works

Trujillo's Broadway breakout included choreography contributions to productions such as Jersey Boys and later credits on musicals including Memphis, where his movement helped define the show's period aesthetic. He served as choreographer for the Broadway premiere of On Your Feet!, the biographical musical about Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan, and for Ain't Too Proud, the jukebox biography of The Temptations. His work has been featured in productions starring performers who also worked in projects with directors like Michael Mayer, Christopher Ashley, Jerry Zaks, Diane Paulus, and James Lapine.

Trujillo's credits extend to national tours and West End transfers that linked him to producers and organizations such as Trafalgar Theatre Group and touring partners including Broadway Across America. He has directed and choreographed new works and revivals with creative collaborators from design teams associated with Bob Crowley, Santo Loquasto, Chris McDonald, and orchestrators in the tradition of Alex Lacamoire and Jonathan Tunick.

Awards and recognition

Trujillo's achievements earned nominations and awards across institutions that celebrate theatrical craft. He received nominations for the Tony Award for Best Choreography and won recognition from bodies such as the Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk Awards, and the Astaire Awards. Trujillo also earned accolades that placed him alongside winners from ceremonies like the Laurence Olivier Awards and the Helen Hayes Awards, reflecting both Broadway and regional praise. His work on major jukebox and biographical musicals garnered industry attention from producers, trade publications, and organizations that include the American Theatre Wing.

Personal life and influences

Trujillo's creative sensibility reflects influences from Colombian musical traditions and choreographers rooted in both classical and popular idioms. He has cited inspiration from figures and institutions such as Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Fania Records, and dance-makers whose legacies include Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, Martha Graham, and Alvin Ailey. Trujillo maintains professional relationships with artists and companies across North America and Europe, engaging with educational programs and workshops connected to conservatories and festivals including those sponsored by New York City Center and arts organizations in Miami and Los Angeles.

He is known for mentorship and for fostering collaborations with performers who have appeared in productions that also feature artists from television and film franchises like Glee (TV series), and for contributing to the careers of dancers who later worked in companies such as Royal Ballet and contemporary ensembles. Trujillo's ongoing projects continue to intersect with producers, directors, and institutions shaping the international musical theatre landscape.

Category:Choreographers Category:Colombian emigrants to the United States