Beyoncé's longtime choreographer Chris Grant talks about working with the pop star: 'I was pushed to the limit'
To most people, Beyoncé is the queen of pop. To Chris Grant, she's like a "big sister."
Grant, 31, is the man behind some of the superstar's most iconic dance moves, working as her choreographer for about 10 years. He was there when Beyoncé returned to performing after giving birth to twins Sir and Rumi in 2017 and he choreographed her headlining performance at the 2018 Coachella Music Festival in California last year.
"I was pushed to the limit, you know? And I appreciate that," Grant told ABC News. "I've learned so much from [Beyoncé] — so, so, so much."
The show's entire concept was Beyoncé's idea, the entire Coachella concert documented in the film "Homecoming" on Netflix, Grant said. The film documents her highly anticipated return to the stage and has been praised for bringing culture within historically black colleges and universities to the masses.
"She literally, I think, woke up one day and was like, 'Guys, I got it,'" he said. "She wanted to do it and show the world, like, 'Look...this [film] is art. This is not just some, you know, country black thing that shouldn't be praised.'"
It can be "stressful" to choreograph for such a big star, and putting together a dance for an existing song can be like a "puzzle," Grant said.
He guided ABC News' Kimberly Brooks through the process of choreographing the dance for Beyoncé's hit single, "Formation," which she performed in 2016 during the Superbowl 50 halftime show.
In describing the choreography, Grant said that "Formation" had to be "militant" but with a "certain groove."
Grant caught Beyoncé's attention by performing his own rendition of her famed "Single Ladies" dance.
"She told me that I was unreal, you know? And that always stuck to me," Grant said. "I'm just a full-out person. I just love to explode."
Grant had another big break in 2009 — when he was cast in what would have been the late Michael Jackson's farewell "This Is It" tour.
"I was just so blessed to be able to make it on 'This is It,' and to be able to have a bit of it," Grant said.
Since then, he's choreographed for several other pop stars including Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey and Keisha Cole, and most recently, he's been making efforts to break out on his own.
Grant has been making his own music, and recently released a single called "Wristwatch." His popularity also earned him a chance to perform at WorldPride in New York City this year.
"I just feel like I've been preparing my whole life for this," Grant said. "I just want people to see a different side of me in...the front, you know? Because I'm always in the back...but it's something different when you're up there and you get to let your magic just shine. And I feel like this is my moment."
When asked what's next after his performance at Pride, Grant said "just me taking control of my life and my career, and not letting anybody else control it and tell me what to do. I feel like I've had 10 years plus of people doing that and I don't mind it. But now I'm taking control of it because it's just, like...it's time. Time is money, check the wristwatch."
