TONY TESTA American (b. 1987) Mixed Media Artist
Since moving to LA in 2005, Tony has been working as a Choreographer & Artistic Director for film, tv, music videos, live stage, award shows, commercials, arena tours, & black box theater. His resume includes projects for Janet Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, JLO, Versace, SYTYCD, DWTS, The Voice UK, Disney, The Grammy’s, 20+ KPOP projects for SM Ent., multiple shows for Franco Dragone, multiple feature films for Kenny Ortega, & the 2021 Opening Ceremony of EXPO DUBAI.
His distinct visual style has also translated in the fine art world, with choreographic installations for the LACMA Museum, in conjunction with exhibitions for “Samurai: Japanese Armor,” & Noah Purifoy’s “Junk Dada,” curated by Franklin Sirmans. His boundaries further expanded after studying as an unpaid trainee with greek visual artist Dimitris Papaioannou on his productions of "The Great Tamer" in Athens & "Since She", with Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal. This lead him to convert his garage into a blackbox theater & prioritize deeper explorations in the visual arts. Now, his photography has been exhibited at GASP Gallery (Los Angeles), featured in Vanity Fair Magazine (Italy), & in collaboration with Dan Reetz of Vice Chief, he built the camera that took the photo on this page.
Alongside friend & long time collaborator Wade Robson, he co-directed (and performed) in the award winning short film, DisInteGrated, which in 2022 premiered at film festivals in Cannes, Portland, Malibu, & L.A. DisInteGrated was nominated for a 2022 World Choreography Award, & it screened at the world renowned Chinese Grauman’s Theater for the Oscar-qualifying Holly Shorts Film Festival, in Hollywood, CA.
He proudly supports The Advot Project, Creative Visions, The Wooden Floor, & The Painted Turtle. He was a guest speaker for TEDx Palisades, & he has brought dance to the Parliament of the World’s Religions to raise awareness for the current state of plastic pollution in our oceans & the global refugee crisis.
Tony is trained in Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Partnering, Flamenco, Butoh, & Street Dance. He is a brazilian jiu jitsu practitioner, certified freediver (Fii), & son of a falconer + hairstylist. The eldest of 3 brothers, Tony was born & raised in Fort Collins, CO.