Oscars 2025 Choreographer Says Her ‘Biggest Job’ withWickedMedley Was to ‘Get Out of the Way' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande at the 2025 Oscars.Photo:Kevin Winter/Getty

Kevin Winter/Getty

The performances at the2025 Oscarsstole the show once again thanks to supervising choreographer Mandy Moore.Moore is behind the amazing dance moves seen onLa La LandandDancing with the Stars.But her brilliance truly shined through in the showstopping performance of “I’m Just Ken” from the 2024 Oscars.

But even after her experience working on four previous Academy Awards andTaylor Swift’sEras Tour, Moore exclusively tells PEOPLE about how she handles the “good, but highly pressurized” events.

“There’s always pressure [to top the previous year],” Moore says, “but I feel pressure every time I [work on any] number like ‘do I still know what I’m doing?’ "

Other performances that dazzled audiences throughout the evening includedQueen Latifah’s electric performance of"Ease on Down The Road” fromThe Wizand theJames Bondmedleythat featuredDoja Cat,Lisa from BLACKPINK, Raye and a surprise dance cameo from actressMargaret Qualley.

Queen Latifah at the 97th Annual Academy Awards.Kevin Winter/Getty

So what does it take to put together an Oscars-worthy performance? Moore explains that rehearsals started on Feb. 24 and that she worked with talent and the other 32 performers for three days off-site.

Ahead of the performances she worked with talent “up until the [very] last minute” because of their tight schedules. For example, Moore only had initial conversations with Queen Latifah before she went to shoot something else in New York while she ended up working with Lisa and Qualley for the full week.

“I prep what I can as I know it, but it’s certainly not the kind of [performance] where we have the luxury of [time],” she explains. “It’s a lot of work for me and my team, but that’s the Oscars.”

When it comes to working with stars, Moore says she “speaks to the artist before” putting choreography together, but it also “depends on the artist” as well. But when working withAriana GrandeandCynthia Erivoto bringWickedto life on the Oscars stage, Moore says her “biggest job was basically to get out of [their] way” because “those two amazing women don’t need a lot [of direction]… ‘Defying Gravity’ is iconic no matter what stage it’s on.”

“I was just in charge of making sure they were clear about where they’re gonna be standing on stage and that it felt right tonally for them,” she continues. “I feel like I’m in service to them; it’s not for me to get in the way of anything but I’m here to support their thoughts on [how the performance should look] and bridge the gap between what the artist is feeling and what production wants.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Moore calls the three-day off-site rehearsal for the Academy Awards her “favorite moments” from the hectic week of rehearsal leading up to the show.

Margaret Qualley at the 2025 Oscars.PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty

At the end of the day, Moore considers herself a movie fan and recognizes that “there’s something [special] about the Oscars.”

“To be able to work on a stage show that is celebrating film on a global scale is really cool,” she continues. It’s gonna be elegant, beautiful, funny. and emotional [for everyone].”

source: people.com