LOS ANGELES — Hundreds of excited "fans" will pour onto the field while hip-hop dream team Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar perform during the Super Bowl LVI halftime show on Feb. 13. Viewers will likely see them move their bodies to the music. What they won't see are the 72 hours they spent over nine days in unpaid rehearsals lasting as long as nine hours a stretch — and how they were asked to provide their own transportation and adhere to a strict confidentiality protocol.
Field cast participants — aspiring dancers, actors, singers and musicians recruited from local drill teams as well as theatrical, community and athletic groups — are expected to be grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but the situation is causing a stir in the dance community after dance artist and activist Taja Riley posted about it to her 110,000 followers on Instagram. Other performers, including dancer Alyson Stoner and Heather Morris ("Glee"), have since spoken out about it on social media.
Speaking directly to halftime show choreographer Fatima Robinson, Riley implored the dance-world icon to stand up for better treatment of the talent.
