Dan Karaty: 'So You Think You Can Dance' Star

Dan Karaty has left an indelible mark on the dance industry. With a career spanning over two decades, he has choreographed for some of the biggest names in the music and entertainment world, including Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Usher. Karaty's distinct style and creative vision have made him a sought-after choreographer with the skill and credibility to work on numerous high-profile projects, such as music videos, world tours, and television shows. On episode 52 of our Catch The Moment podcast, Karaty joined us for an inspiring and insightful conversation, highlighting his contributions to the world of dance.

Karaty shared his personal journey and the challenges he encountered along the way. What appeared to be a youthful love for partying had shifted to a daily battle with alcohol abuse. Despite this struggle, his success continued by being one of the first judges of the reality television dance competition, So You Think You Can Dance, and judging on the talent competition, The X Factor. He felt that his career had never stopped elevating due to his performance and relationship with others remaining consistent. However, he faced internal consequences such as entitlement, denial, and fluctuating confidence levels. Currently being two years sober, he recognizes the motivation he received from his daughter is what helped him find a permanent solution to the issue he consistently ignored. While now striving to be an example to his daughter, Karaty stated, "I started to recognize that not only do I not have to control everything around me, that I don't have control of everything around me.” This has allowed him to approach parenting, as well as advancement in his career with a more positive and effective mindset.

To this day, Karaty uses his story as a motivating factor for others to reveal their truth. By doing so, he has started his own podcast titled, If I’m Being Honest, and is anticipating the release of his novel titled the same. In regards to his career, he remains known as ‘the Simon Cowell’ of international versions of So You Think You Can Dance, located in Europe. We encourage you to tune in to the Catch the Moment episode featuring Dan Karaty to dive deeper into his response to adversity and how he pushed to overcome it.