Baton Rouge native Sean Viator, a dancer and choreographer who performed with award-winning artists and on TV shows that included “American Idol” and “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” on Netflix, died May 3 at the age of 31, his family announced in an obituary.
Viator was a graduate of St. Michael the Archangel High School, as well as an alumni of the De Frances Academy of Dance in Baton Rouge, his obituary said.
After high school, Viator went on to receive a bachelor’s degree of fine arts in dance, with a minor in business administration, from the University of Arizona, where he graduated summa cum laude. He was awarded the university’s top dance award — The Triple Threat Award, Viator wrote in his online biography.
Some of Viator’s credits include the Billboard Music Awards with Christina Aguilera and Demi Lovato; an “American Idol” season finale performance with Kylie Minogue; the “I’m Ready” music video for Sam Smith and Demi Lovato, and the Radio City Rockettes’ “Christmas Spectacular,” according to his biography.
In addition to the “Eurovision Song Contest” show on Netflix, Viator appeared in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” on Amazon Prime; “Physical” on Apple TV; “Interior Chinatown” on Hulu, and the Latin Grammys.
Viator was on the faculty of the Millennium Dance Complex in Los Angeles.
“He was such a light,” Jin Lee, director of operations at the dance complex, said Wednesday.
“He was always smiling,” she said. “Sean was such a hardworking dancer, choreographer and instructor.”
“All of his students loved him,” Lee said. “We can’t believe he’s not here, honestly.”
Viator had also taught at the Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway and the American Musical Dramatic Academy College and Conservatory of Performing Arts in Los Angeles.
A celebration of life ceremony for Viator will be held Friday at the Resthaven Funeral Home in Baton Rouge. Visiting hours will be from 12:30 p.m. until the service at 2:30 p.m.
“We ask all attendees to please feel free to wear your favorite color, so that we may brighten up the room in Sean’s honor,” his family said.
Viator’s family said a dance scholarship in his name has been established at The University of Arizona School of Dance in Tucson.