During Katy Perry's glitzy and grand Super Bowl performance from 2015, which also featured Missy Elliot and Lenny Kravitz, one unassuming back up dancer dressed in a 7-foot shark costume stole the show from the main act.
Speaking with NPR, Bryan Gaw, the man behind the meme-worthy antics, has detailed what motivated him to give such a memorable performance during the most watched televised event of the year.
Gaw reveals that "there’s a set choreography. There’s also what’s called freestyle choreography, or, like, you get to move around or play your character as a dancer. I’m in a 7-foot blue shark costume. There’s no cool in that. So what’s the other option? Well, I’m gonna play a different character."
When speaking about what was his inspiration for his hilariously offbeat dance moves, Gaw notes how he was trying to represent an imperfect "everyday person," who most likely dances with two left feet and is a little off-kilter.
Later on in the interview, the infamous shark-man gives some inspirational advice to all his fellow outcasts, "don’t take life so seriously. I was on the biggest stage in the world, acting crazy, and I got a lot of press and a lot of attention for it, in the most positive ways. It’s great. Be you. Do you."
Gaw has worked with Perry for 5 years, touring with her throughout multiple continents and executing very meticulous choreography.
