Signature Moves With Sean Bankhead

The choreographer behind many of the biggest music videos of the year is a pop star’s secret weapon.

Last year, when Cardi B’s team reached out to the choreographer Sean Bankhead to help create dances for the “Up” music video, he asked if she had two months to dedicate to learning them. As it happens, she did. Mr. Bankhead didn’t waste any time. The dance, with its lunges, jumps and squats, seems straight out of a high-intensity interval training class. “I pushed her, and that’s a really hard thing to learn the balance when you’re working with a high-profile celebrity like that,” he said. “You need to know how to push, but not overly push them off the cliff.” Pushing has become one of his hallmarks. Mr. Bankhead, 32, is the choreographer behind some of the year’s biggest music videos — including Lil Nas X’s “Industry Baby” and Normani’s “Wild Side” — and he is in high demand, despite the time commitment he expects from his celebrity charges.