‘P-Valley’ Star Brandee Evans and Choreographer Jamaica Craft on Creating Mercedes’ Drop
Danielle Turchiano Senior Features Editor, TVWhen viewers of Starz drama series “P-Valley” first meet protagonist Mercedes, she has been a central figure at the Pynk strip club for years and is considering retirement.To tackle the role, Brandee Evans needed to embody not only a talented, strong and commanding performer, but she also had to have the attitude of the “O.G.,” says choreographer Jamaica Craft.“You dance with floss and you’re throwing yourself around the pole, doing incredibly gymnastic movements, and you’re confident when your legs open up, you’re confident when you pull your head back, all of those things,” she says. “I wanted Brandee to have the power as she moved — that, ‘I’m here’ personality.