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# 5 minutes with a Tony nominee: ‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball’’s Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons
- URL: https://www.broadwaynews.com/5-minutes-with-a-tony-nominee/
- Published: 2026-05-24T03:10:46.000Z
- Updated: 2026-05-24T03:11:21.000Z
- Description: The venerated ballroom choreographers have made their mark on Broadway.
- Author: Ruthie Fierberg
- Tags: Podcast, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, News, 2026 Tony Awards Spotlight, 5 minutes with a Tony nominee, Omari Wiles, Arturo Lyons

Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons are the duo who have brought authentic ballroom to “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” The choreographers may be new to Broadway, but they are legends of ballroom. 

Wiles is known in that scene as Omari NiNa Oricci, founder of the House of Nina Oricci, established in 2019; he is also creative director of Les Ballet Afrik dance company. Wiles has worked with global talent such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Madonna. Lyons is a choreographer whose work spans ballroom, hip hop, reggae and street jazz. He has choreographed for the series “Legendary.”

Together, the pair are nominated for Best Choreography for their work on “Cats.”

![audio-thumbnail](https://storage.ghost.io/c/79/db/79db42b7-f4e9-42b6-8d81-14cee7d2a3d1/content/media/2026/05/5min_Omari_Arturo---5-23-26--9.42---PM_thumb.png)

5 minutes with a Tony nominee: Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons

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“Cats: The Jellicle Ball” is [nominated](https://www.broadwaynews.com/2026-tony-award-nominations-the-complete-list/) for nine Tony Awards.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/79/db/79db42b7-f4e9-42b6-8d81-14cee7d2a3d1/content/images/2026/05/2-The-cast-of-CATS-The-Jellicle-Ball.-Photos-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman-for-MurphyMade.jpg)

Members of the cast of “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” on Broadway, 2026 (Credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

The 2026 Tony Awards will take place on June 7 at Radio City Music Hall. [P!NK will host](https://www.broadwaynews.com/p-nk-will-host-the-79th-annual-tony-awards/) the ceremony, which will be broadcast live on CBS and livestreamed on Paramount+ Premium (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). CBS and Pluto TV will present the Tony Awards: Act One, with additional details to follow.

See the full list of nominations [here](https://www.broadwaynews.com/2026-tony-award-nominations-the-complete-list/).