(Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

Choreographer George Faison is no stranger to this season of The Family Crews. The Washington, D.C., native had a hand in Azriel Crews getting accepted into New York University, and he's also assisting Rebecca Crews by directing her show.

While in high school, Faison studied dance at the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet. He stayed close to home for college and attended Howard University where Faison studied dentistry. However, after performing in the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, Faison left school after two years in order to pursue dancing full time.

Faison left home and moved to New York where he officially joined the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater for three years. Faison decided to start his own dance troupe called the George Faison Universal Dance Experience. He instantly attracted the best dancers in the world, including Debbie Allen and Renee Rose. Faison served both as a dancer and as a choreographer.

In 1972, Faison made his choreographic debut on Broadway in the show Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope. His big break came in 1974 when he choreographed The Wiz, the black retelling of The Wizard of Oz. For his work, Faison received a Tony Award for choreography, the first African-American to win in that category.

The George Faison Universal Dance Experience would eventually disband, and Faison started working with artists like Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind & Fire, choreographing their concerts. Faison would split his time between artists, Broadway and television, where he won an Emmy Award for his choreography of The Josephine Baker Story.

In 2000, Faison converted an old firehouse in Harlem into the Faison Firehouse Theater; it's a non-profit organization intended to benefit the youth of New York City.