Britney Spears was just 19 when she helped deliver one of pop’s most memorable dance videos, and Brian Friedman remembers exactly why she owned it. As “I’m a Slave 4 U” marks its 25th anniversary, the choreographer looks back at the young superstar who could take a routine and make every movement feel unmistakably hers.
Britney Spears Was ‘The Best Of The Best,’ Brian Friedman Says
Speaking with PEOPLE at the 2026 Industry Dance Awards in Los Angeles on October 21, Friedman recalled an easygoing creative process, a fearless approach, and a performer already operating at the top of her game. His memories offer a behind-the-scenes look at how the video’s signature choreography came together, and why he believes the collaboration worked so well.
For Friedman, there is no hesitation about where Spears stood when they worked on the 2001 video. “Britney in 2001 was unstoppable,” he told PEOPLE.
The dancer and choreographer remembered a teenage performer whose command of her work belied her age. “She was the best of the best. She was on top of the world, which is crazy to think that. She was 19 years old. She was just a baby at that time,” he added.
The project came during a major transition for Spears. Released in September 2001 as the lead single from her third album, “I’m a Slave 4 U” introduced a different sound and image from her earlier releases. Its accompanying video, directed by Francis Lawrence, gave that shift a visual identity. Friedman worked alongside Wade Robson on the choreography, helping create a routine built around Spears’ strengths.
The Choreography Had To Look Like Britney
Friedman’s recollection also clears up how he approached the collaboration. Rather than asking Spears to disappear into someone else’s dance style, he wanted the choreography to feel natural to the artist performing it.
“With me, she didn’t really choreograph, but she knew how to make things look her own,” he said. “And I think the gift of a [great choreographer] is when you give choreography to an artist, you choreograph it for them, and you have them in mind. So when they do the work, it should look like them, and it shouldn’t look like they’re trying to be someone else.”
Friedman and Robson supplied the movements, but Spears brought the personality that made them recognizable as hers. “I think Wade and I both always wanted everything to look like it was her improv or her freestyle,” he added.
The goal was a rehearsed routine that looked instinctive. According to Friedman, Spears knew how to give the choreography that personal touch.
Friedman Felt Like An ‘Old Veteran’ At 23
Spears wasn’t the only young talent involved in the production. Friedman recalled being early in his life and career, even if he didn’t see it that way at the time. “I was young as well. But in my mind, I was not young,” he said.
Having started working in entertainment as a child, he already felt experienced enough to trust his instincts. “I started in the industry when I was very young, so in my mind, I was an old veteran at 23,” he continued.
His résumé would eventually include work with Beyoncé, Janet Jackson, Rihanna, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Usher, Pink, and Justin Bieber. But looking back at “I’m a Slave 4 U,” Friedman emphasized the mindset he brought to the room. He wasn’t approaching every decision with the second thoughts that can come with more experience. That confidence helped keep the creative process moving.
The ‘Slave 4 U’ Routine Came Together Without Overthinking
A video remembered for such a defining routine might sound like the product of endless deliberation. Friedman’s memory is considerably more relaxed. “I remember the process was easygoing. It flowed really fast. It wasn’t the way I choreograph now, which is methodically and I’m in my head, and I second-guess everything,” he said.
He recognizes the contrast in hindsight. Today, he describes a more analytical approach to his work. Back then, he felt freer to commit to an idea without questioning every choice. “It was that blind naivete that you have when you’re younger: healthy delusion where you think everything you do is going to be epic and you don’t second-guess things,” he said. “And I think that was why it was so magical,” he explained.
Britney Spears And Friedman’s Collaboration Went Beyond One Video
“I’m a Slave 4 U” was one chapter in a much broader creative partnership. Friedman also helped choreograph and stage Spears’ routines for “Toxic,” “Hold It Against Me,” “Breathe on Me,” “Overprotected,” and “Till the World Ends.” Those collaborations gave him a close view of how she approached movement across different songs and stages of her career.
Twenty-five years later, Friedman still remembers the confidence in that process, and the 19-year-old at its center.
