1. Musical Theatre Dance

2. Origins – Ancient Beginnings
Greeks – song + dialogue
Romans – song + dialogue + dance routines for major characters
To make dance steps more audible: Scabilla (bits of metal) were nailed to bottom of sandals - 1st tap shoes

3. Origins – Minstrels
Review: Minstrel shows – white men blackened their faces with burnt cork and performed songs and skits that sentimentalized the slave life on Southern plantations
Over time both white and black performers donned blackface and audiences of all colors loved it.
Dance was the key element:
Hardshoe and the shuffle
Irish jigs and clog dancing

4. Origins – The Black Crook
Review: The Black Crook – 1st musical (1866), a 5 hr long mishmosh that became an unprecedented hit
Dance: Beginnings of BALLET
100’s of fleshy ballerins in skin-colored tights singing “The March of the Amazons” while dancing about in a moonlit grotto.
Age when women used butles and hoop skirts to hid their physiques = so this was most provcative!
Ballet remained the norm in musical theatre through the end of the 19th C.

5. Origins – Vaudville
Review: Vaudville – a variety of dance, song, sketches, magic acts, animal acts, strong men/women, acrobats, etc.
Dance: all combinations, varieties and styles
Teens helped to popularize the latest dance steps
Pavlova Gavotee, Fox Trot, The Hesitation Walts, The Maxixe, The Toddle and The Tango
Hardshoe and Clog Dancing dev. Into TAP DANCING… gained popularity due to Bill “Bojangles” Robinson

6. Origins – Follies
Review: Follies – introduced by Florenz Ziegeld ( ) as a series of spectacular revues “glorifying the American Girl”
Dance: NOT highly technical choreography but did require some talent and teaching. Dances were both energetic and graceful
Chorus kick line created with geometric formations – still popular today
Classify chorus dances according to height – set precedent as to define the look of the classic Broadway show girl
It was here that a RESPECT for dance on Broadway rose

7. A New Era – OKLAHOMA!
Review: Oklahoma! – noted as the 1st book musical (1943)
Dance: most influential innovations of the use of dance
Agnes De Mille – choreographer ( )
“To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking”
Created dances that joined the songs and libretto, giving the show a power that no other musical comedy had shown before.
Dream Ballet – created 1st time here

8. Choreographers Jerome Robbins – classical ballet training
West Side Story (1957), Fiddler on the Roof (1964), a Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962)
Bob Fosse – vaudeville & nightclubs; trademark = playful sexuality
Chicago (1975), Pippin (1972), Sweet Charity (1968)
Gower Champion – Ballroom dancing training
Bye Bye Birdie (1960), Carnival (1961), Hello Dolly (1964)
Tommy Tune – musical comedy performer; trademark = razzmatazz with showstoppers
Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1978), Nine (1982), My One and Only (1983), Grand Hotel (1989)

9. A Choreographer should…
1. Read the script
2. Study the score (not just the libretto)
3. Get a copy of the Broadway Soundtrack
4. Discuss any cuts with the Musical Director
5. Discuss each musical number with the Director
6. Stay in touch with the Set Designer / and the set design

10. How to Choreograph 1. Research social dances of the time period
2. Try improvising to explore and find movement
3. Be familiar with the Broadway or movie choreography
4. Create variations on a theme
5. Don’t be afraid to re-use movement
6. Keep things simple
7. Consider how to use your stage space

11. Choreography should….
1. Further the plot
2. Introduce and give deeper analysis of characters
3. Express emotion

12. Basic Choreography
Ball change
Kick ball change
Pique (turns)
Chaine turns (ballet)
Stage Leaps
Arabesque
Basic Jumps (tuck jumps)
Hitch kicks (jazz)
Chasse (jazz)
1st position, 2nd position, th position, Plié (ballet)
Step touch, step point, step heel
Walks, Sways
3 step turn
pivot turn
Push turn
Box step
Jazz square
Grapevine