Welcome to the fourth annual Jazz Hand Awards—aka “the Jazzies”—where we rate the danciest new shows shining on Broadway. The Jazzie for Most Authentic Afro-Caribbean Moves Goes to… “Once on This Island” (Center, left) Alex Newell as Asaka, mother of the Earth with Hailey Kilgore as Ti Moune in “Once on This Island” (photo by […]
With musicals like Hairspray, Grease, Peter Pan, and The Wiz earning prime-time spots on big networks, complete with celebrity-studded casts and flashy new choreography, there’s no question that live TV musicals are here to stay. But what’s it actually like to perform in one? We followed dancer Conor Ryan during the rehearsal process for Jesus […]
Jess LeProtto’s fiery energy and jaw-dropping jumps and turns have earned him a place in the Great White Way spotlight. LeProtto started singing and dancing at age 5, and performed in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in Nashville, TN, as a kid. He made his Broadway debut in The Boy From Oz in 2003, followed […]
The North American tour production of The Phantom of the Opera is massive, with a large cast and a fabulously elaborate set (including that famous chandelier). How do all those moving parts get from city to city, giving audiences across the country the same spectacular show? Unsurprisingly, cast and crew alike have their travel routines […]
It’s America’s birthday week, which means gold sparklers, family BBQs, and festive parades are just around the corner. But what happens when our enthusiasm for red, white, and blue moves from the backyard to the stage? Like a firework, sparks fly! See for yourself with these three patriotic dance classics. 1. George Balanchine’s Stars and […]
There’s a reason (or a million reasons) so many young dancers set their sights on the city that never sleeps: NYC is an artists’ haven, with opportunities to create and grow everywhere you look. But pursuing a dance career in NYC can also be downright expensive, and a steady company paycheck is basically a unicorn. […]
Last December, Broadway choreographer extraordinaire (and past Dance Spirit cover boy!) Spencer Liff told DS that “My next big project is my favorite thing I’ve ever done: a punk-rock musical called Head Over Heels, based on the Elizabethan novel Arcadia and set to music by the Go-Go’s.” That next big project is finally here: Tomorrow, […]
Every good trip to NYC should include a Broadway show (or three!), and there are a TON of brilliantly dancy musicals to see right now. But Bway tix can be expensive, especially on a dancer’s budget. Which is why we are allll about Broadway in Bryant Park, the annual event that brings some of the […]