Female performers who aren't dancers?- Page 2

[Hot Pants]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 7:00pm

fosseboi008 said: "hey henrikegerman... thanks for opening the discussion. It’s just my opinion. I start again, love Sutton. But the idea of triple threat, especially involving dance over the years to me has been so cheapened. I know many dancers who feel this way in the broadway community.Leads aren’t REALLY dancing like some of the truly demanding dance roles before.Many broadway actors who Isay are triple threats aren’t “stars”. Most of the real triple threats are standing by and understudying.Sorry but a battement, chainéturnsand a split in “Show Off” and a timestep and shuffle in “Anything Goes” and surviving the “long number”doesn’t make you this excellentdancer. She ain’t auditioning for A Chorus Line or American in Paris. Sutton has just beenamong her contemporary peersthe one who has repeatedly done more and better as a star because she does better in dance than her contemporary “star peers”.But I’ve never really seen her ever do anything truly technical or remotely difficult that every other chorus person behindher can’tdo. People like Donna McKechnie, Chita, Debbie, Gwen, Ann Reinking, Bebe Neuwirth, Wanda Richert,etc were dynamites that did thingsyou could never think anyone could do. Those days seem gone. Things just change.

Roles are no longer being written for true female lead dancersanymore. It’s sad to me. It’s just myopinion.


One person I am excited to see as the future goes is Ariana DeBose who seems to have it all. And I’m loving seeingthe path of Adrienne Warren.


henrikegerman said: "Fro the sake of the argument, let's agree Sutton not "a dancer."

But if she isn't a dancer, who among her first tier contemporary peersis?"

"

I get what you’re saying, but just because she’s not on Gwen Verdon’s level doesn’t mean that Sutton’s not an exceptional dancer.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 1/13/20 at 10:13pm

I did not see it but I thought that Sutton was great in the off-Broadway production of Sweet Charity, which is close to as big a dancing role there is.  I thought that she received excellent reviews.  Am I misinformed?

 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 1/14/20 at 3:50pm

Jarethan, I didn't mean to come off as cranky - though I am kind of cranky lately for other reasons.

And I get what you are saying about Sutton and that you see Ariana and Adrienne as more accomplished dancers.

My point wasn't to contradict you.  It was that by your standards, reasoned as they might be, when we think of the major Broadway musical leading ladies of Foster's generation, few if any of them WOULD be dancers.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/14/20 at 5:28pm

Loretta Swit