Broadway Puzzler #14

Posted: 7/15/03 at 4:05pm

Considered by Broadway experts in hindsight to be singly responsible for making the dance director a central figure in many Broadway musicals.

Who is this person?

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 7/15/03 at 4:08pm

Balanchine.
or Jerry Robbins.

But I think Balanchine, as he had quite a distinguished career on B'way pre-DeMille...who is heralded as a pioneer for integrating dance into the plot with OK. Updated On: 7/15/03 at 04:08 PM

[onceadancer2]

Posted: 7/15/03 at 5:38pm

It could be Balanchine, but as a former dancer of his, as exalted as his place was in dance history, in Broadway it was a mere blip. Yes, he did insist that the word choreography be used, but I would nominate Robert Alton to be the more important figure of the two. I also danced in Robert Alton shows, and while his choroegrphy was never as inventive as Balanchine's, it was fun and witty. Or it could be Jerome Robbins. depends on your point of view!

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 7/15/03 at 10:00pm

Jerome Robbins.

[Belter]

Posted: 7/16/03 at 3:39am

Agnes DeMille

Posted: 7/16/03 at 11:04pm

Let's give this another day before posting the correct answer. Some very good thoughts going on here but not correct yet.

Yours for a better Broadway!

[magruder]

Posted: 7/17/03 at 12:03am

Gower Champion?

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/17/03 at 1:02am

If it is none of the above I will have to go with FOSSE.

Posted: 7/17/03 at 11:12pm

Bingo!

Sueleen used her powers of deductive reasoning and threw her hat into the "Steam Heat" number--Robert Louis Fosse it is.

Dance Director turned Choreorgrapher turned Director/Auteur.

Congratulations Sueleen.

Yours for a better Broadway!

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/18/03 at 3:53am

I am squealing like a stuck pig, I am so excited. What do I win? A trip to N.Y.? A obca of CARRIE? I’ll settle for a Red Bull to get me through my shift tomorrow!