DANCIN' Previews — Page 3

Unfortunately, I think unless Fosse personally worked on this production, there would have always been people unsatisfied with it and trashing it. I’m not defending the quality of the show or the choices made. I don’t remember, was this the sentiment when Fosse first opened?

Having not seen this (or any other Fosse revue) yet, I think it just comes down to expectation. Fosse had a very specific style on Broadway and it's unlikely that any new show would come close to replicating that style, so I think a lot of people were excited about seeing that style of dance again, as they remembered it. But this version of Dancin' seems more to be in the vein of "inspired by", which to be fair, they do mention in the poster, so perhaps it's just not living up to the expectations that maybe shouldn't have been put on the production to start with.

But then there's also the caliber of the dance itself. When you see a Broadway show, especially a dance show, you do kind of expect the performers to be at the top of their game, and it sounds like that hasn't always been the case with this show, which I suppose is made worse by how demanding Fosse was known to be as a director/choreographer, where we'd expect a certain level of perfection.

I hesitate to ask since I see this show seems to be meeting with a largely uninterested or unenthusiastic response. That said, I’d be curious to see a list of musical numbers as the show currently stands (if one exists - I haven’t yet seen it posted anywhere.)

MAGA beliefs????????? Huh?

New interpretations are valid, but it does make me sad that modern interpretations of Fosse almost always strip away the psychological element, leaving movement that is, at best, precise. There's a lot of Fosse that's fun and inventive, but a lot of his work should make you feel almost antagonized, and scrubbing that is like reviving Pinter as straight comedy. Yes, you are technically saying all the lines as written, but to what end? The original Sing Sing Sing has the dancers looking like they're going to be pulled apart - it's not just a happy celebration of the song, but it moves past that and becomes almost grotesque. If that gets lost, then I don't really see what the point is.

ddenoff2 said: "Now available on TDF.org for this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday performances."

That's not good. No way this makes it past the Tony Awards.

I just got out of tonight’s performance of Dancin’. I love this show. I have loved Fosse’s choreography ever since I was a little boy, and this just features his skill as a dance theatre director in such a fantastic way. This is such a magnificent ensemble to my eyes, not the eyes of a trained dancer, just a longtime theatre goer. And judging by the crowd’s uproarious reactions, many in the audience seemed very pleased. Many internal applause and loud cheers throughout. I hope it is received well for what it is and has a nice long run and future. I’m so glad it made it to Broadway, and I definitely hope to be able to see it again. What a unique dance experience in the musical theatre cannon.

That's probably how I would feel if I saw it, a perfectly fine revival that is enjoyable for what it is. But considering the other big three musical revivals this season, this one is going to be eaten alive and sort of forgotten about.

Wayne Cilento's DANCIN'

... is very loosely based on choreographer Bob Fosse's ingenious body of work --minus the finesse, sensuality, and smarts of the original creator.

You'll certainly hear the "snaps," but this ill conceived and misguided dance revue rarely crackles or pops.

(Two hours and fifteen minutes, including intermission)

Updated On: 3/18/23 at 08:51 AM

There is hardly any plot, so do not expect a linear narrative with beginning, middle, and end. Dancin' is primarily back-to-back dance sequences with a handful of songs and book scenes (most of which are monologues to the audience). It's a revue that celebrates Fosse's choreography.

gordi_92 said: "Im from Germany visiting NYC next week and checking out what to see. I know nothing about this show. Does it have a storyline? Is there singing? acting? Or just one choreography after another?"

I didn't know anything either when I went in -- it doesn't have a storyline. There is plenty of singing from the cast (those that sing are wonderful), and there is "acting" in that there are a handful of monologues throughout (in between dance numbers), but it's definitely not the focus (or the highlight). It's largely dance numbers (in varying combinations -- some large group numbers, some small group numbers, some solo), almost cabaret-style. It's very entertaining, some really fun costumes and lighting. If you enjoy choreography, this is the best you'll find on Broadway right now.