Favorite Broadway Dances (To Perform!)

[BudFrump23]

Posted: 10/18/08 at 7:36pm

Some of you may be professional dancers. Some (like myself) may not. But nonetheless, I'm sure MANY of you enjoy dancing around to your favorite Cast Recordings. Some of you may even (I know I am guilty of it) find clips of certain dance routines and practice them! My question is - what is your favorite dance to (try and) perform? Do you try to get the choreography exact? Do you add your own personal flairs? Do you gather a crowd of (trustworthy) friends into your living room to watch your incredible performance?

My favorites are:

Turkey Lurkey Time - Promises, Promises . . . I watch the Youtube clip all the time, sometimes pausing to try and get Donna McKechnie's moves down pat. I'm a terrible dancer, but I have SO much fun tossing my head back and forth and flopping my fat arms about.

The Nicest Kids In Town - Hairspray . . . The song is so catchy - and I love all the little snips of classic dances interwoven into the choreography! (The Mashed Potato, Pony, etc.)

Xanadu - Xanadu (Motion Picture) . . . this is one of the weirdest ones to dance along to (and try to mimic the moves from the movie), but something about the beret-wearing young men doing robotic movements with their white-gloved hands and the women in those ugly, UG-LY brown toned dresses kicking their legs high is so infectious! (Not to mention Olivia Newton John in those fantastic shoes and pants! And her hair!)

Updated On: 10/18/08 at 07:36 PM

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 10/18/08 at 7:57pm

My sister and I are always doing the dance break from "One Step Closer" in "The Little Mermaid." One time, we did it in the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant and I dropped my sister.

I also love the dance for "You Can't Stop The Beat." My absolute favourite is the choreography from "Jellicle Songs For Jellicle Cats," but sadly, although I know it by heart, I can't do all of the steps. Also, I love to do the dance for "Moses" from the film version of "Singin' In The Rain."

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 10/19/08 at 4:41pm

Many people are going to say this, but:
The jazz combo in "A CHORUS LINE"!

[tellybox]

Posted: 10/19/08 at 5:26pm

I think I would give my left testicle to be able to dance the opening combo of A Chorus Line.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 10/19/08 at 5:30pm

The opening combo of A Chorus Line is fun.

[thejcm]

Posted: 10/19/08 at 7:07pm

I can't believe I'm admitting these, but:

The "Shake your junk" dance break in "Positive" in Legally Blonde is SO much fun. As is the dance break after "May I approach?" in "What You Want".

Give me some bars and I can do "Out Tonight" perfectly.

Of course the opening to A Chorus Line.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 10/19/08 at 7:25pm

I always loved doing We Share Everything from Side Show, but it was always rather difficult finding someone willing to act as my Siamese twin.

Also, who here doesn't love wiggling around their room belting Rose's Turn?

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 10/19/08 at 7:49pm

Yup, I second 'What You Want' from Legally Blonde. I don't even try to learn the actual steps, it's just fun to jump around to.

And the [title of show] choreography. I've been known to do the '2 nobodies' arm movement while rocking out in my car, the wing like movement from 'die vampire die' or my personal favorite, "these are shapes!".

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 10/19/08 at 9:33pm

Definitely agree with a few of these. Of course the opening jazz combo of A Chorus Line, and I'm obsessed with every bit of choreography in "Positive" from Legally Blonde, that number is so fun.

My favorite original choreography to perform is "Buenos Aires" from Evita, and the WHOLE dance in the gym from West Side Story, but especially the Mambo. ( I recently played Bernardo in the show.) OH, and "The Music and the Mirror", from Chorus Line.

But I have to say the most fun dances I have ever done in a show were to "Simon Zealotes" and the title song in Jesus Christ Superstar. It wasn't the original choreography but the director/choreographer for that show was BRILLIANT and I have never had more fun dancing in a show.

EDIT: AH! And "Turkey Lurkey Time" too! I've spent many an hour pretending to be Donna McKechnie. I don't know how she moves like that! So good.

Updated On: 10/19/08 at 09:33 PM

[kissynose]

Posted: 10/19/08 at 9:34pm

FOSSE HANDS!!!!!

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 10/19/08 at 10:58pm

kissynose, I adore you! Fosse hands wins hands... well, hands outstretched, fingers, wrists, isolated, a snap...

[TTL]

Posted: 10/19/08 at 11:47pm

I attend Point Park University as a Dance major and with alumni performing on Broadway and Touring, we are able to have wonderful,fun,and exciting master classes at school. Thus far, in my college career: Mia Price,then of the SPAMALOT tour taught us the ever-classic Bob Fosse's "Hot Honey Rag" which is always exciting to do. Most recently, two members of the National Tour of WICKED stopped by and taught us some choreography from the musical number, "Dancing Through Life". Also, Anthony Rapp and Elaine Stritch just stopped by the school to give performances/teach...

[jeniferrenepatricia]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 1:51am

Steam Heat from Pajama Game, Take off With Us from Fosse, Whatever Lola Wants from Damn Yankees, Hot Honey Rag from Chicago, You Can't Stop the Beat from Hairspray, I'm Alive from Xanadu, Mein Herr from Cabaret, and The Time Warp from The Rocky Horror. Love that Fosse!!!!

[nicole neumann2]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 6:11am

i love to dance toany song from In The Heights, Rent, The Time warp from Rocky Horror.....ETC........Nicole

[blondebaby589]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 8:06am

Time Warp
Opening of A Chorus Line
Shoeless Joe

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 9:45am

What, no love here for THE SPANISH PANIC?

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 9:45am

I would love to learn "What You Want" from Legally Blonde & "I'm A Brass Band" from Sweet Charity.
Updated On: 10/20/08 at 09:45 AM

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 9:52am

A Step in Time---Mary Poppins.

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 10:00am

Oh and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - Mary Poppins

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 11:58am

--- Victoria the white cat's solo during the invitation to the ball in CATS

--- Cassie's MUSIC AND THE MIRROR from A CHORUS LINE

Really ANYTHING from ACL

Updated On: 10/20/08 at 11:58 AM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 4:36pm

Opening of A Chorus Line
Opening of Thoroughly Modern Millie
Springtime for Hitler tap portion
Big Spender from Sweet Charity(have choreographed it)

[Godspell_Girl]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 4:39pm

Music Man: Shipoopi. Yes, people. It is more fun than you imagine.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 4:44pm

Oh God... having done Music Man, I can safely say that is one dance I never want to do again. Love the song, though. I'm sure it'll end up playing at my funeral...

EponineAmneris, if you can do Victoria's dance solo, I am forever in your debt. I've been trying to do that since I was in fifth grade!

[rentheadca]

Posted: 10/20/08 at 4:47pm

I love to try to perform 96,000 from In The Heights
and of course the opening number from A Chorus Line would be awesome to be able to do