Some dance thing I just want to clear up — Page 2

Is it not supposed to be a stereotype of musicals?

There's a really small bit of it in HAIRSPRAY during the finale, most of which come from Tracy. If you look more closely in the Tony '03 performance, you'll notice some of the other ensemble members do it as well.

---

I hate to be mean, but Josh, why do you need examples of "skirt work" to justify using it in your own choreography? I know you didn't say you needed justification, but it just sounds that way. In Secret Garden the ladies were not doing a "swish", they were holding their dresses up so they did not step on them, which was a common practice of the period. If you're just looking for ideas, I would say investigate the social dances of different time periods(which are important to a choreographerin general), and you'll see sometimes when it is common to touch and use the skirt.

If "skirt work" is part of the overall picture you want to present in a number(and is appropriate), then use it.

okay: I only wanted to do this because nobody points that technique out on these boards, not because I wanted to choreograph.

I did this just because it's a move that I see in a lot of musicals, and I wanted to see if anybody has either done it or seen it in musicals they saw.

That's basically the point I wanted to get across.

---

I think Oliver! has some- "Who Will Buy?" and "It's A Fine Life."

I did some swishing during "The Spanish Panic" In Once Upon a Mattress, and in "Oom Pah Pah" in Oliver.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean...

In BERNARDA ALBA the girls lifted up the front part of their dresses and swayed them (don't know the technical term)...particularily the character of Adela during her song.

Some other characters do it, but not in the way I think you mean...

The only time in that show the dresses swiveled was if a character spun - and that was physics.

"I recall doing a lot of swishing in Annie Get Your Gun during "I've Got the Sun in the Morning," and also, of course, during the Italian and Can-Can scenes. Actually, there was some in "I'll Share It All," too...good swishing show."

There was also a lot of swishing by the male ensemble while Tom Wopat sang "My Defenses Are Down." Not sure if that continued when Brent Barrett replaced him. I was too busy looking at Brent

In response to your Lambeth Walk...DEFINITELY, it's like the whole number, hahaha. And...when I did Fiddler the girls did a lot of swishing at the wedding, in the dance section either before the bottle dance or right before the Russians come to break up the party. So you're right on both accounts. And definitely Music Man too but I think you already mentioned that.

I'm currently playing in the pit for a production of SCROOGE: The Musical in Snug Harbor in Staten Island. I talked to one of the cast members about how interesting the dance numbers were. I found out that the dancing in that (particularly in Fezziwig's "December the 25th" and Tom Jenkins' "Thank You Very Much") is much like Pinaud interpreted it. The dresses are too long and too wide to skip, hop and jump in (this is DICKENS!!!), so the girls hold up the skirts so they won't trip.

Pretty much the same thing can be said with DROOD, if anybody agrees with me. I know I've seen it in the opening scene of THE WEDDING SINGER, because much of the dresses of the '80s were so poofy (not to mention incredibly ugly to some people) that it was so tough to line-dance in.

In fact, Pinaud is TOTALLY right. If it looks appropriate for the number or period, then they should definitely use it. Also, I must agree with CurtainPullDowner, because the choreographer needs to ask the costume designer what they're going to be wearing because that's what makes it looks good. Depends: if you're going to use something with a lot of leg work in it (like Fosse), the costume is going to have to be pantlike or miniskirtlike. And if the costume is very long, wide, or spinny (like in OKLAHOMA or MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS or MUSIC MAN or something along those lines), it makes perfect sense to swish it around.

Anybody else want to discuss what they have done and/or seen (especially if it's the same show).

---

Is Norb directing that Josh?

When I was in GREASE, the skirt work was in the hand jive after Johnny sings "Yeah, yeah, yeah" before everyone comes in on "Born to hand jive.." the guys and girls split off and the guys were upstage in a flat line while the girls did the skirt work down front.

Yes, lildogs. Norb Joerder is directing it. How did you know he was? You so smart.

Thanks broadwaystar2b for the addition!

---

Not only is skirtwork prominent in DIRTY DANCING: the movie, but I just saw a couple of clips from the London stage musical, and it's equally as prominent there.

---

was in Cinderella last fall and we did quite a bit of skirt work in "Prince is Giving a Ball" and of course the "Ten Minutes Ago" waltz

---