From jaw-dropping tap numbers to iconic Fosse choreography, Broadway's most memorable dance sequences deserve to be preserved! Join us as we celebrate the most spectacular choreography that has stood the test of time. These legendary routines continue to dazzle audiences and inspire performers worldwide.
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 Broadway dances
00:11that should never be changed.
00:13This includes plot-relevant choreography, iconic combinations by famous choreographers,
00:19and anything that audiences would be disappointed to miss in a revival.
00:45This massive ensemble number is a feast for the ears as well as the eyes, featuring dozens
00:49of skilled dancers all tapping in unison.
00:52This awe-inspiring song opens this musical with a bang, setting the literal stage for
00:57the tap-filled, golden age of Broadway-style show they're in for.
01:12The original choreography is typically preserved in contemporary productions of the show, not
01:17just for its brilliance but also out of respect for the original director and choreographer
01:21Gower Chapman, who passed away the day 42nd Street opened on Broadway.
01:26Champion was posthumously awarded the Tony Award for Best Choreography for 42nd Street
01:30in 1981.
01:54Whether you're watching the original 1992 movie or the stage musical adapted in 2012,
02:00Newsies just isn't Newsies without some of the most acrobatically inclined young men
02:04you've seen in your life giving it their absolute all.
02:07The battle cry of Seize the Day is intended to rally the Newsies into agreeing to a strike
02:11in protest of their boss's mistreatment.
02:22The Broadway production expanded on the original song's youthful and jubilant dancing to add
02:27even more flips, turns, and tricks to dazzle Broadway audiences.
02:31Unsurprisingly, Newsies won the Tony Award for Best Choreography in 2012, and from then
02:36on audiences knew to expect stellar dancing in any production of Newsies.
03:008.
03:01Rich Man's Frugue, Sweet Charity
03:12Revolutionary jazz dance choreographer Bob Fosse contributed some of his best work to
03:17this 1966 musical and its subsequent 1969 film adaptation.
03:22His unique style is most prevalent in The Rich Man's Frugue, featuring Fosse's signatures
03:26like sultry, slinking dancers constructing awkward angles with their limbs, all with
03:31deadpan expressions.
03:43Rich Man's Frugue satirizes the upper class in their glamorous pretentiousness, setting
03:48the scene perfectly to highlight Charity as the complete outsider as she suddenly finds
03:53herself in the swanky Pompeii club.
03:55To change this choreography would be a huge disappointment to Fosse fans, and a major
03:59detriment to the show's staging.
04:097.
04:14Anything Goes, Anything Goes
04:25The starring role of Anything Goes has been played by such Broadway greats as Ethel Merman,
04:29Patti LuPone, and Sutton Foster, all of whom have contributed their own unique flair to
04:33this iconic title song.
04:35But no matter who's playing the lead, you can be sure that their stunning vocals in
04:39this number will be accompanied by some of the most impressive tap dancing sailors you've
04:43seen in your life.
04:53The rigorous dancing and challenging vocals make this song particularly difficult to pull
04:57off well.
04:59When it all goes right, however, audiences are totally blown away by the sheer talent
05:03of the dancers on stage.
05:04So it's hard to imagine any sane director trying to change anything about this song.
05:236.
05:24Whipped Into Shape, Legally Blonde
05:26This number alone proves that Broadway performers are legitimately athletes.
05:38The Act 2 opener introduces Brooke Windham, accused in the murder of her husband, though
05:42her fellow Delta News sister, Elle Woods, believes she's innocent.
05:46The high-energy dance number set in Windham's jail is known for its jump rope choreography
05:51That's exhausting even just to watch.
06:01The precision and breath control required for this song is endlessly impressive, and
06:06it's understandable why some productions might be intimidated by it.
06:09But it would be impossible to change this choreography in any way.
06:13The jump ropes are not only iconic, they're integral to the song itself and referenced
06:17in the lyrics.
06:18So there's no chance those ropes are getting cut.
06:315.
06:32Shall We Dance, The King and I
06:49Rodgers and Hammerstein were particularly gifted at crafting that perfect moment where
06:53the audience realizes our two leads are falling for each other.
06:56And in The King and I, this is that moment.
06:58Though their love isn't meant to be, the chemistry between Anna and The King is what
07:02makes this dance so electric.
07:19The dance begins small and simple as Anna teaches the polka to The King.
07:23Then as they grow more comfortable in each other's arms, it sweeps across the stage in
07:27a grand duet.
07:28Although The King and I has rightfully come under scrutiny for its portrayal of Thai culture
07:32and pro-westernization values, this small moment of sharing one's culture still comes
07:37across as genuine and romantic.
07:454.
07:49Dance at the Gym, West Side Story
07:51There's nothing quite like a Broadway dance battle, and Dance at the Gym is certainly
07:56a memorable one.
08:06Though the routine is intended to bring the Sharks and the Jets together, the dancers
08:10refuse to partner with anyone from the opposing group, splitting the room into two distinct
08:14sides.
08:15The two groups take turns showing off their best moves, adding in a little cultural flair
08:20wherever possible.
08:36The dance strikes a balance between playfulness and tense animosity, and serves to highlight
08:41how doomed Maria and Tony's love is from the very moment it begins.
08:45Thematically important and visually striking, it's a crucial part of West Side Story.
09:043.
09:05The Bottle Dance, Fiddler on the Roof
09:16This dance has become so iconic and ubiquitous that many believe it to be a traditional Jewish
09:21folk dance, but it's actually the original invention of Fiddler on the Roof director
09:25and choreographer Jerome Robbins.
09:27Robbins came up with the idea while attending an Orthodox Jewish wedding where he saw a
09:31man balancing a bottle on his head to impress and delight the other guests.
09:35And the rest is history.
09:48Robbins' choreography is so integral to the show that keeping it intact is actually
09:52required in order to obtain the production rights to the play.
09:55So rest assured, if you're seeing Fiddler on the Roof anywhere in the world, you're
09:59guaranteed to see this number.
10:142.
10:15All That Jazz, Chicago
10:31Few Broadway songs are as widely known as All That Jazz, and even fewer are as inextricably
10:36linked to their distinctive choreography.
10:39Directed and choreographed by none other than Bob Fosse, Chicago is practically synonymous
10:43with the Broadway legend, his essence permeating every song in the show.
10:55All That Jazz sets the tone for the entire show, informing audiences of what a sultry,
11:00sassy, and indulgent treat they're in for.
11:03Though various productions might change a step here and there, it's impossible to
11:06separate the song from its original Fosse influences.
11:09Not that you would ever want to.
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11:411.
11:42I Hope I Get It, A Chorus Line
11:51This musical explodes into its opening number with frenetic kicks and eager-to-impress smiles
11:56from its ensemble cast of dancers hoping for their big break.
11:59A 5-6-7-8 launches the cast into a combination familiar to anyone with a background in dance
12:05or even just an enthusiasm for musical theater.
12:16The choreography is relatively simple and instantly recognizable, but what truly makes
12:20the song impressive is each dancer's unique performance.
12:24Though they're all doing the same combination in perfect unison, each dancer is trying desperately
12:29to showcase their worth and stand out from the crowd.
12:32We as the audience feel their anxiety and desire to succeed, as well as their passion
12:37for the art.
12:38No change is necessary, this dance is the perfect place to start.
12:47What do you think?
12:48Should these classic dances stay the same or do they need updating?
12:52Let us know in the comments.
13:00Do you agree with our picks?
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