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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