The "Chicago" touring production is based on the 1996 Broadway revival, which holds the record for Broadway's longest running production (opening in 1975). The Tony Award-winning musical gained greater popularity due to the box-office and Oscar-winning success of the 2002 film The musical came to be when, after her death in 1969, Watkins left the rights to her play to one Bob Fosse, the theatrical dance legend who would then direct and choreograph the musical version Fosse's celebrated dance style is strongly associated with "Chicago," and the musical features his signature hit, "All That Jazz." "Fosse is very stylized," she continues. "He took all of his bad habits and utilized them to his advantage. He didn't have great placement. For instance, he didn't have clean use of his arms, so he'd detract from that by wearing gloves. He didn't have a strong turn-out in his legs, so he'd turn-in instead. Fosse is best known for his signature jazz style, which features sultry hip rolls, smooth finger snaps, turned-in pigeon toes and specific, detailed movements. Bob Fosse used a variety of unique phrases to describe his signature movements, and many of these terms are still around today. Here, Broadway and Fosse veteran Rachelle Rak shares a few of her favorites to help you prep for your next Fosse class. “Slow burn”: An intense gaze that shifts slowly from one side of the stage to the other or from back to front. See it in Cabaret as Liza Minnelli faces upstage, then slowly turns in her chair to look at the audience before she sings “Mein Herr.” “Broken doll walk”: A pigeon-toed walk downstage. Your elbows are glued to your torso, jazz hands reach out to your sides and your hips swing slightly. See it in “Bye Bye Blackbird” in Fosse as the dancers sing “Here I go, swingin’ low.” “Crescent jump”: A jump in place with one leg in parallel coupé and the other straight. Jazz hands extend high above your head as you reach far to one side, making a “C” with your body. See it in “Sing Sing Sing” in Fosse —the dancers do it over and over again during the climax of the music. “Soft-boiled-egg hand”: A cupped-hand position. Imagine that you’re holding an egg just tight enough to avoid dropping or crushing it. See it in “Bye Bye Blackbird” in Fosse .
The "Chicago" touring production is based on the 1996 Broadway
revival, which holds the record for Broadway's longest running
production (opening in 1975). The Tony Award-winning musical gained
greater popularity due to the box-office and Oscar-winning success
of the 2002 filmThe musical came to be when, after her death in
1969, Watkins left the rights to her play to one Bob Fosse, the
theatrical dance legend who would then direct and choreograph the
musical versionFosse's celebrated dance style is strongly
associated with "Chicago," and the musical features his signature
hit, "All That Jazz."
"Fosse is very stylized," she continues. "He took all of his bad
habits and utilized them to his advantage. He didn't have great
placement. For instance, he didn't have clean use of his arms, so
he'd detract from that by wearing gloves. He didn't have a strong
turn-out in his legs, so he'd turn-in instead.Fosse is best known
for his signature jazz style, which features sultry hip rolls,
smooth finger snaps, turned-in pigeon toes and specific, detailed
movements.Bob Fosse used a variety of unique phrases to describe
his signature movements, and many of these terms are still around
today. Here, Broadway and Fosse veteran Rachelle Rak shares a few
of her favorites to help you prep for your next Fosse class.Slow
burn:An intense gaze that shifts slowly from one side of the stage
to the other or from back to front. See it inCabaretas Liza
Minnelli faces upstage, then slowly turns in her chair to look at
the audience before she sings Mein Herr.Broken doll walk:A
pigeon-toed walk downstage. Your elbows are glued to your torso,
jazz hands reach out to your sides and your hips swing slightly.
See it in Bye Bye Blackbird inFosseas the dancers sing Here I go,
swingin low.Crescent jump:A jump in place with one leg in parallel
coup and the other straight. Jazz hands extend high above your head
as you reach far to one side, making a C with your body. See it in
Sing Sing Sing inFossethe dancers do it over and over again during
the climax of the music.Soft-boiled-egg hand:A cupped-hand
position. Imagine that youre holding an egg just tight enough to
avoid dropping or crushing it. See it in Bye Bye Blackbird
inFosse.
