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Broadway historian Patrick Niedo defines the genre of the musical as such: “A theatrical piece set to music, with songs that advance the narrative, describe actions, or reveal the psychology, thoughts, or quests of a character during soliloquies or ‘internal monologues.’ This form of theater freely combines music, singing, spoken dialogue, and dance; the musical is a total art form characterized by the fact that all of its aspects (words, movements, music, etc.) unite to communicate to the spectator both the story itself and its emotional content.”
Discussions of the musical as a genre cannot fail to include Broadway. Though this art form is now present on stages across the globe, its history is deeply intertwined with the theatrical history of the United States. Emerging at the turn of the 20th century, the musical finds its lineage in opera, comedy ballet, opera buffa, and operetta, heavily influenced by American genres. Indeed, genres such as variety (combinations of disparate, independent acts) proliferated in saloons alongside vaudeville, a style that peaked in the 1920’s. Post-World War I, Broadway productions were marked by a buoyant optimism tied to the period of economic growth, underscored by jazz notes and, later, cinematic productions.
Just as singing transcends the prosaic nature of dialogue, dance elevates bodily movements, enhancing the emotional impact and narrative. Consider, for instance, La La Land (2016): the meeting and initiation of the love story between the main characters is depicted without dialogue but rather a charming tap-dance duet. However, it’s essential to differentiate between the presence of dance in a musical due to the narrative (for example: if the protagonists are at a ball, they dance) and dance as an independent mode of expression, as seen in numerous musicals such as A Chorus Line (1975), 42nd Street (1980), and Hamilton (2004), to name a few.
Dance in musicals ceaselessly evolves, adapting to different eras, each time offering a fresh opportunity to magnify the spectacle. Its various influences harken back to minstrel shows and blackface, and later to tap dance. For a long while, the bulk of the dancing in American musicals was relegated to female ensemble members, as in The Black Crook (1866), in which Thomas Wheatley, a Broadway theater director, hired a Parisian ballet troupe. Dance was primarily incorporated for aesthetic purposes. With John D’Auban, a former British dancer, dance began to transcend this role to adapt to characters and plots in the early 19th century. The role of dance in musicals continued to be defined and shaped according to choreographers and different dance styles.
George Balanchine, for example, a major figure in (neo)classical ballet, continued Wheatley’s trajectory and elevated classical dance to another level: dance sequences serve to unfold the plot and are truly woven into the overall fabric of the musical, as in the Princess Zenobia Ballet and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue ballet in On Your Toes by Richard Rodgers (1936).
Another notable figure in musical theater dance is choreographer Agnes de Mille, particularly in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! (1943). While this show heralded a new era for musical theater in many respects, one of its most influential innovations was the use of dance as a narrative tool, joining songs and script to endow the show with a new potency.
Other choreographers also mark aesthetic turning points in the genre. Jerome Robbins, convinced of dance’s power to tell stories, exemplifies this. A director and choreographer, his stagecraft genius and ability to bring bodies and narratives to life are evident in Fiddler on the Roof (1964) and the renowned West Side Story (1957) by Arthur Laurents, with music by Leonard Bernstein. In the latter, during the dance scene in the gym, the hatred between the two gangs is depicted in a sort of “dance-off,” where the rivalry is conveyed through stunning choreographic confrontations and dance competitions. Jerome Robbins elaborated on Agnes de Mille’s work and made West Side Story a true choreographic spectacle where dance holds equal footing with music and script. He inspired another major figure in musical theater: Bob Fosse. A product of classical dance, acrobatics, and nightclub performances, Fosse revolutionized musicals with his unique dance style (including frequent use of props, characteristic movements, and provocative steps), preferring darker, more introspective plots, and his choreographed Hollywood musicals are now considered masterpieces of the genre. He created dances for The Pajama Game (1956) and Damn Yankees (1957) for George Abbott; as a director and choreographer, he helmed memorable films like Sweet Charity (1968) and Chicago (1975).
Musicals have also found success off the stage, in film. Noteworthy performers like Cyd Charisse, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, and Gene Kelly brought the energy of musicals to the silver screen. This medium introduces a new element: the camera. With close-ups, long shots, and rhythm, the camera becomes a tool for highlighting narration, feelings, and action. In Singing in the Rain (1952), during the scene of the eponymous song performed by Gene Kelly, the camera—albeit somewhat timidly—tracks the dancer’s movements and features close-ups of Don Lockwood’s smile. The dance, a cheerful tap routine, perfectly conveys Don’s happiness, with open-chest movements, arm stretches, tap sounds, and the character’s joyful, playful performance.
The musical is a continually evolving art form. Disney has adapted its most famous cartoons into musicals (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King…), film adaptations of musicals continue to flourish (Chicago, The Phantom of the Opera, Nine), and musicals based on songs from popular artists’ albums have been created (Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia!, We Will Rock You). And dance follows this constant metamorphosis, incorporating different styles, diverse energies, and varied imaginations to consistently engage its audience, touch them, and transport them into a realm of dreams.
