Katie Marsico - Choreographer

Katie Marsico has written more than 80 books for young readers. She dedicates this book to her dear friends, colleagues, and mentors, Pam and Russ.

George Balanchine (19041983) was born in Russia but became especially well known for his choreography after moving to the United States in the 1930s. He cofounded the famous New York City Ballet in 1948. His work with the company revealed his knowledge of classical dance techniques. He was even more widely recognized for helping to modernize ballet.

Agnes De Mille (19051993) earned fame for her lasting impact on musical theater. She was born in New York City and choreographed productions such as Oklahoma! and Brigadoon. She often used dance to explore characters emotions and identities. To her, choreography was about more than just showing off dancers physical skills. Creating and revising dances was a chance to add to the story as it played out onstage.

Robert Louis Bob Fosse (19271987) worked as an actor, director, screenwriter, and dancer, and was also a famous and respected choreographer. He was born in Chicago, Illinois. Starting in the 1940s, he began a career in jazz performance that lasted nearly four decades. His talent won him praise on Broadway stages and Hollywood film sets. He won eight Tony Awards for choreography. He is perhaps best remembered for choreographing the musicals Chicago and Cabaret.

Twyla Tharp (1941) was born in Portland, Indiana. She is viewed as one of Americas leading female choreographers. She has built a successful career in both stage and film productions. She has worked on musicals, such as Singin in the Rain, and on films, such as Amadeus and Hair. She is skilled at blending a wide variety of dance styles together within a single performance.

auditions (aw-DIH-shuhnz) performances that dancers give in the hopes of winning a part in a production

Broadway (BRAWD-way) a street in New York City that is the center of a world-famous theater district

company (KUHM-puh-nee) an organization of dancers or other performers

freelancers (FREE-lant-suhrz) workers who provide professional services to several employers without having a long-term contract with any of them

modernize (MAH-dur-nyze) to bring something up-to-date

networking (NET-wur-king) communicating within a group in the hopes of creating beneficial professional relationships

productions (pruh-DUHK-shuhnz) plays, dance performances, or other shows that are presented to an audience

rehearsal (ri-HUR-suhl) a practice session that occurs before a performance

reinterpret (re-uhn-TUHR-pruht) tell a story or express a message from a new perspective

stamina (STAH-muh-nuh) lasting strength and energy

studios (STU-dee-ohz) spaces for teaching and practicing dance

techniques (tek-NEEKS) ways of doing something to create different styles of dance

unions (YOON-yuhnz) organizations of employees that bargain with employers for benefits and pay requirements

BOOKS

Joosten, Michael. Dance and Choreography. New York: Rosen Central, 2010.

Murphy, Liz. A Dictionary of Dance. Maplewood, NJ: Blue Apple Books, 2007.

Reeves, Diane Lindsey, and Lindsey Clasen. Career Ideas for Kids Who Like Music and Dance. New York: Checkmark Books, 2007.

WEB SITES

Acia Gray

www.aciagray.com

Visit this Web page for a closer look at choreographer Acia Grays life and career.

United States Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor StatisticsDancers and Choreographers

www.bls.gov/oco/ocos094.htm

Check out this site for fast facts and stats about careers in dance and choreography.

Emerson and her friends took a break on the stage of their school auditorium. A local shoe store was filming a commercial there. Because the store sold dance shoes, the owners decided to put dancers in the commercial. Emerson and a few of her classmates took lessons through the schools tap dance program. They got to be the stars!

Emerson was excited to be in the commercial. She was also excited to work with a professional choreographer named Mr. Allen. He showed Emerson and the other dancers what to do in front of the cameras. He taught them a simple routine and showed them how to move on the stage. Mr. Allen also explained changes to the dance steps when the director decided to make the commercial shorter.

Emerson thought about what an amazing job Mr. Allen had. He used to be a professional dancer. Then he became a choreographer and created dances for other people to perform. His work helped Emerson shine during her first television commercial. It also made her think about becoming a choreographer herself!

Like Mr. Allen, some choreographers spend their time on commercial sets. Others oversee auditions and create dance moves for television shows, movies, and stage productions. Some choreographers teach at schools that train professional dancers.

Choreographers develop new dances or reinterpret traditional ones. Choreographer Acia Gray is the cofounder and artistic director of the Tapestry Dance Company in Austin, Texas. The company specializes in jazz, tap, and modern dance. She is also the president of the International Tap Association. Gray believes that her job is a lot like writing.

LEARNING & INNOVATION SKILLS

When people think of choreographers, they often imagine men and women who work on theater sets or in dance studios. But not all choreographers direct dancers. Some work with martial artists and actors to create fight scenes in movies. Others work with models in fashion shows. Choreographers also work on other things besides movement. Sometimes they work on costume design and lighting. They might also choose the music or sound effects for a production.

The choreographer is the artist telling a story through the language of dance, Gray explains. Dancers... are the living words of the story. Some choreographers write their stories before they get to rehearsal and then teach the steps.

I like to wait and create on the dancers themselves. Their unique personalities, styles, and even the music theyre dancing to can have a [powerful] effect on how I write that day.

Are you ready to discover more about how choreographers spend their days?