And all that jazz...

Robert Louis Fosse, known best as Bob Fosse, was one of the most influential choreographers of his time. Not to mention directors, dancers, actors, or artists. His unique style of dancing contradicted everything that was accepted in the traditional techniques of dance. Even the avant garde styles of Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey and Jose Limon didn't push the boundaries like Fosse did. His unapologetic sexuality mixed with his meticulous simplicity formed a style of dance that would go on to define the most widely known genre of dance: jazz.

His style is so easily recognizable that you probably wouldn't even know that you recognized it. Bob Fosse was able to take the most elementary movements and manipulate them so that he created something new. What Andy Warhol did for Campbell's soup, Bob Fosse did for your fingers; the man invented jazz hands! And that is likely the least of his accomplishments. The most amazing thing about him is how closely his artwork reflected his own personality. Saying he led a sexually promiscuous life-style is more than an understatement. He was horribly a insecure person, a complete perfectionist, always paranoid. What is most admirable about him though was his stubbornness. He refused to let anyone or anything limit him. He often quoted as saying, "I thank God I wasn't born perfect." And he had good reason to. He was embarassed by his premature balding, so he often wore hats. As a result his most famous pieces would be lost without his signature bowler caps. He wanted to hide his liver-spots from aging (he was also obsessed with dying young - as all the males in his family did), so he always wore gloves while performing, and his dancers followed suit. He had naturally poor posture and weak turnout, so instead of dancing with tall open lines, he sank down and choreographed dancers to be hunched and turned in. And most famously, he was a chain smoker. All of his dances could be done - if the dancer was skilled enough - without having to put your butt down. In "Rich Man's Frug" dancers actually smoke on stage!


There's a story (told by Ben Vereen in an interview with PBS) that he once was fed up with his dancers not getting a particular routine, so he got up to show them. He danced the entire combination without dropping a single ash off then end of his cigarette. That's grace.
Despite his faults, which were many, he managed to embrace his vices and turn them into his trademarks.


If your interested, or want to read more, check out this.

Rich Man's Frug


"Bye, Bye, Blackbird"

"It's showtime, folks!"