Ella Mitchell
Photography Editor
A group of Sewanee students got a taste of Broadway when they had the opportunity to participate in a workshop with Chicago’s assistant choreographer, Greg Butler.
The Sewanee Department of Theatre and Dance hosted a Fosse Dance Workshop and Public Demonstration with Greg Butler on Friday, Jan. 19. Butler is the associate choreographer for the musical Chicago. According to the website for Chicago the Musical, it is the longest-running American musical in Broadway history.
The Fosse style of dance was created by Oscar, Emmy, and Tony-winning choreographer Bob Fosse. Many Broadway shows use Fosse dance, tracing back to the 1950s. Greg Butler developed his proficiency with the Fosse style by working with choreographers trained by Bob Fosse throughout his career; most notably, Butler mentioned his work with Anne Reinking, who won a Tony for her choreography in Chicago as the quixotic and violent Roxie Hart.
During the Public Demonstration portion of the evening, Butler spent an hour discussing his outstanding career and what it was like to work with theater celebrities. A demonstration took place in which Butler taught Olivia Millwood (C ‘24) classic Fosse dance moves.
Photo courtesy of ?
After the demonstration, a group of students participating in the workshop stayed behind to learn the opening choreography from Chicago’s iconic number entitled “All That Jazz.” Butler spent time doing improvisational warm-up exercises, which allowed students to connect with each other and feel comfortable performing in front of the others in the group. Then, Butler taught several classic Fosse steps that could be used in an improvisational portion of the choreography he was teaching. Butler conducted his class so professionally that it felt as if this group of Sewanee theater and dance students were the next ensemble cast of Chicago!
Participant Victoria Ryan (C ‘26) said of her experience, “As someone who loves musical theater but doesn’t consider herself a dancer, the Fosse Workshop was challenging but also inspiring and fun! Gregory Butler brought such positive energy into the space and encouraged everyone who showed up. He also broke down the deceivingly simple movements associated with Fosse in a way that made it easy to understand, regardless of skill level. By the end of the masterclass, I, along with everyone there, felt so empowered and grateful for being able to participate in this wonderful experience on the Sewanee campus.”
It’s safe to say that Sewanee students are very grateful for the unique experience that Sewanee Theatre and Dance worked hard to make happen!