By Laura Di Orio.

Ashley Carter probably chose the name DoubleTake for a reason. At first glance, it’s another dance company. Looking deeper into it, though, DoubleTake (DT) Dance Company is a rare fusion of different dancers and genres of dance, with each work being completely different from the next and each with a strong message. The company’s repertory includes works that are tango, theater, jazz, contemporary, tap and neoclassical, a range that may be standard for large companies but less prevalent among smaller dance companies.

Co-directors Carter and Vanessa Martinez de Baños built New York City-based DT from scratch when Martinez de Baños saw something in Carter and encouraged her to start teaching and choreographing. From there, other companies began to ask Carter to choreograph on them, and after a while she just started submitting work under her own name and came to find she was getting a good response.

DT as a company and name was born in 2010 and since then has continued to grow. The company performed at NYC’s SummerStage last year and continuously performs throughout NYC festivals and venues, and has even performed in Madrid. Carter and Martinez de Baños only hope that their joint hard work can take them further.

“I never really planned to have my own company,” Carter says. “It’s something I sort of fell into. And I’m really glad I didn’t try to do it alone. It’s hard enough with two of us!”

Carter and Martinez de Baños come from entirely different dance backgrounds. Carter, primarily New York-trained, has performed with companies and artists ranging from Pilobolus to Nicki Minaj. She enjoys doing artistic company work but has also had the chance to dance in music videos, commercials and industrials for brands such as Nike, Lush, Microsoft and Nokia. Carter has also taught at such renowned dance studios as Broadway Dance Center, Steps, Ballet Arts and Lines, and for the past few years has successfully maintained her own contemporary jazz class at Peridance. As a choreographer, Carter has created work for a FuseTV commercial incorporating pop and breakdance and also for a sci-fi movie that required modern and contemporary.

DoubleTake Dance Company dancers, including co-directors Vanessa Martinez de Baños (center) and Ashley Carter (right), in performance. Photo by Stephanie Crousillat.

“It’s the huge range of work that prevents me from ever getting bored and it challenges me every day,” Carter says. “The variety is something that I also try to bring to DoubleTake Dance.”

Martinez de Baños, on the other hand, was born in Madrid, Spain, and began her career as an actress, which led into musical theatre and then a love for dance. She moved to NYC after receiving a scholarship from the Spanish Ministry of Culture. Martinez de Baños has danced for many choreographers, including Guillem Alonso, Lynn Schwab and Ryan Beck, and has choreographed for musical theatre and contemporary companies. She has also taught master classes both nationally and internationally.

Like Carter, Martinez de Baños strives to continue to learn and push herself further. “I’m passionate about my job and nourish every opportunity that comes my way,” she says. “I try to do as much as I can, which makes me versatile and stops me from ever getting bored.”

The variety of Carter and Martinez de Baños’ background has clearly fueled the direction of DT. The repertory has a wide range, and the company’s dancers, although all athletic, technical and musical, tend to be very different in terms of their strengths, body type and dance background.

“One of our main goals as a company is to create each new piece of work to be as different as possible from the rest of our rep,” Carter says. “We also try to use different ideas for props or costumes or influences to make the pieces meaningful.”

Last summer at SummerStage, DT premiered a piece that Carter calls an “experiment,” where they fused sign language with contemporary dance and used those movements to tell the story of how it feels to be an outsider. The company’s latest piece, Shirt Off My Back, is a work that utilizes the company’s technical strength and floor work to express homelessness and how the community of relatively “privileged” people responds and reacts to it. Carter and Martinez de Baños even gave their dancers a “homework assignment” – food to hand out to people in need as they came across them on their daily commutes. Carter says this was to “both help out and help our dancers understand the emotional connection to the story.”

DoubleTake Dance co-director Vanessa Martinez de Baños. Photo by Olivia Alvarez.

This broad spectrum of repertory not only makes DT unique as a small company, but it also helps set them apart in a place like NYC, where there is a sea of dance companies.

Remaining afloat in NYC remains to be difficult for almost any small dance company, but Carter and Martinez de Baños keep their standards high and the dancers’ priorities up front.

“Being able to always pay our dancers is challenging,” Martinez de Baños explains. “In a business where the new trend is to pay to perform instead of the opposite, it’s hard to stay afloat and do the right thing. We believe in the art, we believe in our dancers and respect their time and talent, therefore we always compensate them. We never pay to perform, unless renting a theater, and we don’t perform or rehearse in places that are not appropriate for dance.”

Carter adds to that list of challenges: the scheduling, and the technical, administrative, financial and logistical details.

Still, however, amidst these stresses there are rewards. “Watching our finished products is always rewarding,” Martinez de Baños says. “And seeing how our audience is moved, especially when they aren’t dancers. SummerStage is an example. When you see that hundreds of people decide to stay and watch despite a violent thunderstorm approaching, you know you must be doing something right.”

Next up for DT is a split-bill showing on April 19 at NYC’s Secret Theatre, where the company will present 40 minutes of rep. Further down the road, Carter says she hopes DT will continue doing what they’re doing, but bigger and better.

Martinez de Baños agrees. “We hope to get more people to know and fund us,” she says. “We have some projects in mind that can’t be accomplished without funds, so hopefully one day… And maybe have a place and not have to pay rental space. We would love to offer free classes to our dancers.”

For more information on DoubleTake Dance or to show support to their next venture, head to www.doubletakedanceco.com.

Photo (top): DoubleTake Dance in performance. Photo by Maverick Sean Photography.

By Deborah Searle.

Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz’s PIPPIN is back on Broadway for the first time since it first thrilled audiences 40 years ago! Previews began on March 23, with opening night scheduled for April 25 at the Music Box Theatre on West 45^th Street in New York City. Produced by Barry and Fran Weissler and Howard and Janet Kagan, and directed by Diane Paulus, PIPPIN is sure to enchant audiences.

A beloved coming of age musical, PIPPIN is noted for many Broadway standards including “Corner of the Sky,” “Magic To Do,” “Glory,” “No Time at All,” “Morning Glow,” and “Love Song.” In the story, royal heir Pippin is spurred on by a mysterious group of performers to embark on a death-defying journey to find his “corner of the sky.” Will he choose a happy but simple life? Or will he risk everything for a singular flash of glory?

The original production of PIPPIN, directed by none other than Bob Fosse, premiered on Broadway in 1972. It won five Tony Awards and five Drama Desk Awards, and ran for close to 2,000 performances before closing in 1977. This production of PIPPIN made its debut at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA, where Diane Paulus served as Artistic Director from December 5, 2012 to January 20 of this year.

The show will include circus creations by Gypsy Snider of the jaw-dropping Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main (also known as “7 Fingers”) and choreography by the talented Chet Walker.

“The choreography is based in the Fosse Style,” explains Chet Walker, who was in PIPPIN’s original Broadway company. “I have used my years of working with Mr. Fosse to choreograph this new production.”

The cast, all of whom appeared in the premiere of Diane Paulus’s production of PIPPIN at American Repertory Theater, features Matthew James Thomas as Pippin, Tony and Olivier Award-nominee Patina Miller as Leading Player, Tony Award-nominee Terrence Mann as Charles, Tony Award-nominee Charlotte d’Amboise as Fastrada, Rachel Bay Jones as Catherine and Tony Award-winner Andrea Martin as Berthe.

Other members of the company include Erik Altemus as Lewis, as well as Gregory Arsenal, Andrew Cekala, Lolita Costet, Colin Cunliffe, Andrew Fitch, Orion Griffiths, Viktoria Grimmy, Olga Karmansky, Bethany Moore, Brad Musgrove, Stephanie Pope, Philip Rosenberg, Yannick Thomas, Molly Tynes and Anthony Wayne.

The design team includes Tony Award-winner Scott Pask (Scenic Design), Dominique Lemieux (Costume Design), Tony Award-winner Kenneth Posner (Lighting Design) and Tony Award-winner Clive Goodwin (Sound Design). The orchestrations are by Tony Award-winner Larry Hochman with music supervision by Nadia Di Giallonardo, and music direction by Charlie Alterman.

So what can audiences expect from this production of the classic? “We have combined an element of circus to this production,” says Walker excitedly. “The show has not been seen in Broadway for over 35 years. I think a new generation will have the chance to see PIPPIN as a new show!”

“I think the story, the character and the amazing songs, wrapped with a circus filled with magic, dance and acrobatic elements, makes it an amazing production.”

Tickets for PIPPIN are available through www.telecharge.com/pippin, by calling 212-239-6200, and in-person at the Music Box Theatre Box Office, located at 239 West 45^th Street. Tickets range in price from $59 to $142. For more information, visit www.PippinTheMusical.com.

Photo (top): From left, Anthony Wayne, Patina Miller and Andrew Fitch performing in PIPPIN at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA. Photo by Michael J. Lutch.

The Fox Theatre, Atlanta
February 5, 2013

By Deborah Searle.

After a not so successful season in London in 2010, Flashdance the musical has been reworked and now has a second chance to wow audiences in a US tour before hitting Broadway later in the year.

A stage version of the 80s cult classic movie, Flashdance tells the story of “Alex”, a steel worker by day and club dancer by night who dreams of being a trained, professional dancer. With a story all about dance, it’s no wonder there are many dance scenes, which was great for this dance lover.

The slogan for the musical is “One girl, one dream, one chance”, but the musical is really about a group of characters and their dreams and aspirations, and it took a huge team to create and successfully get this musical back to the stage. A colorful 80s explosion, Flashdance effectively took us back to the era of leg warmers, MTV music videos, and musical hits like “Maniac” with fitting choreography, sets and costumes.

With everything from ballet, jazz and hip-hop, to even break dance and pole, Flashdance features a wonderfully talented ensemble of versatile dancers.  The strength of the dance component was the large ensemble numbers where the dancers were all very neat and committed to every step, oozing 80s pizazz. Sometimes the 80s feel seemed a little forced, but the dancers gave a lot of energy and life to the steps. Many of the dancers probably don’t even remember the 80s! The ballet scenes were also a strong point of the production.

Emily Padgett as ‘Alex’ with the dancers of ‘Flashdance The Musical’. Photo by Kyle Froman

Some of the solo jazz dance numbers by the lead cast left me a little disappointed, however, with bent legs in an aerial cartwheel, a lack of turnout and extension when needed, and hops in pirouette.  That said, the lead performers, led by Emily Padgett as ‘Alex’, were all very talented actors and singers. Emily Padgett has a stunning voice and was a joy to listen to. She was very believable as the young, sassy ‘Alex’.

A few scenes were dissatisfying. The iconic, sexy scene where Alex sits on a chair and pulls a chain to shower herself with water, felt rushed and like it was just squashed into the program right before intermission. I was disappointed that this very memorable scene didn’t have more build up or resonance. Sadly, the pivotal final audition scene where Alex dances a jazz number for a panel of judges was poorly staged. The judges were on the side of the stage and Alex danced facing them, instead of facing us in the audience. This made it harder for us to feel engaged by her performance and left the dance number feeling a little flat.

The music is infectious and a feast of 80s classics like “Maniac”, “Manhunt”, “I Like Rock and Roll” and the movie title song “Flashdance- What a Feeling”, and the show is really quite fun and entertaining. Unfortunately though, I wasn’t blown away. I heard mixed reviews from the audience, but I was happy to hear people saying “I want to go dancing now”, as they left the theater. If Flashdance can inspire people to dance, then it’s definitely achieved something that we dancers can’t complain about.

Photo: Emily Padgett as Alex in Flashdance The Musical. Photo by Kyle Froman.

By Deborah Searle.

NYC based dancer and choreographer Joshua Bergasse has risen to fame for his work on the NBC hit Smash which follows the development of a new Broadway musical, Bombshell. Recently receiving the 2012 Emmy for Outstanding Choreography, Bergasse has a long list of dance and choreographic achievements and is a sought after theater dance teacher. With season two of Smash ready to air on NBC this February, Josh spoke with Dance Informa about the success of the show and what we can expect from season two.

Produced by none other than Steven Spielberg, Josh knew that Smash would be a success right from the beginning. “I knew that I was joining something very special when I was brought on board with the names involved including Spielberg, the cast, and the backing of the network”, Josh shared. “I was excited about it. I hoped that it was going to be a big hit.”

Even with such a supportive team, the creation of such a show has been a challenge for Josh. “My biggest challenge on Smash is the schedule because we’re not like any other TV show. It’s different because we are shooting twelve hours a day and the same people that are filming also have to find time to record music, and go to dance rehearsal. It’s hard trying to find the time for dance rehearsal in-between their shooting scenes, and then they have to record the music, go to makeup and hair, and then do all the other things involved in show.”

A scene from season one of ‘Smash’, as seen on NBC.

The cast of such a drama is filled with triple threats who can sing, act and dance up a storm, but what about the star Katharine McPhee who was runner-up on the fifth season of American Idol? Known much more for her singing than her dancing, Josh explained that “people didn’t know that she had a dance background, so she surprised a lot of people. Kat studied dance when she was a kid, she grew up studying dance. For her it was kind of like riding a bike, you just hop back on. I think at the beginning of the season she was a little nervous about it, but as we went on she really got comfortable with it again.”

So what was it like to work with McPhee? “It’s really great to work with her,” shared Josh. “She has a great dance vocabulary and she’s kind of game for anything.”

Happy with the huge success of the show and the creative license given to him, Josh said “it’s been a really fun ride!” With much dictated by the writers, Josh does get some freedom choreographically within the boundaries of the script. “What I’m doing is really dictated by what happens in the story and the music, but I’m kind of free to do what I prefer to do choreographically.”

With a theater background, Josh never expected to be working in television. “If anybody said to me a few years ago that I’d be working on a TV show as the choreographer, I would have laughed. It really is a dream come true.” But Josh hasn’t found the transition from stage to camera too difficult.  “As the choreographer of Smash most of my assignment is about me choreographing a number that could take place on stage. Normally we shoot our numbers on what would be a Broadway stage. Then once we start shooting we find different angles and the camera just adds another dimension.” Some pieces are much more difficult though. “There are other numbers we do that require some special effects or a lot of stops and starts and it’s only after the editing that you really see the whole thing through,” Josh explained. “When you have it in parts with different stops and starts it’s hard to keep track of everything and remember exactly what you have, where you left off, and where you have to begin the next shot.”

A scene from season one of ‘Smash’, as seen on NBC.

With much of the show directly transferable to the stage there have been rumors about Bombshell actually becoming a Broadway hit. “There was a lot of talk of that in the beginning and it’s a great idea, but I think right now everybody is just really focused on the TV show because it’s so all-consuming. If you watch the TV show you see how much work there is in creating a Broadway show, so there’s no way that this team would be able to do both at the same time. I think you’d have to bring in a whole new team to do that, or give us a nice long break”, Josh laughed. “I would love to see it and I would love to be a part of it.”

With season two set to start airing on February 5, Smash fans are eager to view the new chapter. “We’re going to do eighteen episodes this season, which is three more than last season”, shared Josh. So what can we expect to see in these eighteen episodes? “In the second season you can expect the trajectory of two shows: Bombshell and another new show. So instead of following one you’re following two shows,” Josh divulged. “And you can expect more great guest stars including Jennifer Hudson and Harvey Fierstein.”  Season two is set to please. “I think we’re trying to stay surprising people”, said Josh. “We’re trying to change things up a little so it’s not just the same thing we did last season and we’re trying to kind of push the bar with our musical numbers.”

Winning an Emmy for his choreography for season one was the icing on the cake for Josh who cites Smash as his “absolute career highlight.” We look forward to seeing Josh’s work in season two of Smash.

Top photo by Lee Cherry. Photos courtesy of Bang PR.

How much do you know about jazz dance icon Bob Fosse?

By Rain Francis.

1. Which of the following characters would you NOT find in Chicago?

a) Mary Sunshine
b) Roxy Hart
c) Lilli Vanessi
d) Billy Flynn

2. In the 1972 film Cabaret, Sally Bowles is a performer at what club?

a) The Kitten Klub
b) The Kit Kat Klub
c) The Top Kat Klub
d) Top Hats ‘n’ Kats

3. The 1953 film Kiss Me Kate was inspired by which Shakespeare play?

a) Romeo and Juliet
b) The Taming of the Shrew
c) Much Ado About Nothing
d) Othello

4. The video for Beyonce’s Single Ladies was inspired by what Bob Fosse number?

a) All That Jazz
b) I Gotcha
c) Mexican Breakfast
d) Bye Bye Blackbird

5. Rich Man’s Frug is a number from which Fosse film and stage show?

a) Sweet Charity
b) Pippin
c) The Pajama Game
d) Damn Yankees

6. In the semi-autobiographical All That Jazz, who plays the elder “Joe Gideon”, the character based on Bob Fosse?

a) William Shatner
b) Michael York
c) David Hasselhoff
d) Roy Scheider

7. As a Choreographer and Director, Fosse won nine Tony Awards and one Academy Award. What film was the Oscar for?

a) Cabaret
b) The Little Prince
c) Lenny
d) Kiss Me Kate

8. In the 1969 film Sweet Charity, who played Charity Hope Valentine?

a) Gwen Verdon
b) Shirley MacLaine
c) Liza Minnelli
d) Ann Reinking

9. Which of the following is NOT a number in The Pajama Game?

a) Steam Heat
b) Hernando’s Hideaway
c) Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo
d) Small Talk

10. What moniker is given to Amos Hart in Chicago?

a) Fred Casely
b) Mister Cellophane
c) Pal Joey
d) Mr. Applegate

Answers:
1 – c; 2 – b; 3 – b; 4 – c; 5 – a; 6 – d; 7 – a 8 – b; 9 – c; 10 – b

Top photo: The Female Ensemble in Australia’s Chicago. Photo by Jeff Busby, 2009.

Published by Dance Informa digital dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events for the professional dancer, dance teacher and dance students.

By Laura Di Orio.

Dance and Broadway fans have a lot to look forward to this year with the new NBC musical drama, Smash. With an all-star cast, exciting choreography and Steven Spielberg behind it all, this newest show to hit the dance television craze is sure to be a … well, smash.

Smash, which premieres on February 6 and will air every Monday at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, tells the story of producing a Broadway musical – the ups and downs, the casting issues and real-life drama that threatens to hinder its progress. Debra Messing and Christian Borle play Julia and Tom, a successful songwriting duo, who hope to freshen up the Broadway scene and create a new musical based on Marilyn Monroe. Angelica Huston plays the musical’s producer, and other big stars like Uma Thurman and Bernadette Peters will make appearances throughout the series.

Much of Smash revolves around the decision of who to cast as the voluptuous, talented Monroe. Will it be Ivy Lynn, already a seasoned Broadway performer, or will it be Karen Cartwright (played by Katharine McPhee of American Idol fame), a small town girl with big dreams? Throughout the season, decisions will waver and scandals will ensue to ensure the right girl gets the part.

As if the theater drama wasn’t enough for the characters, issues in life outside – an adoption and a potential divorce, just to name a few – make things even more difficult. But, like in life, the show must go on, and Smash’s Monroe musical must fight its way through opening night, when it’s up to the audience to determine its success.

Cast of Smash in rehearsal. Photo by Will Hart/NBC

The team behind Smash is a strong one – many with a Broadway past – and everyone is attached to the idea of making the show as realistic as possible. Spielberg will team with Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, both adept in Broadway shows and musical-inspired movies (they produced Chicago and Hairspray), as Smash’s executive producers. Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, songwriters from Hairspray, will write Smash’s catchy tunes.

Josh Bergasse, a NYC-based choreographer and faculty member at Broadway Dance Center, is the show’s lead choreographer for season one. Bergasse himself has danced on Broadway in Hairspray and The Life, and also on tour in Movin’ Out and West Side Story. With Bergasse in reign of the moves, Smash’s numbers will be exciting and athletic.

Already there is a strong online community for Smash’s fans, who have begun to proclaim themselves as ‘Team Ivy’ or ‘Team Karen’. NBC’s website has tons of photos and behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast, and the show has its own facebook and twitter page with more special features and episode information. Many of Smash’s songs will also be available for sale on iTunes each week.

When the show starts airing in a few day’s time, tell us what you think by posting your comments below.

Top photo: Megan Hilty as ‘Ivy Lynn’ in Smash. Photo by Will Hart/NBC

The opening number “The Circle of Life” from THE LION KING Las Vegas. ©2009, Disney. Photo Joan Marcus.

By Deborah Searle.

The Lion King
Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
August 1^st 2009

The Lion King is a powerful and emotional production showcasing world class music, staging, costuming and dance. The Broadway phenomenon celebrated its Las Vegas premiere at the Mandalay Bay Theatre in May. A beautiful hotel and theatre, it is a spectacular home for a very special production.

The Lion King is vibrant and stunning with bright African costumes and amazing animal suits. There is a Disney cartoon feel with a sprinkle of that famous Disney magic. Clever costuming, make up, masks and headdresses give each performer the look of their animated movie character, but with a more puppet-like twist. This puppet-look is unique and ingenious. The use of shadow puppets, large puppet lions, birds, zebras, massive elephants and even a bicycle of gazelle is exquisite. The way every animal moves is fascinating and very realistic.

The Lion King is not just a show, but an experience. Radiantly colorful birds fill the sky, and African dancers and animals of every kind move through the aisles and onto the stage. ‘The Circle of Life’ scene, complete with a moving baby lion puppet and Pride Rock corkscrewing out of the stage, is magnificent. It is so real and magical that it brought a tear to my eye. I felt like I was indeed in the African desert experiencing a glorious moment in the animal kingdom.

The vocals are just incredible. The familiar film songs of Elton John join with some new numbers written specifically for the stage show, fused with African rhythms and harmonies. Adult ‘Nala’, played by Kissy Simmons is simply breathtaking. Her powerful African voice sent shivers down my spine. Every cast member, including young ‘Simba’ and ‘Nala’ display beautiful vocals and are commitment to every note and every move.  The large company of very talented, mostly African-American performers is accompanied by a wonderful pit orchestra who add unique African sounds to the music, working with two percussionists on either side of the stage, in full view, that play drums and shakers.

“Lionesses Dance” in THE LION KING Las Vegas. ©2009, Disney. Photo Joan Marcus.

Choreographer Garth Fagan’s work is amazing.  Choreographing a musical where almost every character is an animal must have been no small feat, but the dancing he created is powerful and strong.  The lionesses pounce, prow and move with precision and technique.  Every animal moves convincingly and beautifully, with many displaying very technical dance movements with ease and a fun exuberance. There are many African style high kicks with energy that just oozes from the stage. A dancing scene of hyenas is a treat as the strong male cast take command of the stage with impressive jumps, pirouettes and kicks.

The show is cleverly staged. We enjoy sunrises, beautiful desert skies, the shifting light of dusk, and a magnificent night sky, complete with a vision of ‘Mufasa’ in the stars. Grass grows and moves across the stage, trees overhang, forest plants dance, and layers of wildebeest run towards the audience in a magnificent stampede scene. The stampede scene is just brilliant! You have to see it to believe it.

Although both young ‘Simba’ and ‘Nala’ are incredibly cute and ‘Timon’ and ‘Pumbaa’ are very humorous, my favourite character is that of ‘Rafiki’, played by South African native Buyi Zama. The recipient of a Helpmann Award for her role in the musical, she staggers around the stage making amazing African noises and belting out beautiful melodies. Once a back up artist for Whitney Houston, her pure African voice is just stunning and her character is quirky and loveable.

For those who love the animated film, The Lion King musical takes the story to another level, adding the magic that only the theatre can bring.  No wonder The Lion King is such a stage success that the show at Mandalay Bay joins seven other companies of the production currently running all over the world. Director and Creator Julie Taymor is a genius!

Very top photo: Buyi Zama as “Rafiki” in the opening number “The Circle of Life” from THE LION KING Las Vegas.  ©2009, Disney.  Photo Credit:  Joan Marcus.