A History of Bob Fosse
Here is another history lesson on the Jazz side of dance!
Bob Fosse, choreographer of Chicago and All that Jazz, (hint hint wink wink Jazz 2/3 people), is considered to be one of the most successful choreographers in history. While this is just a history, I encourage dancers to view his actual choreographic works and share your favorites with me! He was an iconic man and will always be a part of Jazz dance history as a classic for sure. Explore Fosse and other classic jazz works, you have the time and the internet at your disposal! Go forth and…
“Don’t dance for the audience, dance for yourself” -Bob Fosse.
With love and confidence,
Ms. Caitlin xoxo
Bob Fosse
Bob Louis Fosse (June 23, 1927- September 23, 1987) is a director/choreographer who forever changed the way audiences viewed dance on the stage and in the film industry in the late 20th century. Born in Chicago, Illinois, on June 23, 1927, Bob Fosse is known as a choreographer and director of stage and screen musicals. During his career, he created masterpieces such as Cabaret (1972), All That Jazz (1979) and Lenny (1974) and was recognized by Tony and Academy Awards. On September 23, 1987, Bob died of a heart attack in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Fosse showed strong interests in dancing in his early ages. Discovering his remarkable talents in dancing, his parent supported his hobby by sending him to receive formal training. While Bob’s brothers were all playing sports, he was learning ballet. Hard works paid off. When it comes to his time in high school, Fosse was already dancing professionally in local nightclubs. It was there that he was first exposed to the themes of vaudeville and burlesque performance.
Following high school, Bob was enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was assigned to an entertainment unit. After his discharge in 1947, Bob decided not to go back to Chicago, rather, he went to the New York City, where he planned to take on the next step of his career. During his time in NYC, he studied acting while dancing as a team with his first wife, Mary Ann Niles. After several practices in the national tours, Mr. Fosse made his way to the Broadway. In 1953 he appeared briefly in the movie musical called Kiss Me Kate (1953), where his work caught an eye of Broadway director George Abbott and choreographer Jerome Robbins. From here, his career started to take off.
In 1954, Fosse choreographed the show, Pajama Game, which was directed by George Abbott. In this show, Fosse’s style, which is featured by complex moves and imagery drawn from vaudeville, received a huge popularity. Followed by the standing ovation is his first Tony Award for the Best Choreography.
By 1960, Bob Fosse was considered to be one of the most successful choreographers in the history. However, his career didn’t stop there. Despite his reputation, Mr. Fosse still faced oppositions from directors and producers who criticized his work as being too suggestive. With those criticisms, Fosse made a decision to take on the role of a director as well as a choreographer in order to maintain the cohesion of his artistic vision in Hollywood and on Broadway. Following by his dual-role in directing and choreographing, his subsequent musicals included Sweet Charity, Cabaret and Pippin received great success: The 1972 film version of Cabaret won eight Academy Awards; Mr. Fosse won Tony Awards for direction and choreography in his work on Pippin: His Life and Times (1981); He also won an Emmy for his staging of the television variety show Liza with a Z (1972). Those stage musicals and films that Fosse created in the 1960s to 1970s were considered to be ground-breaking because of their common theme: the desire for sexual freedom.
In 1979, Fosse co-wrote and directed a semi-autobiographical film called All That Jazz (1979), which portrayed the life of a womanizing, drug-addicted choreographer-director in the midst of triumph and failure. All That Jazz won four Academy Awards, earning Fosse his third Oscar nomination for Best Director. However, unfortunately, during the process of producing All That Jazz, Fosse was already suffered a heart attack.
On September 23, 1987, Fosse died at George Washington University Hospital from a heart attack, while he was on the sidewalk outside the Willard Hotel as the revival of Sweet Charity was beginning across the street at the nearby National Theatre.
Mr. Fosse led the groundbreaking revolutions in musical shows and films. Shows that Fosse choreographed are long lived in their time and some famous ones such as Chicago is still being performed (Chicago is currently the longest-running musical in theater history). In addition, his films revolutionized the presentation of dance on screen and paved the way for a whole generation of film and video directors. Bob’s works showed dance through the camera lens as no one had done before, foreshadowing the rise of the MTV-era of music video dance.
Fosse was undoubtedly an innovative choreographer. By reviewing his works, it is not hard for one to see the inspirations he received from other artists. By mixing those inspirations and his own passions, Bob established his unique style of expression. With his signature complex dance move and bold ideas of expression, Bob Fosse made unprecedented contributions to the history of theater.
Critical Thinking:
- Why do you think his choreography has stood the test of time? What makes it so iconic?
- Come up with your own signature dance move and share it with Ms. Sonya and Ms. Caitlin. Have fun with it!
- Who are some other famous Jazz choreographers? Do some research for this one.
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