Michelle Dorrance is one of the best tap dancers in the world. There's no other way to put it. I've been fortunate enough to know this incredible woman for the past six years, yet until yesterday I'd never worked with her as a photo subject.
Anyone that knows Michelle can attest to the fact that her energy is boundless, engaging, and infectious. Needless to say, it was a joy to work with her.
A few days ago, while I fought through snot and emotions leading up to my departure to the arctic, I got a phone call from my friend Michelle Dorrance with a very special offer. Last month Michelle became a full time member of "Stomp," and Tuesday afternoon she was merging with my favorite show Rock 'n' Roll "Xanadu" for the 19th Annual Gypsy of the Year Competition. After months of fundraising for Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids, all the shows gather together each year to put on an afternoon of skits, musical numbers, and over dramatic lyrical dances, all in the name of this incredible cause.
I've always watched these events from afar, through photos and accounts of other theater goers on websites, but despite my cold I was ecstatic at the opportunity to sit in the audience. The proceedings were hosted by none other than "Xanadu"'s reining goddesses Mary Testa and Jackie Hoffman, who were hindered by the addition of Bob Sagat. The ladies elicited a barrage of laughter from the audience (mostly industry insiders) while Sagat proceeded to bring things down with his low-brow, and quite frankly, unfunny comedy schtick.
Regardless of Danny Tanner's hindrance of the hosting duties, they were not the reason anyone was there. Several shows (notably "Mamma Mia," "The Ritz," "Legally Blonde," and "The Color Purple") pulled out hilarious (and in the case of "Purple," dramatic) musical numbers spoofing various events in the theater world. Despite their efforts, nothing could even come close to touching the main attraction of the afternoon: a reunion of the surviving members of the original Broadway company of "West Side Story."
Only a day earlier, I had discussed the brilliance of this show with friends of mine, and suddenly there I was watching theater history. To say that it was chill inducing, emotional, mesmerizing, touching, or mind-blowing are all vast understatements. Being the sneaky blogger that I am (and seeing as everyone else around me with cameras noticed that this was an event not to go undocumented) I filmed the "West Side" sequence in its entirety.
Chita Rivera continues to amaze me. The amount of energy and passion she brings to her sections rivals that of the dancers surrounding her who must be almost 50 years younger. (A fun tidbit: the dancer standing directly to Rivera's left during the Mambo section is her daughter.)
Before the show I had the chance to go backstage with Michelle. We waded through a sea of jazz-pants wearing, vocalizing, splitting, and twirling dancers before arriving at none other than Annie Golden. For those of you not aware of Golden, she's a fantastic singer who was discovered at CBGB's in the 70's before going on to star in "Hair," "The Full Monty," and most currently as an understudy in "Xanadu." In addition to those wonderful credits, she did a TV show with my dad years ago while we lived in L.A.
(LOVE IT.)
Michelle introduced me to her, and I had a vague recollection of my dad's association with her, so I figured I would give it a try. The moment I mentioned my father's name, her eyes lit up and she launched into a recollection of his "big beautiful curly hair," and the fact that he was "moving his family to somewhere like Montana." My jaw dropped to the floor as she continued to get a kick out of the bizarre connection. She's such a vivid character and a warm presence that I wanted to spend more time around. In addition to her glorious singing voice (she starts off the "Stompadu" video below) she speaks in a kewpie doll meets 10-packs of cigarettes rasp that is endearing. While I can't quite explain the reasoning behind the Stomp/Xanadu merger, I'm not complaining. Check it out for yourself below.
There are few things as scary for a performer as getting thrown on for a show. We pride ourselves on having ample time to rehearse, getting our lines or movements down until they seem as routine as shaking a hand, and feeling confident in our ability to give the audience the best show possible. Unfortunately, these things rarely add up, and we are often thrown on before we feel ready.
Performers usually equal perfectionists. We always think we could have reviewed the spacing one last time, gone over musicality, or found a better way to transition between any given moments. Unfortunately, we have to make do with the rehearsal time we have and go out and give the best show possible. I’ve seen dancers go on with mere minutes of notice, and I myself have been thrown onto stage in ballets I’ve never even done full run-throughs of.
There’s an exhilaration that comes with these types of performances, and the best we can hope for is to not fall on our faces, get booed or have tomatoes thrown at us. I find that there are really two types of dancers: those who falter under the pressure, and those who thrive under it. Last night when I went to see Michelle Dorrance make her debut in “Stomp,” there was no booing, just shrieks of excitement at what an absolutely incredible job she did.
(Carson, April and Claudia eagerly awaiting the evening.)
Over the past few months, Michelle has been busy leading a double life. She has her career as a world-renowned professional tap dancer and teacher, which finds her touring the globe, and her grueling rehearsals in what I like to call the “Stomp Academy.” From what I understand, there is an intense workshop process for anyone in the final stages of casting for the show. It requires them to learn the intricate types of percussion and body manipulation used in the different sections of the two-hour evening.
I haven’t seen the show since I was a nine year-old boy on my first trip to the city. At that point, it was all I could do to stay awake after a grueling day of pounding the streets of the city. Last night, I was wide awake and gushing with excitement from the moment Michelle crept onstage with her broom until the moment she walked off with her huge orange bin (her role in the show is coincidentally deemed the “Bin Bitch.)
(Michelle explains to all of us the difficulty of working the lighters in the show.)
The show is tailor made for her tomboy intensity. There is a buoyant weight to Michelle’s physicality in person that translates seamlessly to “Stomp.” What surprised me (and also didn’t) the most was that I never felt like I was watching Michelle perform; instead I felt like I was watching her go about her life with a few extra props and some good lighting. I cannot think of a person who is a better fit for the gritty, intricate musicality that this show requires.
It’s not that a person needs to be musical to succeed in “Stomp,” they need to be freakishly so. Instead of the typical drums, taps, or claps used to create rhythms, “Stomp” utilizes sand, matches, lighters, sticks, garbage cans, newspapers, and every body part and noise possible (except for flatulence, thank god) to create street corner symphonies. The amount of control required to manipulate the different props is mind-blowing and Michelle handled them all with ease. Even though it was her first show with the cast, you could tell this is music she’s been making herself for a long time.
(Just a few of the props.)
(Crazy monkey performers plastered on the doors.)
I’m happy to report that it wasn’t just Michelle who made the evening a success, the show itself is in phenomenal shape. The concept of using different props never becomes tired, and the different personalities of the performers are all given their moment in the spotlight. It’s a testament to the power of the performers and the excitement that the material elicits that the audience wasn’t just willing to indulge in a little audience participation, they were eager. At times we were clapping rhythms when it wasn’t even required of us.
Once the show ended, and I realized the bombastically loud drumming had sucked some energy out of me, I made my way home elated from what I had just seen. For some reason, “Stomp” is never a show I’ve recommended before but now I wouldn’t hesitate to send people there in a heartbeat. Even fourteen years after it opened it still seems completely original, and none of the copycat shows that have come since can touch it. Of course, Michelle made the evening so phenomenal for all of us. It was clear what type of performer Michelle is (as if I didn’t know this already) because she thrived last night.
(Two of the whitest people you will ever see.)
(Michelle (and her trademark buns) greeting her fans after the show.)
