Bob Fosse Analysis

BOB FOSSE’ STYLE REVOLUTIONIZED THE WORLD OF JAZZ

The subversive and prodigious choreographer Bob Fosse had a style that not only astonished the American dance scene of the time but sent shockwaves across the globe. He pioneered a progressive technique that changed the music theatre scene indefinitely, which led to the birth of Broadway burlesque. Fosse’s style incorporates sharp agile movements that display the body in a way that shows off rather than disguises. The dance community was immediately sceptical of his approach but began to grasp the fact that Fosse’s technique could one day be popular amongst the dance society. Fosse’s roots in childhood formal dance training provided the framework of his career which helped land him jobs in local nightclubs and later Broadway musicals. Being the only male at his dance school had some effect on him but he learnt to get on with life, “I got a lot of jokes and got whistled at a lot. But I beat up a couple of the whistlers and the rest sort of tapered off after a while.” After years of hard labour and long hours Bob Fosse has had a lasting effect on the world. Bob Fosse’s style revolutionized the world of jazz.

‘Cabaret’ is a high profile movie that was directed by Bob Fosse in 1972. This musical has many world famous pieces such

The dancers stand at the ballroom rail where they are statured in abstract and carnal positions. The girls perform the piece commenting on their audience and one man in particular as ‘big spenders’. The choreography is sharp but includes an element of snake-like shadiness as the dancer’s motive becomes more defined. The piece is filmed from the audience’s perspective, creating a feeling as if the dance is directed at the viewer of the movie. The musicality of this dance and The Rich Man’s Frug is highly polished thereby bringing a greater intensity to the