Bob Fosse free essay sample

Bob Fosse won multiple awards for his movies and plays, and it is all in thanks to hardships that helped him create the Bob Fosse dance style. Not many people could be said to have transformed the history of musical theater. The impact that Fosse had on the industry can still be felt today. Bob Fosse formed his career and dance style from his life. While Fosse had a very particular style, it would not have grown into what it is now if it weren’t for the ups and downs of his life. Because Fosse was born into a vaudevillian family, naturally he was meant to be in the show business. He used his dancing growing up, not to only for fun, but to gain attention from friends and family. From there he moved on to bigger and better things, such as choreographing at the young age of 13 and then first choreographing for a movie at the age of 26. We will write a custom essay sample on Bob Fosse or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The physical limitations that he had related him more with the eccentric dancers of the 1930’s and 40’s. Once he became popular in the business, Fosse started experimenting with drugs and practicing promiscuity. During this time, his style went from a more high energy dance, to a sexier, burlesque style. Once this style blew up, Fosse was on a roll, creating plays and even winning awards for his work. Fosse’s interest in dance influenced all of his work, and he used that interest to become involved in every aspect of stage and film production. In this research, one will learn how Fosse’s recognizable dance style came to be. Bob Fosse was born into a vaudevillian family, he was bound to become a dancer. Fosse began his career working in night clubs with the Riff Brothers at the age of only thirteen. In the early 1940’s, Fosse served in the navy, where he helped out with the entertainment units in the Pacific. After finishing the navy, in the late 1940’s, Fosse spent three years in New York working in theater and television before going to Hollywood where he got his role in Kiss me Kate. At this point in his life, Bob Fosse was able to share his unique style with others. Early Fosse choreography was energetic and rhythmic, characterized by a crouched position of the body and turned in legs. Fosse stated about himself that â€Å"as a dancer, I was no choreographer’s dream†¦I had to adjust everyone’s work to fit my own body†¦I just couldn’t do some things their way†. During this time, Fosse was still struggling with his style and said that the development of his style came from his own limitations as a dancer. As a result of this, he came up with the idea to use a lot of props, such as hats and canes, to help cover up these limitations that he claimed to have. After a few more years of choreographing smaller parts and playing smaller roles, Fosse was able to establish himself as a professional choreographer with the musical The Pajama Game. After this showcase of his choreography, he became one of the most sought after choreographers because of his provocative jazzy style. Fosse was all about making a statement with his performances. Now that it is later on in his career, Fosse went through some many rough stages. Working with many beautiful women, Fosse went through quite a few marriages, as well as a drug abuse problem. Fosse met his first wife, Gwen Verdon, on the set of the Broadway play, Damn Yankees. Fosse was the choreographer for this play, and because of the work he did for it, he and Gwen were known for their remarkable innovative partnership. For many years after that, Fosse either choreographed or directed all of her shows and helped her through her career. Their marriage did not last long because of Fosse’s living style, which included promiscuity. Fosse’s sleazy, sensual style showed how far show dancing had come since the early simple days. For a long time, modern romance had to show the sexual side of it as well. Without hardships in his life, Bob Fosse would not have created the popular dance style that he is known for today. The lifestyle that he grew up in, which was mainly a vaudevillian one, influenced how he put himself into the mainstream culture. Even though he did grow up into a performing family, he was not necessarily born with the perfect skills to become a dancer. His way of dealing with these limitations was to turn the improper dance moves, into his own dance moves. He would also cover up awkward looking poses with canes, hats, and several other props. He toured with the Riff Brothers for a short period of time where they went to burlesque shows and choreographed small numbers for them. Not only was Fosse’s dance technique not perfect, but neither was his life. He was not a very trustworthy man when it came to relationships, and he loved to experiment around with alcohol and drugs. These dark stages in his life influenced his style and it stuck with him until the day he died in 1987.