Broadway Dance Center – living a centered dance life
Broadway Dance Center is celebrating its 35thanniversary this May! Since 1984, the studio, a staple in NYC, has offered a wide range of open classes and provided programs for dancers of all ages and levels.
To celebrate, BDC has planned a full fun week of activities. You don’t want to miss out on these exciting sales, raffles and events!
It’s not too late to sign up for BDC’s Musical Theater Weekend Intensive (June 23-24). This jam-packed two-day intensive is geared toward aspiring Broadway triple-threats and pre-professional performers. The workshop includes dance classes with industry-leading choreographers such as Josh Bergasse (On the Town, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Smash), Rachelle Rak (Dance Moms, Fosse), Randy Skinner (White Christmas, 42ndStreet), Sarah O’Gleby (Frozen) and Ricky Hinds (Newsies, Come From Away).
Participants will also partake in a professional seminar with a music director, mock audition with a casting director, and Q&A session with lead agent Lucille diCampli. Dancers will leave the intensive with an understanding of how to craft a professional resume, what it’s like to attend a Broadway open call, how to land an agent, and the styles and choreography of current Broadway shows.
Continue reading ➞ BDC’s next Musical Theater Weekend Intensive
Born and raised in Norwalk, Connecticut, Richard J. Hinds began dancing at his aunt’s and uncle’s studio at a young age. His mother wanted him to head to college after high school, but this small town boy had another plan in mind. Ricky packed his bags, headed to New York City, and booked his first professional job, a European tour of the musical Grease, after just three months. Since then, he has toured with national and international companies, choreographed, and most recently, became the Associate Director for Disney’s Newsies National Tour! BDC got the chance to talk with Ricky about what he looks for in a dancer and his advice for people who are trying to” make it” in this crazy business.
What was your dance training like growing up? Did you always know you wanted to dance?
My aunt and uncle own a studio in CT where I grew up. They pulled me in at a very young age, and I never looked back. We were a competitive studio so performing was a big part of our education, and I absolutely loved it. As I got older, I started realizing that I actually wanted to pursue this as a career, and began to take steps towards pushing myself even further.
I attended a summer dance program at Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, and when I heard they had a year -round program, I begged my mother to send me there. I ended up going my sophomore year and continued through the rest of my high school education. It was incredibly inspiring being surrounded by such talented people who were also as serious as I was. After I graduated, I made the move to NYC and that is where I have been ever since.
When did you start teaching and auditioning?
My mother wanted me to go to college after I graduated high school, but I was ready to take on NYC. We made a pact that I had one year in NYC, and if I didn’t get a performing job I would go to college. Lucky for me, I booked my first professional job after only 3 months, a European tour of the musical Grease. I shipped off to Europe, and continued with the show for 10 months where I was a dancer in the ensemble and understudied Eugene. After I returned from Europe, my mother had accepted that college was not in the cards for me.
Throughout my professional career I developed an interest in choreography and teaching. I started reaching out to different studios and teaching some master classes while I was traveling the country with the tours of Cats and Fosse. Some of those studios asked me to do choreography for their competition programs, and I began flexing those muscles as well. I reached out to my mentor, Andy Blankenbuehler, and asked him about transitioning to being a choreographer. He told me to really make sure it was a path I wanted to take. He said it had its own challenges, and because I was so young I needed to go at it full force so people would take me seriously. I thought long and hard about it and went back and told him it was what I wanted to do. Shortly thereafter, he offered me my first Associate Choreographer job working with him on A Wonderful Life at Paper Mill Playhouse. The experience was incredible and within two years, I had completely stopped performing.
What is it like being the Associate Director for Disney’s Newsies National Tour? How did you land that job?
I have been working with the Director Jeff Calhoun for several years now. Some projects I had been his associate on include High School Musical, Jekyll and Hyde, 9 to 5 and Pippin with Deaf West. After he was approached by Disney to direct Newsies for the stage, he asked me to be a part of his team. It was truly a dream come true. I grew up watching the movie, and it taught me that it was OK to be a male dancer. Jeff and I approached the show from two very different perspectives. He had never seen the movie before, and I had seen it so many times I could sing every song by heart. It was the perfect balance of old and new. Together with our amazing team, we began the journey of transforming Newsies to a stage show. I couldn’t be prouder of what our entire team created.
We saw you on the Bethenny show teaching a dance to Coco Austin. What was that like?
I got the call the night before the filming, so it was fast and furious! They weren’t exactly clear on what they needed, but knew I would be teaching a dance to Coco and Bethenny. When I arrived on set, I met the creative team who were incredibly warm and friendly. They quickly ushered me to my dressing room. I soon discovered that Coco had no idea I was there or that she was going to be taught a dance. I had a camera blocking rehearsal with 2 stand-ins on the set, and then I went back to my dressing room and waited. Once the show began filming, they snuck me down behind the set and had me get into place behind a door that opened onto the set. Once Bethenny revealed to Coco that she was about to get a dance lesson, the door swung open and off we went! Once it was over, I really couldn’t remember a thing that happened. It all went by so fast.
You’ve choreographed for commercials, theater, television, and live events. Which do you prefer?
I would definitely say theater. I love the process and collaboration that comes with directing and choreographing for theater. I have found in the commercials, television, and live events I have worked on, the process can sometimes feel rushed. Also, it happens once and that is it. With theater, you can continue learning and discovering throughout the journey. Nothing is more exciting than having a live audience experience your work, and then know you still have time to go back and make it better.
What has been your favorite project that you’ve worked on?
There have been so many that have changed my life, but if I had to pick one, it would be Newsies. I grew up watching the movie and being a part of the team who helped it come to the stage was a dream come true. Throughout our years on Broadway, we have discovered so many young performers who have launched a professional career in theater. The response we have received with the show was more than any of us thought could happen. I am so happy that we will continue telling our story with the National Tour that is about to launch. We have an incredible new cast that will be carrying the banner across the country.
Where do you feel most comfortable: on stage performing or behind the scenes choreographing and directing?
I feel most comfortable behind the scenes choreographing and directing. It has been so long since I have been on stage that it has given me a bit of stage fright. I just directed and choreographed a production of Smokey Joe’s Cafe. They asked me to go on stage opening night and give a quick speech before the show. I thought it was going to be easy. It certainly was not! My mouth was so dry and I was sweating uncontrollably. Once it was finished, I couldn’t help but laugh. I had performed for years and now this quick two minute speech almost caused me to pass out.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
Jeff Calhoun. He took me under his wing as I began my journey choreographing, and was instrumental in my shift into the directing world. What I love about our collaboration together is he always wants to hear my opinions and ideas. I have worked with some people in my life who prefer their Associates to sit next to them, take notes, and be more of an observer. From day one, Jeff has let me be very hands- on with any projects we have done together. He brings such history and knowledge with him, and nothing is more intriguing than story time with Jeff.
What is your advice for dancers who are trying to make it in this career?
I think one of the toughest things for dancers to learn is how to handle rejection. No one likes being cut from an audition, but at the end of the day, if you’re not right for something, you are simply not right. We don’t want to waste anyone’s time. People forget sometimes that everyone in the room wants you to book the job. It is so exciting for us to see who shows up to our auditions. None of us enjoy cutting people; however, it is all part of the process. Sometimes getting cut can be based on technical needs, sometimes it’s your look, and sometimes it’s your height. You will never know, and it is simply not worth trying to figure out. As long as you can walk out of the room and feel that you have done the best job you can, that is the most important thing.
What qualities do you look for when hiring dancers?
Of course the technical elements are very important but more than that, I look at the energy and demeanor of the individual. I really study people as they are learning material in an audition room. I watch how they interact with other people in the room, and their behavior on the sidelines. It’s someone who is a true team player, not just someone who can do four pirouettes. If I am going to hire someone, it has to be someone that I am excited to be working alongside and someone that brings a great energy to the room.
If you hadn’t chosen dance where would you be right now?
I honestly can’t imagine my life without theater. I have always had an interest in set design, and think I would have looked into that if I didn’t go the route I went.
On Monday, July 9th 36 BDC dancers arrived at the ABC Studios Stage Door in Times Square, headed to their dressing room, and began warming up for their performance on the premiere of “Good Afternoon America,” a mid-day spin-off of “Good Morning America.” Clad in our black leotards, fishnet tights, character heels, feather headbands, and pearl necklaces (the boys were in dapper white button-down shirts, black pants, suspenders, and bowlers), we headed down to the ground floor studio which was surrounded by windows looking out into the chaos of Times Square. Tourists of all ages whipped out their camera phones to snap photos and children pressed their noses up to the window to watch us rehearse. We danced to “New York, New York,” choreographed by BDC Theater teacher and the associate director of Broadway’s “Newsies,” Ricky Hinds.
Oh, and did I forget to mention that we were dancing for Liza Minnelli?!
Before class I was able to sit down with Ricky Hinds for a quick interview – take a look!
What was your dance training like growing up?
I started dancing when I was four. My aunt and uncle owned a dance studio in Connecticut so they pulled me in at a very, very young age. So I grew up very heavy in the competition world, that’s all we did – tons of competitions. My last three years of high school I went to Interlochen, a performing arts high school that was very strongly routed in ballet. And then, since I’m from Connecticut, I would come to Broadway Dance Center all the time. And then after I graduated high school I moved straight here to New York and just started auditioning and performing for about 5 years and then transitioned over to choreographing and directing.
Knowing that you wanted to pursue musical theater, did you also have voice and acting training growing up?
I started my voice training at my performing arts high school. But back then, I feel you were sort of able to get away with being just a “dancer” in a Broadway show or musicals where now the casts are so small you have to do everything.
What was auditioning like when you first moved to New York City?
Not unlike what it is now. I did two non-equity tours, “Fosse” and “CATS.” And then I got my equity card doing the show “We Will Rock You,” the Queen musical in Las Vegas. I did a couple regional productions too. My big mentor in New York was Andy Blankenbuehler, so when I told him that I wanted to transition over into choreography he asked me to assist him on “It’s A Wonderful Life: the musical” at Papermill Playhouse.
What was it like to choreograph a brand new musical like “It’s A Wonderful Life” or “Newsies?” You don’t have the influences of previous choreographers such as Fosse’s “Sweet Charity.”
I’m the associate director for “Newsies,” and we did months and months of pre-production where we worked to get everybody on the same page. That’s the most important thing – that as a choreographer, you share the same vision as the director. And it extends way beyond just the artistic team – it includes the lighting, set, and costume designers. Everyone needs to be so clear that when we start rehearsals no one is questioning. There’s a lot of trust and awareness. I’ve also worked on projects where directors don’t work that way, however. You know, where you’re flying by the seat of your pants! – but that can be fun too! But for me, my personal process is a lot of prep, a lot of pre-production, a lot of communication – I do my best work in that atmosphere.
How did you transition into directing?
I kind of go back and forth between choreographing and directing. The day after opening night for “Newsies” I fly down to Kansas City to choreograph a production of “Little Shop of Horrors.” And I come back and I’m working as choreographer and director of a tour of “Jekyll and Hyde.” So, it’s good – I don’t think I see myself as only a choreographer or only a director. I also like a blend of the choreography and directing roles together so I am always active and involved. “Jekyll and Hyde” will be interesting for me, though, because it will be more about the acting than about the big dance numbers with turns and high kicks.
You are in the midst of a really exciting time with the opening of “Newsies,” your first musical on Broadway. What was the process like of taking a movie that, dare I say, flopped, and turning it into a musical?
Our new book writer is Harvey Fierstein and he was great; It just took somebody with fresh eyes coming in. And the way Disney works is that they had done all these workshops and readings before they had attached a director or choreographer to it. When we came on board, the entire show was written for a turntable…And our director said, “Absolutely not.” (Our biggest fear was that these boys with dirt on their faces in 1899, on a turntable, would look too much like “Les Mis”). And it was good to sort of start over a little bit. Once we came in, we had about 9 months before we started auditioning people, so we really had a lot of time to prepare. And then it wasn’t until we had our cast that we then developed it further – because everyone in the show has a line, has a character name, there’s no ensemble. The cast that we have now have helped further the script. It’s been quite a process, two years now – and we’re still making little tweaks here and there up until Thursday night’s opening.
What’s your opinion about having a cast without an ensemble and the idea that you can’t just be a dancer on Broadway anymore?
I think it’s fantastic. What’s great about our director is that he made each actor write out a history of his or her character. And then we all had to sit around and talk about these characters. And I think as a dancer, it’s really gratifying to feel like you’re not just the fifth dancer from the left in the third line and you have to dance like everybody else. I mean, there are certainly moments in the show where the dancing has to be clean and in unison, but there are other moments where it is more of “what would your character do here?” “how would your character react to this information?” And I think at the end of the day that’s what we all want to do – have a voice, a personality, individuality.
How does “Newsies” compare to the other Disney shows that have been/still are on Broadway?
I think it’s great – it’s fun for people to come in with very little knowledge of the material of “Newsies.” What was also a breath of fresh air for us was not having to be worried about “how is that fish going to swim?” or “how is that teapot going to pirouette?” For Disney, I think, it was sort of a relief to have a show that’s all humans!
What are your goals for the future as an artist?
I think everyone has this sort of thought that Broadway is the ultimate. For me, I think it’s just good theater – whether that’s Broadway or regional theater or a tour or in Europe or here. I just want to do good theater. You know, something that touches people, that people respond to. I would love to only say that I’m going to do Broadway shows! But I really have had so many amazing experiences at theaters all across the country.
Check out Ricky’s choreography reel.
And be sure to get your tickets to “Newsies!”