MICHAEL KIDD 1

Michael Kidd

Carlos L. Skolnick

Emerson Pre-College Musical Theatre Intensive

MICHAEL KIDD 2

Abstract

This paper explores the life and career of Broadway and Hollywood choreographer,

Michael Kidd. His dance style and technique are carefully analyzed and explored through

support from resources such as interviews, article entries, and educational publishings. His early

works as well as his acclaimed productions are discussed, showcasing his ability to marry the

real world with technical dance techniques to drive musical narratives.

MICHAEL KIDD 3

Michael Kidd revolutionized musical theatre dance in the twentieth century. Taking the

scene by storm in the 1940’s and 1950’s, he achieved initial success with shows such as ​Finian’s

Rainbow a​ nd ​Guys and Dolls.​ His implementation of real life gesture into choreographed

movement on stage catapulted him into the spotlight; He challenged antiquated ideals of the

dance genre and brought high energy comic flair to the forefront of Broadway musicals. His

work has allowed musical theatre dance to become accessible to the masses, and has been key in

shaping the different aspects in which an audience perceives a story.

Kidd, born Milton Greenwald, grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Son of Jewish refugees

from Czarist Russia, he first became interested in dance when he saw a modern dance

performance. He soon began to study under Blanche Evans, a modern dancer. With her urging,

he also began to study ballet. After graduating the School of American Ballet (Caldwell 1) on

scholarship from Lincoln Kirstein, he went on to join American Ballet Theatre in 1942. During

his time there, he flourished in the athletic department; His athleticism would soon prove

effective in his work as a choreographer. Kidd was inspired by many of his teachers at SAB.

Anatole Vilzak, a Russian dancer, was one of Kidd’s greatest muses (Kisselgoff 1); Vilzak’s

method of teaching character driven dance deeply resonated with Kidd, leading him towards

crafting a very specific style of his own. He also appreciated Leonide Massine’s style, as he

believed it best exemplified the type of exaggerated stylization that should drive a narrative.

Real life is where dance begins. Kidd’s choreography introduced character-driven

movement to musical theatre. His sole ballet, ​On Stage!​, showcased a janitor helping a timid

young dancer at an audition (Kisselgoff 1). Kidd resonated with ballets that were story-driven

and had movement that were consistent with the character’s dramatic situations. His work
MICHAEL KIDD 4

promised hope for those who felt that ballet should be inspired by everyday life in the postwar

era. Especially during this time, the general public craved a sense of positivity and happiness

because of the social climate that resulted from the second world war. ​Defining all his

choreography as "human behavior and people's manners, stylized into musical rhythmic forms”

(Kisselgoff 1), he brought this notion to Broadway with ​Finian’s Rainbow ​in 1947. Though he

was not familiar with the show’s Southern sharecroppers idioms, he instead concerned himself

with conveying who the characters were as people using the given circumstances (Kisselgoff 1).

One character in particular, Susan the Silent, has no dialogue in the show. Hence, Kidd used this

as an opportunity for her to speak through high energy movement. Kidd’s development of the

“integrated musical” allowed for the dance to drive the narrative of the musical; In 1951, Kidd

found more success in ​Guys and Dolls.​ He captured the high energy comicality of numbers such

as “Bushel and a Peck” and the grittiness of “Crapshooters.” In the crap-game scene, his style

was especially present, giving it a syncopated beat and an angularity that reflected the entire

show. In 1954, Kidd choreographed the barn scene in the film version of ​Seven Brides for Seven

Brothers. ​Once again, he utilized real life gestures to manifest the intentions of the characters. In

the barn scene, he implemented outdoor workplace movements. Axe swinging and log carrying

transitioned seamlessly into body flips and tumbling, showcasing Kidd’s ability to blend the real

world and dance with ease. Kidd’s relentless strides towards character driven dance helped shape

the world of musical theatre into an environment that fostered creative storytelling in every

aspect of production, giving us musical theatre as we know it today.

MICHAEL KIDD 5

Resources

H. (2018, July 20). 10 Power Snacks to Help You Survive Your Summer Intensive Teaching

Schedule. Retrieved from

https://www.dance-teacher.com/10-power-snacks-to-help-you-survive-your-sum

mer-intensive-teaching-schedule-2588143182.html

Kisselgoff, A. (1994, March 13). DANCE VIEW; For Michael Kidd, Real Life Is Where The

Dance Begins. Retrieved from

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/13/movies/dance-view-for-michael-kidd-real-l

ife-is-where-the-dance-begins.html\

Tobias, P. E. (2007, December 25). Michael Kidd, Choreographer, Is Dead. Retrieved from

https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/25/arts/dance/25kidd.html

Who is Michael Kidd? Everything You Need to Know. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/michael-kidd-5473.php#how-to-cite

85.02.04: Stepping Into The World of the American Musical Theatre: Dance Sets The Pace.

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://teachersinstitute.yale.edu/curriculum/units/1985/2/85.02.04.x.html