I am watching and listening to this one year later....and I am still AMAZED. Wondering how many of these young people are working professionally. The smaller black guy in the front caught my eye for some reason. They are all very very good, but he stood out (as being super top notch--so precise, and just the style...)
This performance by, gulp, high school students, is almost beyond belief. It is nearly flawlessly performed. They are capable of replicating the creativity and innovation of Fosse (and Verdon), for God's sake. It is eclectic, reflecting a variety of styles, and they show they are not daunted by that. The musicians, all hail the drummers (!), are excellent. The technical staff deserve kudos for pulling off the lighting (as well as the camera crew who set up that camera just perfectly). I actually can imagine how wonderful they felt putting every last ounce of mental and physical energy into this performance. I remember well the last glee club concert I participated in in 1968 before my high school graduation. We performed Orff's _Carmina Burana_ . Dress rehearsal had gone terribly that afternoon. And then came the performance, which was stupendous. As you probably know, the last section repeats the first, but when you sing the first, you have about 25 more sections to get through. When you're at the end you do throw every ounce of energy into it to give the audience a satisfying climax to the piece. It was a fancy NY prep school which I was fortunate to attend on a scholarship. There were a lot of sophisticated people there. My working class parents were the first to jump up in the audience and applaud, my father whistling, my mother crying from the emotion she felt about what we had accomplished. I was simultaneously thrilled but also embarrassed that they showed their emotional reaction so openly among this, I thought, blasé and sophisticated crowd, until they were joined by every other person in the audience going nuts for I don't know how many minutes. These young performers, I hope, felt double what I felt, for they deserved to. How I adore watching young people succeed.
WOW-wee. This is a high school???? The musical performance is great. And the choreography-looks Bob Fossee-ish. This has to be one of the very best high school performances--ever. And it is a living tribute and testament to the person who thought of having specialized high schools in New York City. (This one preps the students for careers in conservatory arts...and I am guessing one has to audition to even be admitted...)
I just can't believe what I just saw and heard. Astonishingly high performing standard from the dancers as well as from the musicians. This piano teacher, musicologist and former ballet accompanist has never seen anything like it from... what...high school students? Truly incredible!!
From elementary school up through my undergrad, I was a dancer - I was singing and dancing professionally as a teen - under contract - in NY ... so I can tell you that the female dancers in this video aren't doing anything spectacular ... What's spectacular is the mind-blowing choreographer who put many of the best dance moves together - it could be better but this was impressive - I enjoyed it even better than Bob Fosse's choreography for Sing Sing Sing.
@@WhirledPublishing First off, not impressed at all with you commenting on my own comment. The ''female dancers'' - you're being waaaay too specific here, for ''whatever'' reason... To my knowledge, there are both female AND male dancers here. Also, the ''it could be better'' over Bob Fosse's own choreography doesn't show you in the best light either. Please try to show off with the obviously limited knowledge you have about performing arts elsewhere. Thank you.
You listed your unimpressive achievements in life and then your assessment of the dancers - which was ridiculous - I listed my achievements and my assessment of the female dancers - because I'm a female - but you since you seem to think I have no right to voice my own professional commentary, since you think "King Stephan" has the only qualified vantage point, you've become insanely defensive about your loser life. As for my "limited knowledge" about "performing arts", since I've been a musician since I was a little girl, since I've worked professionally as a singer and dancer, and sung coast-to-coast and abroad, since I've been a choreographer since I was a teen, since I'm an opera singer with a repertoire of over 50 arias, since I've also written hundreds of songs, your insane assumptions about my life have exposed you as a lunatic. You apparently think you're more qualified than I am to comment about dancers - not true! You're not a trained dancer, you've never been a professional dancer and you've never been a choreographer - but you go ahead and rave about your qualifications - that's fine - and then complain that someone else has something to say about it - as if you're unaware that this is what the "comment" section is for - and then you should probably get some therapy to help you deal with the fact that you're not the king of the hill - anywhere - and you're not qualified to have the final say on anything.
I wish I'd gone to that high school and been in a production like that!! (Wish I could go back and do it!!) LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!~!!!! Kidos to all the musicians and performers and also to the TEACHERS and DIRECTORS. Simply Amazing. Would pay big bucks to see this anywhere in the world.
So proud of all of you- well danced, well played--Keep fighting for your right to learn your artistry!!!! Mme Peff Dance department 1962-2, Ballet Teacher 1981-1987
Dancin' opened on Broadway in 1978 as a musical revue-a celebration of emotion and movement. With numbers including "Sing! Sing! Sing!" "Crunchy Granola Suite," and "I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man." Bob Fosse won a Tony for Best Choreography....which I believe this high school is performing here.
Prima sang it, too! Yes, there ARE lyrics. Look them up on YT. But it's that driving beat that continues to capture minds, hearts, and eyes to this day. Kudos to the young musicians in that band, too. They got some serious chops at such young ages!
Excellent! The choreography was on a level with Jerome Robbins, and those young dancers captured the style and spirit of 1940s swing perfectly. As did the musicians.
The choreography is Bob Fosse's, from Dancin'. This appears to be an unauthorized performance of his work, as Dancin' has not been released for amateur productions.
@@simbahunter8894 This is of course an authorised performance. This was part of LaGuardia High School's graduation concert. Lloyd Culbreath, who is authorised by the Fosse/Verdon Legacy to recreate Fosse's steps, mounted this. Another filming of this performance is featured on the official Fosse/Verdon RU-vid channel.
Breathtaking. For many years, my BestArts-related RU-vid channels and Facebook page featured the best of young musical theatre performers - with many millions of views. I've watched thousands of performances from high school, college, regional, and touring companies. This rates among the best of them. Every dancer, musician, educator, and back-stage crew member should be incredibly proud of this performance. I bow my head in awe to you all. Thank you, Jon, for preserving and sharing it.
Spellbinding!! 100 per cent, total entertainment perfection! Well done to all involved - musicians, dancers, choreographers etc. Costumes are excellent too. Breath taking performance!
I just happened across this. It is stunning! Keep your heads square and your dance masterly-superb-dazzling! You will be great successes whatever you choose to pursue!
I like everything about this except that loud @#*& audience. I'd like to enjoy the WHOLE performance and without the context .....well the audience noise ruins it. I'm glad for their enthusiasm though.