Kinky Boots choreography
Kinky Boots choreography
MrJNLong
Featured Actor Joined: 6/20/08
#1Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/26/13 at 10:18pm
Why did "Kinky Boots" win the Tony for Best Choreography?
I'm not complaining...I would actually like to discuss the awesome, award-worthy attributes of the choreography.
I understand that everyone has different tastes, and that's fine. I just cannot wrap my mind around anyone thinking that choreography was the best of the season. And I would like to wrap my mind around it. I'll probably learn something. So can someone defend that choice?
In my personal opinion, and no disrespect to Mr. Mitchell, but it all seemed pretty hokey and simple to me. Now, maybe that was the point, but award-worthy?
Personally, if I were Lord of the Tony Awards, Kinky Boots wouldn't have even been nominated. I would have given that 4th spot to A Christmas Story. My choice for the winner would have been Matilda (since some of Pippin was Fosse's original stuff, and since their circus choreographer wasn't nominated).
Any way, anyone have thoughts on the rationale behind voting for Kinky Boots for the best choreography of the season?
#2Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/26/13 at 10:24pmPerhaps the Tony Voters are ageing and their senses (namely eyesight and hearing) have deteriorated over time. That would also explain why KINKY BOOTS won for BEST SCORE.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Joviedamian
Broadway Star Joined: 11/9/10
#2Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/26/13 at 10:24pmI think it was because of how sync it was with the set, the walking treadmills acting like factory assembly line, etc. Mr. Mitchell said that every single thing is run by the folks on stage...it's not run electronically...the cast does all the movement of set pieces and press the start and off button of the treadmills, etc and choreographed with the physical choreography. That's pretty impressive.
#3Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/26/13 at 10:26pm
MATILDA's choreography was infinitely better. However, the choreography award often goes to the most dance-heavy show, and I wouldn't be surprised if voters felt the work in MATILDA was too similar conceptually to SPRING AWAKENING.
Mitchell is a terrific traffic cop - he's fantastic at keeping the energy up without getting too "busy." He's not particularly inventive, though. I felt most of the KINKY BOOTS numbers were too similar to his LA CAGE work (which he also won a Tony for), and there was a generic catwalk quality to it that didn't really build at the show went on.
#4Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/26/13 at 10:33pmThe voters probably hadn't been on YouTube in the last seven years and seen OK Go's music videos...
Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.
KathyNYC2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/2/10
#5Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/26/13 at 10:43pm
....Yeah but they must have seen Spring Awakening.
I am not sure if I would have picked Kinky Boots for best Choreography but I sure would not have picked Matilda either. For me, Matilda's was repetitive, choppy, overly stylized and used movements were often unrelated to what was going on during the show or with the characters.
But I digress - this is a thread about KB.
#6Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/26/13 at 11:27pm
To me personally, Jerry Mitchell is losing that creativity that made him great. Quite honestly if anyone deserved that Tony at all was Josh Rhodes (who was criminally snubbed) for his outstanding work on Cinderella.
Everyone else is meh...
Updated On: 7/27/13 at 11:27 PM
#7Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/26/13 at 11:37pm
I thought about how Kinky Boots won over Pippin, but then someone else made the good points that:
A) Kinky Boots choreography was all original (as in, developed specifically for the show)
B) PIPPIN was nominated for choreography done "in the style of Bob Fosse" and not for its circus creation (although CHICAGO won back in 1997 for the same type of choreography...unless the step-by-step recreation of the Manson Trio was a no-no)
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broadwayishome
Swing Joined: 7/27/13
#8Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 1:18amMatilda and Pippin both had much better choreography than Kinky Boots. I still don't get why it won that.
#9Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 9:42am
Yeah, I'm scratching my head nearly 2 months later about it. I get why Pippin didn't win. But, KINKY BOOTS?! The KB Choreography was so unmemorable for me. I can't remember one dance move except the hand moves in Everybody Say Yeah and Raise You Up.
Matilda's was just SPECTUCLAR. KB might have trendmills, but Matilda has swings and Peter Darling took full advantage of that. And Revolting Children and Bruce was jumping and fast movements. The kids blew me and my parents away. LOUD had great salsa moves and School Song was just brilliant with the gates. MATILDA had a lot more to offer than KB with cherography.
KINKY BOOTS was SO SO overlooked this year. KB could have BEST MUSICAL & BEST ACTOR, but BEST MUSIC & BEST CHOREOGRAPHY should had been MATILDA'S. Period! I can't wait for MATILDA to have a revival, so it can have its revenge at the Tonys!
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#10Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 10:02amIn most of the press videos, I think Jerry Mitchell was pretty clear, the treadmill idea WAS from the OK-GO video. I think it was an homage not a rip off.
#11Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 10:20amThe choreography for Matilda reminded me of 9 to 5. Many times it was distracting
#12Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 10:30am
Why did "Kinky Boots" win the Tony for Best Choreography?
Because a majority of Tony voters voted for it.
Next question.
#13Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 11:05amHis choreography of late has become gimmicky. First the birdcage, then the jump ropes, now a conveyor belt. The results aren't even exciting, so it just serves as a distraction.
Like a firework unexploded
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wicked4l
Broadway Star Joined: 5/19/06
#14Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 11:23amEnjoyed Matilda and Kinky dancing. I'd hardly say the jump ropes in Legally Blonde and EVERY size person on the treadmills in Kinky Boots is NOT exciting. As a performer myself, it's completely captivating.
#15Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 11:38amFound the choreography in the show to be surprisingly uninspired and mostly very basic.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#16Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 11:39am
Because a majority of Tony voters voted for it.
Actually it's a plurality if we're getting technical.
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dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#17Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 11:51am
As with any aspect of a show, I always hope it is more about how well the choreography serves the show, and not as stand alone dancing. In a story about (mostly) working class folk, how spectacular could the dancing be?
Would I say it was BETTER than Matilda? ONLY for the reason I stated above. It served the material better.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
KathyNYC2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/2/10
#18Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 12:03pm
Well put Dramamama....I agree totally.
I did enjoy the choreography in both Cinderella and Christmas Story too - I found Matilda's choreography completely distracting as well. But like with all awards, it's very hard to say which is BETTER...when each four of these shows are completely different in style.
But yes, the choreography in Kinky Boots served it well - from the extravagant movements of the KB Angels, the working class feel for much of the show and they way they danced their way through a boxing match - with dancers making up the ring as well as the fighters.
Marlothom
Broadway Star Joined: 4/13/04
#19Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 5:26pmI thought they wanted to reward Mitchell with an individual Tony since Pippin would win best director. I thought there was better choreography this season.
"Observe how bravely I conceal this dreadful dreadful shame I feel."
#20Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 6:33pm^ That is not how it works. Hundreds of people voting independently can't conspire something like that.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#21Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 6:37pm^ I agree. If there are any conspiracies like that, it happens during the nomination process, which consists of a committee with much fewer members than the actual voters.
Marlothom
Broadway Star Joined: 4/13/04
#22Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/27/13 at 6:43pmI just think everyone knew best director would go to Pippin - so they wanted to give something to Mitchell. But what do I know. . . have a nice weekend!
"Observe how bravely I conceal this dreadful dreadful shame I feel."
chuckydisc
Broadway Star Joined: 7/28/13
#23Kinky Boots choreography
Posted: 7/28/13 at 6:11pm
Well, since we don't know whether or not KB got 50.1% of the vote, or if it got less than that, we don't know if it was a majority or a plurality. 
