Many educators considering “Footloose” for their next high school musical often wonder about the intensity of the dance requirements. Is it truly a “dance show,” or can it be adapted for schools with varying levels of dance experience? As someone who recently directed “Footloose,” I can offer some insights based on our production.
Adapting the Dance Elements in “Footloose”
The beauty of “Footloose” lies in its adaptability. While it’s known for its energetic dance numbers, the actual dance intensity is largely determined by your directorial approach. We chose to embrace the “dance show” aspect wholeheartedly. Recognizing this, we even incorporated a week-long “Dance Camp” during spring break to specifically work on the major dance sequences. This approach paid off, as we found that teenagers genuinely thrive on the physicality of a dance-heavy show once they overcome initial hesitation. For us, focusing on dance was also a practical choice. While we had strong lead singers, our vocal ensemble was smaller. A musical with a large vocal chorus might have been more challenging for our student body.
Interestingly, the writers of “Footloose” themselves acknowledge the possibility – and even artistic justification – for minimizing the dance elements. They point out that realistically, the teenagers of Bomont, where dancing is illegal, wouldn’t be highly skilled dancers. However, musical theater often transcends strict realism.
Breaking Down the Key “Dance Footloose” Numbers
When you consider the big group dance numbers in “Footloose”, they are essentially contained within “Footloose” – the opening and closing numbers, which can utilize very similar choreography. “Let’s Hear it For the Boy” is another significant ensemble dance piece. For the Act One finale, “I’m Free,” we creatively interpreted it as an aerobic/jazzercise routine. This allowed us to represent the youthful rebellion in Bomont through energetic movement, even within the narrative constraint that they technically couldn’t “dance” yet. Ren’s solo in “I Can’t Stand Still” is another moment of dance focus.
However, when you break it down, “Footloose” truly only has about three full-cast dance numbers and one solo. This is comparable to, or even less than, many other musicals. We layered in dance elements into numbers like “The Girl Gets Around,” “Somebody’s Eyes,” “Holding Out for a Hero,” and “Mama Says,” but these additions were our choices and not strictly required by the script.
Casting Considerations for a “Dance Footloose” Production
The crucial casting element for a successful “Dance Footloose” production is finding a Ren who can move exceptionally well. He needs to embody the spirit of dance, even if the rest of the cast has less dance experience, especially given his featured dance solo. Conversely, “Footloose” also offers a wealth of significant roles – like Reverend Moore and his wife, and Ren’s mother – that are primarily singing and acting roles, requiring little to no dance.
An unexpected challenge we faced was actually casting these non-dancing roles. Many students auditioning were enthusiastic about dancing and were less interested in playing the more subdued adult characters singing ballads.
Conclusion: Embrace the “Dance Footloose” Potential
In conclusion, while “Footloose” is undeniably associated with dance, the level of dance integration in your production is ultimately flexible. You can tailor it to your students’ strengths and interests. Whether you lean into the “dance show” aspect like we did, or choose to downplay it, “Footloose” offers a dynamic and engaging theatrical experience for both performers and audiences.
