Rich Man's Frug - Fosse

The company performs "Rich Man's Frug," originally from "Sweet Charity" in the revue "Fosse."
From the highly recommended 2002 DVD "Fosse". View excerpts easily at www.theBestArts.com/Fosse/
Browse our website at www.theBestArts.com for more great dance, music and musical theatre performances.

[@TheLaustintime]

I was the lead dancer in this!!!!! It is just so great and it really helps with technique and it was just one of the best dancing experiences ever.

[@christinebailey9935]

You are fabulous!

[@elphbwckd212]

@@christinebailey9935 she's not the dancer in this video....

[@christinebailey9935]

elphbwckd who is?

[@geo1234324]

Its only a poor imitation of the original dance :(

[@janedawson335]

How absolutely fabulous..and how absolutely fabulous you were ♥️

[@TX1961]

Jill Nicklaus plays the Lead Dancer in this video. She is beyond fabulous!

[@ladyanastasiabeaverh]

I soooooooooooo adore these set pieces. Soooo disappointing when it gets changed by some groups. Bob Fosse coreography should NEVER be mucked about with. IT IS ALREADY PERFECT.

[@silky0439]

It was ALWAYS my dream to dance for Bob. Had I been born 5 years earlier, I could have at least Met the man! He was a genius the way he got you to move. Although his technique is still taught, no one can instill his unique flavor to the choreo. God bless him!❤

[@prettygurl9568]

I hate when ppl say "this isn't like the original" well duhh nothing will ever be like the original bc ITS THE ORIGINAL..I actually like it!!

[@angelafischettifitness]

This is Fosse's choreography. One can't assume the choreography from the film would have been the same as that of his theatrical version.

[@sweintraub6613]

I don't get the criticisms here -- this is a fine live performance. The dancers here are all wonderful. The lead dancer isn't quite Suzanne Charny, but I think she's great!

[@annabethelston8101]

best dance sequence in musical theatre.

[@graypalj]

Beyond amazing choreography and dancing. Must love them all!

[@dancinfool25]

favorite Fosse number EVER! Agh...I want to be in this soooo bad!

[@hansmiller664]

This is FIRST CLASS Broadway Performance!🏆 Anyone, comparing this with the "Original" Film, has no clue of that certain difference between Film and Stage. Both are HARD work jobs, but in a totally different way! Keep that in mind, Amateurs😜😂!

[@MrAkihiros]

@izzyjmusic Bob fosse's controlled, tongue-in-cheek outrageousness is timeless.

[@eogg25]

You really cannot compare Broadway to a movie, I liked the movie version better but they have the advantage of saying cut and do it over until it is perfect, Broadway you get one chance at getting it right every night and every day of the week. I thought they did a good job in this version, Its hard to imagine how much work these entertainers put into their show every night.

[@cbrcruz9003]

I would have to agree

[@kerrytakashi12]

It has nothing to do with film versus stage. Most of the dancers in the film did the original stage work. The change is in the dancers. All the women are too muscular. There has been a change in the since the original dancers of the 60s & 70s versus today. Contemporary dancers lack flexibility in their backs, shoulders and neck. Their isolation moves are almost non-existent. Their musculature (all due to overbuilding) is getting in their way.

[@eogg25]

I do not believe that, No doubt Suzanne Charney is little thinner built than Meg Guilintine but I still think its not a problem, might be in the choreography for the Fosse review. I am not a professional dancer, nor did I see the original play but I liked them both and I did like the movie version of the rich mans frug over the Fosse review version, with Meg Guillentine. I do like Meg Guillentines dancing.

[@kerrytakashi12]

You are mistaken about my criticism. I'm not stating that anyone in this video is a bad dancer. I'm saying they are miscast. Their body types are the not the types Fosse chose to choreograph on. This dance absolutely requires long, ballerina body types with very long arms. Those are not the women in this video. The training of today's dancers is obviously worlds different from the dancers of the 50s, 60s and 70s. They are overbuilding their muscles.

[@abesylvia3818]

The lead dancer here is Jill Nicklaus not Meg Gillentine.

[@lenathompson1733]

The Rich Man's frug is always...my favorite.

[@ChristianClark9]

This song just sticks in mu head all day!

[@etraig]

love both of them! especialy love the "prologue" from "city of Angels". such an energetic piece, that i had to stop playing it in the car. It made me speed (lol).

[@embet213]

Ooooh yes. The music is great too. It's Cy Colman. He has a great jazzy sound. Listen to On the 20th Century and City of Angels. He composed those two musicals too.

[@robstockton911]

The movie version works so much better, I think mainly because Fosse had a cadre of dancers he used over and over, and they had mastered his style and were extremely precise.

[@lohphat]

Agree. Some dancer's lines are off. I don't fault them, but the dance captain, choreographer, or director should have given more feedback and held the bar higher. Fosse was a perfectionist and task-master and refused people to "mark it" in rehearsals. Granted film allows you to re-take shots if there's an error and you get a more polished result by the nature of the medium.

[@bradanderson7594]

HI guys.. Not sure what you mean by "lines off" or "marking it"... Anne Reinking and Kathryn Dobie(Bob's dance captain on all his shows) personally cleaned and worked every number before we taped this for PBS. I get that peoples perception of dancing is very subjective. But I'm hear to tell you that all our lines were exactly where they should be and NO ONE was marking.. Take it from someone who was actually doing it!

[@lohphat]

I didn't intend to infer anyone was marking it. I mentioned it to stress how Bob worked. My apologies for that, it just came out wrong. Some examples: 0:42 the lean back between the two female dancers is different. The one on the right is better. They should match. This pose is inconsistent by different people in the number. 1:28 the men are not strutting in the same posture. Some are properly leaning forward chin out, butt back, others are walking with a straight back. 2:29 arms not together on the beat. Regardless, it's a good performance. Bob's work is hard. But his generation were sticklers for consistency and overall look across the entire ensemble. It could have been tighter. Still it's a very good performance. It's hard to match expectations from original material that's iconic. Thank you for your hard work keeping his work alive.

[@anastasiabananastasia]

it’s more likely the editing and illusion of perfection that is harder to pull of irl than in a well created movie, video or television.

[@denissesaludymas]

Los bailarines excelentes, muy fieles a la coreografía original! Yo sólo encuentro que faltó fuerza al sonido de la orquesta, pero puede ser también un defecto de la grabación, de todas formas gran trabajo, no es fácil recrear a Fosse. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@bettyblakley4157]

That is stage theater, black on black is often used for dance numbers. It looks different in the theater..

[@crazyman8472]

Fosse! Fosse! Fosse! 😎

[@nikoillanez90]

Hi, Am Nico, Am, from Chile, I like so much this style of dancing, the style of Bob Fosse!!

[@pjj2254]

So cool! So elegant!

[@weejackiemurray6344]

Ave just watched the film and love thiscdance x

[@zona999]

Fantastic.

[@edkuklin4946]

GALAXY!❤

[@hebneh]

The title of this number isn't just "Rich Man's Frug". The original movie version had three separate onscreen titles, one each for each segment: "Rich Man's Frug", "The Heavyweight", and "The Big Finish".

[@Kingfamilyfavorites]

hebneh actually it was “The Aloof”, “The Heavyweight “, and “The Big Finish”. The entire sequence was “The Rich Man’s Frug”

[@LiLiManny]

im doing this dance for an assessment at school :) soooooo much fun! best dance ever! we are gonna be the best act in showcase... hahaha

[@simviki]

I love fosse!

[@jackiedaniel2502]

Honey this is is great awe!

[@319FBMZ319]

Very Fosse I love it!

[@ferrosso1]

Very beautiful!!!!!!

[@HeyThereDeelicious]

LOVE IT

[@user-vg5kz5qm4w]

Это шедевр,но заложено огромное количество труда!

[@quentinduplooy9868]

No. This ain't the Fosse I know... what's interesting to me is how different the dancers are physically from those in the 60's. They aren't as flexible, they're musclebound, they've clearly been working out.

[@Drblooter99]

@izzyjmusic Yes Fosse's influnce: it's there in the video for Emma Bunton's "Maybe"

[@francisalanbeattie4458]

Brilliant.

[@cazzer5790]

Brilliant

[@TheLaustintime]

Oh my God it looks like i said i was the lead girl like 4 times but i was just replying to people saying stuff about being in this. i'm not really arrogant i promise i'm so sorry for posting that so much......:/

[@jencros1]

Black suits against a black backcloth? Someone should have thought that through better.

[@boomshine87]

I wish the background and floor were a lighter colour. Everybody wearing black on a dark background doesn’t make them pop

[@shariwilson6371]

hey i was taught in musical theatre when you do fosse it’s always all black haha! just a little tidbit! i think he is associated with a dark color scheme

[@ianlombardo9758]

When my school did it in the fall of 2017, we intentionally painted the stage floor with large pink stripes for that reason

[@EvaNelsonLeFae]

It’s on purpose tho, so that the skin and hands pop to draw the eye to the subtle movements and makes the big movements bigger

[@vyacheslavshatalov6685]

Super !

[@jerrykitich3318]

Needs more precision and control but it's fun.

[@maggymay7827]

?

[@jerrykitich3318]

!

[@thenygalavant]

ITA. I wish they had preserved the OBC for video.

[@scretch8609]

I'm gonna dance this in my school in a few weeks Edit: tomorrow (today is 7 july 2023) Edit 2: today (8 july 2023) I danced this in my school

[@Hoofer26]

Oh Ken Alan, I love you so!

[@michel7773]

Very good. Fosse is really hard on your body.

[@111288CBaby]

YEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@D3clan4]

Done a dance to this song in dancing and got a 100% pass! Such a great song

[@danielleblack13db]

I AGREE

[@lsprings8]

ME TOO!

[@akilesnape]

Waw!!!!!

[@citlalizamora998]

;3 ❤️👯 Bailar como ellos! Fosse. :3

[@britthanley4048]

You know, I can understand the changes that had to be made to the choreography to suit the stage. I can even get over the lack of polishing between the dancers and the new direction they took the music. The one thing I CANNOT accept is the the main dancer yawning during The Aloof. Aloof doesn't mean bored.

[@carmensievert3718]

When did she yawn?

[@TheEllaes]

espectacular simplemente

[@TheLaustintime]

I was very luck and was able to be the lead dancer in this number in a large production.

[@sickheadache9903]

The Movie Version..Had Sets and EDITING! A Studio Camera!

[@thisis186]

I love this, which one of the dancers is doing the main female part???

[@sevapva]

почему-то вспомнил про ранних Pan's people 👍👍👍

[@imsocuteimsorich4952]

Now thats dancing 💏😘💟

[@opencondomstar]

Amazing! I liked it and posted it at Manhattan.st

[@hannahjean9563]

Love it! Who played The Ponytail Girl in this production?

[@calamityjenn]

A shadow of a comparison.

[@hebneh]

This is remarkably similar to the movie, but I missed the loud brassiness of the orchestration in the original soundtrack.

[@imtheredbaron]

Might be unfair to compare them to Charney and crew,after all they wee directed by BF himself.

[@thenygalavant]

@marccalamia is such a standout in this.

[@aaronford2184]

Does anyone know if there's a name for the move done at 00:15, 00:36, 1:46 and various places throughout the number??

[@izzyjmusic]

If it was, then you've got it the other way around. She's All That copied/homaged Fosse. This number predates SAT by a few decades. If you've ever seen Sweet Charity (1969), the number in the film is just about the exact thing you see here. Then again, it's hard not to notice Fosse's influence in popular art. He's definitely left a lasting imprint on the business.

[@johneli123456789]

If you guys n gals want to see something that works, search up the B-52's (Dancing Now.) someone did an edit and matched up the music to the movie dance choreography. It is fantastic!!!!!

[@TX1961]

Jill Nicklaus (lead dancer) is a goddess!

[@feliciapalumbo9688]

Stage comes across better with this particular scene. I enjoy the movie but stage is where it's at!

[@ShutterbugF]

her hands are memorizing

[@edwinromandotcom]

Give me the movie version.

[@hofflover5]

What is the name of this song? Love it!

[@TX1961]

The choreography is amazing! Who is the lead female dancer, with the white gloves?

[@abesylvia3818]

Jill Nicklaus.

[@swellin69]

Haha - brilliant! Maybe they should have included some Moonwalking as well! Oysh!

[@ThanSanChan]

mỹ tâm và snsd mang tôi đến đây

[@tenorbear60]

Nice to see a live version but nothing comes close to the movie version. Those dancers really had the style and the attitude down cold. Fosse is a difficult style to master, the vibe is just as important as the movement. These guys seem to be phoning it in. Please see the movie with Shirley MaClaine.

[@laurenmakesmusic]

Phenomenal performance. Also, stop procrastinating & go practice for your dance auditions now instead of hoping the choreo will seep in your brain by watching Fosse dances..

[@blondbear2]

watch their feet 1:78-1:58 that is detail there are three parts to this number rich man's frug-the heavy wieght-not sure on the last part

[@TX1961]

Who are the seven ladies? I know the Lead Dancer is Jill Nicklaus,

[@aharper12]

She looks like the original!!!

[@hfelton]

I think the lead dancer is Jill Nicklaus.

[@bos31220]

Is it just my imagination or was a good chunk of the second movement of this dance copied almost directly in the dance scene near the end of "She's All That"?

[@krapenc]

Does anyone know who that blonde dancer is in the tuxedo? I have a new Broadway crush, you guys!

[@lenne619]

@dancinfool25 I've been in it. It's soooo much fun!

[@Lbeast06]

Nice try but they can't quite get it. The men need to do a stretched bird-like movement. And it's too dark.

[@BettinaBalser]

Nothing works on this version. The music is too slow and isn't tight enough. The dancers' limbs and movements are too loose. Next.

[@UNOwen1]

There are also a (very) few moments when it seems the choreography veers from ('pure') Fosse. I'm not going to detract from the work these dancers do - they do admirably - everything Fosse requires a LOT of stamina & agility. I think the biggest 'problem' is similar to the 'problem' one has when one hears a record, and then sees it reproduced live; the studio wizardry - the hours, days it can take to build a single musical track can't be replicated exactly live. These dancers are working with a piece which is ingrained in man people's heads. Ingrained so well, so many times, that if a beat is off, or a step is different, it can (and will) be noticed - for not being EXACTLY as it's remembered. This number - as well as all of Sweet Charity's dance numbers in the film have become iconic pieces, and rightfully so. One could grumble how the (Edith Head) costumes the girls wore in the film were so they didn't distract from Ms Charney (lead) and made them all similar, whereas here, without the (heavy) makeup, the dancers as individuals come out, weakening it as a whole organic unit. Still, I give them applause, for pulling it off - flaws & all.

[@graypalj]

This was Broadway and not the movie, so it may have seemed slower to your taste. I think the dancers were primo, especially Donna.

[@MICHGO1]

BAD LIGHTING TOO.

[@TheNovacaine777]

Fosse is a fuckin' genius

[@arlethalewis3318]

I think a part of this inspired Beyonce in her Get me Bodied video.

[@TheLaustintime]

Oh my God were you the lead girl? I was, in a production in New York City.

[@kerrytakashi12]

This is ok but it isn't Fosse. The dancing requires a sharpness, hardness that just isn't here. The dancers hit the right poses but then relax which leaves the iconic moves looking flabby. And who decided on the lead dancer? She is too short and too muscular. All the original girls were tall, lean with long, long arms. This piece requires that type so that the serpentine movements of the arms are distinct.

[@MatimoreAgain]

I agree. It's like this cuz he wasn't there to choreograph😕😢

[@GUMxHPxMCR940]

Well, most Broadway dancers are muscular, from all the training they do.

[@kerrytakashi12]

Dancers who get muscular are prone to overbuilt muscles, it is inherent to their particular bodies. But in no way do all dancers get muscular looking. This dance was choreographed on tall women with really long arms and legs. It looks better on tall dancers. Why the short, muscular woman was cast in this version, I don't know. It isn't as if there is a lack of tall dancers around.

[@GUMxHPxMCR940]

Kerry Takashi I never said ALL dancers. I said most. And as for why they cast her, maybe she fit the part better than anyone else who auditioned. When we did Sweet Charity in high school, there was a tall, thin as a stick girl who was a featured dancer, but they ended up casting a shorter, fuller girl, because she just danced it better.

[@abesylvia3818]

Gwen Verdon chose Jill for the role. So we're good there. Just saying...

[@alworkedup]

Too slow :(

[@cbrcruz9003]

I agree

[@user-fi2dz6ux6e]

песня

[@MuskPumpkin]

@fresnojimmy: I disagree that the literalism here is corny. Taken in the context of Sweet Charity (as opposed to being excerpted for other purposes), at least, these are very well known, easy identifiable monolithic numbers that speak for themselves & stand strongly on their own, not to mention exTREMEly difficult to get flawlessly right. They may speak to a specific time (period), but that's fine: it actually helps us to better understand that time. & that's a very good thing.

[@waaaghboss64]

Is this slower than the movie version?

[@kc-lp6wg]

Looking at the comments on this video have sent me into a depression spiral. Tap and sparkly outfits will not best this GENIUS choreography.

[@TheLaustintime]

I got to be that girl!!!!! It was very, very, fast.

[@highlandsjeff]

Awwww.. the camera totally missed that back flip at the end of The Heavyweight... that sucks....

[@anitalutz6655]

Das Original ist am besten

[@victoriacandance]

Is this Dana Moore doing the lead?