My choreographic approach was rooted in character first. The movement needed to support the comedy, highlight each speller’s personality, and keep the world of the bee feeling both specific and completely unpredictable.
In “Pandemonium,” the goal was to create chaos fighting against control. There were moments of unison, but much of the number focused on character-specific crash-outs. Each speller had their own way of spiraling, which made the chaos feel personal instead of random. Because the number also included guest spellers from the audience, we built in sections that were easy to follow and instantly recognizable, including the floss, grapevines, simple turns, and even a human limbo game. One of my favorite moments came during “life’s not fair,” when the entire cast dropped to the ground and left the audience spellers standing alone. It was simple, unexpected, and very funny (thanks for the idea, Ethan Stack)!
For “Magic Foot,” I pulled from all the dance vocabulary we love when it comes to footwork: tap, Rockette-style precision, and even a little Flashdance floor work with the feet. In the reprise, each student returned to their seat using their own version of a “magic foot,” which helped the choreography remain connected to their individual characters.
For Marcy’s “I Speak Six Languages,” the movement had to be genuinely impressive while still feeling completely effortless. She sang while doing splits, double turns, lifts, karate, sign language, and turning sequences, all while looking totally unimpressed. The comedy came from the fact that, in true Marcy style, she made it look as casual as scrolling on TikTok.
In both “Pandemonium” and “Magic Foot,” we also included Rona, Panch, and Mitch in the choreography for added humor. When the songs ended, they snapped right back into their adult roles, which made those moments even funnier.
For the Olive and Barfee ballet, we created an imaginary pas de deux in the middle of the song as they each contemplated coming in second. It was more silly and comical than formal ballet, which felt right for the tone of the show. I also snuck in the Velma/Roxie best friends spit handshake before the big lift, which was a fun little musical theatre nod.
Overall, this show was about creating choreography that gave each actor room to bring their character’s personality into the movement. That made the numbers feel more specific, more dimensional, and much more alive.
