Musical Theatre Choreography Styles: A Guide for Young Performers
Musical theatre choreography is not one style. It is a blend of dance forms, chosen number by number to tell the story. Jazz, tap and ballet form the traditional core, and today’s shows also borrow from contemporary, hip-hop and physical theatre. Whether you are a teenager hoping to be cast in your first show or a parent wondering what the training involves, this guide explains each style, what it is for, and how to start.
TL;DR
Musical theatre dance is a toolkit, not a genre: ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary and hip-hop all appear on stage, often in the same show.
Choreography exists to serve character, story and music, so the best movement says something about who is dancing and why.
You do not need to master every style before you begin. Curiosity, rhythm and a willingness to act through movement matter more.
Learn the vocabulary of each style, then practise telling a story with it.
At Ocean Theatre we welcome 14 to 19 year olds without an entry audition and rehearse weekly towards two large-scale productions each year.
Table of Contents
What musical theatre choreography actually is
In a concert dance piece, movement can be the whole point. In a musical, it has a job. A number might reveal what a character wants, move the plot forward, show a relationship changing or lift the mood of an entire scene.
That is why choreographers talk about movement as part of the storytelling. According to Dance Magazine’s look at Broadway choreography, it has long been a mix of social dances and forms such as jazz, tap and ballet, and today’s shows increasingly bring in movement makers from outside the musical theatre world. Susan Stroman has described a shift away from literal storytelling towards capturing the essence of an emotion, such as romance or tension, which has meant more intricate ensemble movement and fewer individual character solos.
For a young performer, the lesson is simple: learn steps, but always ask what the step is saying.
The core styles you will meet
Most musical theatre dance classes and rehearsals draw on the same handful of techniques. Here is what each brings to the stage.
Style | What it looks like | Typical musical examples |
Ballet | Line, turnout, controlled turns and elegant posture | Classical-leaning numbers and dream ballets |
Jazz | Isolations, rhythmic attack, low centre of gravity | Chicago |
Tap | Rhythm created with the feet, precise and musical | 42nd Street |
Contemporary | Floor work, release, expressive and fluid | Hamilton |
Hip-hop | Grounded grooves, popping, footwork, street energy | In the Heights |
The examples above come from Dance Magazine’s overview of Broadway choreography today.
Ballet: the foundation of line and control
Ballet is rarely the loudest style in a musical, but it quietly improves everything else. Posture, balance, turns and spatial awareness all start here. Even a number that looks nothing like ballet is easier to perform if your core and alignment are secure.
In musical theatre, ballet often shows up as lyrical or romantic movement, or in extended dance sequences where a character’s inner life is expressed without words.
Jazz: the engine of the musical
If one style defines the traditional musical, it is jazz. A university dance appreciation text describes jazz dance as often containing elements of social dance performed for an audience, with isolations that accentuate one part of the body, such as the head, rib cage or hip, and a low, grounded stance.
Jazz is flexible. It can be sharp and sassy, smooth and sultry, or big and bright for a finale. It is also the style most teenagers can start with at home, because the fundamentals are clear and learnable. Our own guide to eight jazz steps beginners must master is a good place to begin.
Tap: rhythm you can hear
Tap turns the dancer into a percussionist. It is the style of showpiece numbers where the sound of the feet is part of the score. Even if your tap is basic, working on it sharpens your musicality, because you have to land exactly on the beat.
Professional casting teams know its value. When Disney’s casting team held open auditions in London for Aladdin, it asked for technically trained dancers with very strong technique in all styles, including tap. That was a 2017 call, but it shows how widely the styles are expected to be combined.
Contemporary: story through texture
Contemporary dance uses weight, breath, floor work and flowing transitions. In musicals, it often carries the emotional, interior moments, or a stylised ensemble sequence that is not meant to be literal. The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society’s review of the 2022 to 2023 Broadway season found a wide range of styles across 15 musicals, including contemporary vocabulary alongside pop and hip-hop-inspired movement.
Hip-hop and commercial: today’s energy
Hip-hop, commercial and street styles bring the rhythms young audiences already know into the theatre. Done well, they are not a gimmick: the movement belongs to the world of the characters.
If you are curious about how these grooves travel from the dance floor into mainstream music, this explainer on dancehall’s influence on pop is a good listen-and-read for understanding why so much of today’s stage movement feels familiar.
Signature looks worth knowing
Beyond the core techniques, certain choreographic worlds are so distinctive that casts are often asked to recreate their flavour.
Classic Broadway jazz: crisp, precise and theatrical, with strong lines and clear storytelling in the hands and face.
Social dance eras: the shuffle, soft shoe and cakewalk entered the musical through early shows, as the ranking descriptions of musical theatre dance history suggest of an art form built from social dances.
Ensemble spectacle: big, synchronised numbers where the group becomes one body.
Character-led movement: small, specific gestures that say who someone is before they sing a note.
At Ocean Theatre our repertoire leans on classic musicals, so our casts get to explore several of these worlds. You can see the flavour of that in pages for productions such as Singin’ in the Rain and West Side Story.
How choreographers build a number
Knowing the styles is half the picture. The other half is how a choreographer chooses between them. Professional guidance from Dance Advantage suggests starting with the characters’ wants, the time period and the setting of the number, not with steps.
A typical process, drawing on Backstage’s choreography how-to and the Dance Advantage guidance, looks like this:
Analyse the music and the story. What are the lyrics saying? Where are the accents and the changes in dynamics?
Plan the arc. Decide where the performers begin, where they must end up, and what changes in between.
Brainstorm a concept. A theme, an image or an idea gives the number a spine.
Craft short phrases and transitions. Build small units of movement and join them.
Teach, then revise. Adjust to what the cast can do, so everyone looks strong.
Exaggerate the everyday
One of the most useful ideas for beginners is to take pedestrian movement, such as walking, reaching or grabbing a drink, and make it larger, sharper or more rhythmic. Dance Advantage describes this as exaggerating the everyday, keeping the movement grounded in the narrative.
Its “5 Degrees of Abstraction” exercise takes a gesture and changes it five times, by size, speed, body part or gravity. The final version may be abstract, but because it grew from something real, it still feels honest.
Repeat your motifs
New choreographers often pile up one long string of new steps. The same source notes that audiences respond better to recurring motifs and rhythmic patterns. Establish a small vocabulary early, then return to it, the way a composer returns to a theme.
Choreography tips for teenage performers
You do not have to be a choreographer to benefit from thinking like one. These habits make you a stronger ensemble member in any production.
Let character lead. Dance dedicated to musicals works best when every action is shaped by the specific person you are playing. Ask what your character wants in this moment.
Serve the music and lyrics. Teaching resources for music theatre courses note that choreography is meant to enhance the music and lyrics, not distract from them. Some numbers are showstoppers, while others need only a subtle touch.
Learn the shared language. Casts often name sections to stay together. Broadway Media’s guide to teaching choreography mentions naming sequences, such as a “sass section”, to build a shared vocabulary.
Look at the pros, but do not copy. Watch professional productions for ideas, but avoid imitating them step for step. The Dance Advantage advice is that your choreography should suit your own cast’s skills and your own storytelling.
Mark with intention. In rehearsal, even a half-energy run should keep the shape, the counts and the character.
Ask for the hardest part first. Directors often start with the trickiest sequences to see who needs more support. If it is you, say so early. That is how everyone improves.
A simple practice routine at home
Ten to fifteen minutes a few times a week is enough to make progress. Try this order:
Warm up with gentle cardio, shoulder rolls and hip circles.
Posture and balance: a few ballet-style relevés and slow turns.
Isolations: move the head, ribs and hips separately, to a steady beat.
Rhythm: tap a pattern with your feet, or clap it, and then repeat it faster.
Storytelling: choose a song, decide who you are and what you want, and move through the first verse in character.
If you want to link dance with the rest of your training, our guide to dancing for actors covers six styles and how they feed a teen performer’s confidence. For the acting side, read why musical theatre rehearsals start with speech.
Our perspective: movement is acting
We see choreography as a way of acting with the whole body. The teenagers who grow most in our company are rarely the ones who arrive with the most technique. They are the ones who commit to the story and trust the group around them.
Our approach combines high-energy performance with classic musical repertoire, led by professionals, in a welcoming environment. Because we run without an entry audition, a company member might arrive with years of dance or none at all, and the ensemble numbers are shaped so everybody can look and feel strong. That is why we like to talk about shared vocabulary, clear counts and big, generous energy.
When a company hits the final chord together, and the audience responds, that is the moment the training pays off. It is exhilarating, and it is the result of weeks of listening to each other.
If you take one idea from this guide, take this: you do not need to be the best dancer in the room, only the most committed storyteller.
— Andrew
Learning these styles with Ocean Theatre
If you are 14 to 19 and live in or near Berkshire, The Company is our core programme. Members rehearse weekly with professional direction and take part in two large-scale musical theatre productions each year, with extra opportunities in singing, acting, dancing and ensemble leadership. You can see what is currently on stage at our What’s On page, or find out more about the company at oceantheatre.com.
For high-octane numbers, our article on high-energy musical numbers for UK teen casts shows how a show builds from the opener to the finale, and our ensemble bonding exercises explain how a group becomes a team.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main dance styles in musical theatre?
The traditional core is jazz, ballet and tap. Modern productions also use contemporary, hip-hop and commercial styles, as Dance Magazine notes. Which styles appear depends on the show’s period, setting and characters.
Do I need to be a trained dancer to do musical theatre?
Not to begin. Technique helps, and professional casting calls for West End shows tend to ask for strong all-round dancers. But young people join youth theatre to learn. At Ocean Theatre we welcome members without an entry audition, and the choreography is taught so the whole cast can succeed.
What is the difference between musical theatre dance and other dance?
In musical theatre, dance is part of the story. A step is chosen because it shows character, emotion or setting, and you are expected to act, and often sing, while you dance. Other forms can focus on technique or abstract expression alone.
How can I get better at learning choreography quickly?
Count the music, write down the accents and break each number into short phrases. Practise the hardest section first, and use names for sequences so you remember them. Marking in character, rather than just in shape, helps the steps stick.
Should choreographers copy Broadway routines?
Watching them for inspiration is useful, but practitioners advise against copying movement for movement. Your version should fit your cast’s skills and your production’s own storytelling.
Sources
What Does “Broadway Choreography” Mean Today? (Dance Magazine)
Why Storytelling Is Key to Success in Musical Theater (Dance Magazine)
Approaching Choreography for Musical Theatre (Dance Advantage)
Choreographing a Musical: Broadway Professionals Show You How (Broadway Media)
Tap, Jazz, Musical Theater, and Television and Film (dance appreciation text)
Breaking Down the Ever-Changing Style of Choreography on Broadway (SDC)
Disney’s Aladdin holds open London auditions (Official London Theatre)
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