We’ve said it before, and we will say it again: there are not many dancers on Broadway who can stop a show with just their feet, yet that’s exactly what Jared Grimes accomplishes nightly in the sizzling musical extravaganza After Midnight.
So who better to answer BroadwayBox’s seven questions about dance than Grimes (whose resume will soon include associate choreographer of Holler If Ya Hear Me)? Below, Grimes shares his tap inspirations, educates us on awesome movie dance breaks and the very special thing that happens to him when he begins to move.
1. Growing up, the first time I remember really taking note of a gifted dancer was:
Watching Fred Astaire movies when I was about nine. Addicted to that style of showmanship, I soon hunted down movies that showcased the larger than life personalities of Sammy Davis Jr., the Nicholas Brothers, and Gene Kelly.
2. My favorite dance sequence in a movie musical:
“Chattanooga Choo Choo” performed by The Nicholas Brothers in the 1941 film Sun Valley Serenade. [Dance break starts at 4:57]
3. Broadway choreographer from yesteryear I wish I could collaborate with:
Bob Fosse because he broke all the rules! I hate rules, norms, standards, boxes, etc. Jerome Robbins—I love pedestrian movement! I think the most intriguing movement out there is movement performed by ordinary every day instinctive physical activity.
4. The moment I knew I could have a career in dance:
When I started to completely check out on stage! Around nine or 10 years old, I began to see things like darkness, stars, and blotches of various colors while performing. It was as if I was in orbit over our planet.
5. The movie/play/book that most accurately describes a dancer’s life:
The movie White Nights starring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines because every artist struggles to balance passion with their ordinary lives.
6. The After Midnight dance that still leaves me in awe:
Every dance in After Midnight rocks me! I've never been a part of a cast where every performer is what I considered to be an All-Star at what they do! For me, we are like the dream team.
7. Tap dancer I most admire:
Sammy Davis Jr.!!!!!!!!!!
See Jared Grimes tear up the floor in After Midnight at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
