What is musical theatre dance?
Musical theatre dance tells a story inside a show. It borrows from ballet, jazz, tap and social dances and asks performers to act and sing while they move. Auditions test quick pickup of combinations in each style, and "triple threats" — dancers who sing and act — are the industry ideal.
History
Agnes de Mille's dream ballet in Oklahoma! (1943) proved dance could advance a musical's plot. Jerome Robbins' West Side Story (1957), Bob Fosse's Chicago and Sweet Charity, Michael Bennett's A Chorus Line (1975), Susan Stroman's Contact and Andy Blankenbuehler's Hamilton each redefined Broadway dance. The Tony Award for Best Choreography has been given since 1947.
Basic technique
- Fast pickup of combinations at auditions
- Character work — dancing as the role, not as yourself
- Style range from ballet and jazz to tap and period social dances
- Stamina to sing while dancing
Music & tempo
Show tunes and cast albums from every era of Broadway.
Songs for musical theatre dance
| Song | Artist | BPM | Key | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumbria 1207 | Murray Gold | 90 | A# major | 2013 |
| The Terrible Truth | Murray Gold | 90 | C minor | 2013 |
| Jack Tells Kim He's Not Coming Back | Sean Callery | 91 | D# major | 2004 |
| For the First Time in Forever (reprise) | Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel | 91 | A minor | 2013 |
| Guerillas Ain’t Gangstas | Da Lench Mob | 91 | G major | 1993 |
| Awakening | The Damning Well feat. Wes Borland, Richard Patrick, Josh Freese & Danny Lohner | 92 | D minor | 2003 |
| The Single Guy | Ed Alton | 92 | A# major | 1996 |
| Dos gardenias | Buena Vista Social Club | 92 | E minor | 1997 |
| They Are Everywhere | Murray Gold | 93 | B minor | 2013 |
| Saragina Rumba | 17 Hippies | 93 | F minor | 1999 |
BPM as measured by audio analysis; some tracks read at half or double the danced tempo.
All 391 musical theatre dance songs by BPM →
What to wear
Character shoes (heels) or jazz shoes; audition outfit that shows line.
How to get started
Combine ballet and jazz classes with voice lessons; summer theatre intensives and community theatre are common first steps.
We list 2 studios that teach musical theatre dance, or browse all dance studios by state.
Notable figures
Goyo Montero
Spanish ballet dancer, ballet director and choreographer
Chris Elam
American choreographer
Cesare Negri
Italian ballet dancer
Maya Plisetskaya
Russian ballet dancer (1925-2015)
Margot Fonteyn
British ballerina
Jackie Chan
Hong Kong actor and martial artist (born 1954)
Vasili Vainonen
Russian choreographer (1901–1964)
Vyjayanthimala
Indian actress, dancer and parliamentarian
Recent research
- Dance-related concussion: a case series. — Journal of dance medicine & science : official publication of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science, 2014
- Injury Incidence and Severity in Musical Theatre Dance Students: 5-year Prospective Study. — International journal of sports medicine, 2021
- Musculoskeletal Injury in Australian Professional Musical Theatre Shows: A 5-Year Retrospective Observation Study of 2,249 Medical Attention Injuries. — Medical problems of performing artists, 2024
- Bilateral Differences in Dancers' Dynamic Postural Stability During Jump Landings. — Journal of dance medicine & science : official publication of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science, 2020
- Backstage at Broadway: a demographic study. — Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice Foundation, 2014
More musical theatre dance research →
Books about musical theatre dance
- She Stoops To Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith (1773)
- Fairy Tales and Stories by Hans Christian Andersen (1850)
- Le fantôme de l'opéra by Gaston Leroux (1911)
- Thurber Carnival by James Thurber (1940)
- The recruiting officer by George Farquhar (1706)
- Die Dreigroschenoper:= The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht (1955)
Frequently asked questions
Who won the most Tony Awards for choreography?
Bob Fosse won eight Tony Awards for Best Choreography — more than anyone else. See our Broadway choreography section for every winner by year.
What BPM is Musical Theatre Dance?
Musical Theatre Dance is usually danced to music between 90 and 160 beats per minute. Browse 391 songs that fit on our Musical Theatre Dance music page.
How many calories does musical theatre dance burn?
About 757 calories per hour for a 155-lb (70 kg) person, based on a MET value of 10.3 from the Compendium of Physical Activities. See calories burned musical theatre dance for every body weight.
Related styles
Jazz Dance
African American vernacular dance; theatrical jazz on Broadway and in film
Ballet & Theatrical DanceTap Dance
United States — African rhythmic traditions meet Irish and Scottish step dancing
Ballet & Theatrical DanceBallet
Italian Renaissance courts; codified in 17th-century France
Ballet & Theatrical DanceContemporary Dance
Europe and the United States, mid-20th century
Ballet & Theatrical DanceModern Dance
United States and Germany, early 20th century
Ballet & Theatrical DanceLyrical Dance
United States competition studios
Last reviewed October 2026 · Editorial policy