Ann Reinking

Ann Reinking was the quintessential Broadway dancer-actress of her era, possessing a combination of razor-sharp technique, smoldering charisma, and comic timing. She rose through the chorus to become both muse and romantic partner to the revolutionary choreographer Bob Fosse, starring in his autobiographical film 'All That Jazz.' But her greatest impact came after his death. In 1996, she masterminded the revival of 'Chicago,' co-directing and choreographing 'in the style of Fosse.' The production was a revelation, stripping the musical to its sexy, cynical core and becoming a staggering, decades-long hit. She didn't just replicate Fosse's vocabulary; she understood its soul, ensuring his distinctive language of angular isolations and bowler hats remained a vibrant, living force on stage, training a new wave of performers in its precise, demanding artistry.