What
Keigwin enjoys doing is let his dancers’ personalities come through in
the choreography. "It’s part of a choreographer’s job to let the dancers
look good. I’ve been a dancer with many companies and the parts I
enjoyed most were the ones closest to my own character.
"These
dancers are very talented movers," he continued, "and are at ease with
dance socially, concert dance and, technically in many styles. They
kick-ass."
In fact his manner as a choreographer, he’s pretty laid-back and really doesn’t enjoy being in charge.
"I
hate that part. That does not come natural to me. But, every once in a
while, there’s a deadline and there has to be discipline for me and for
the dancers."
Rather he sees his role as being more collaborative.
"I
like to leave a lot of room for mistakes and other ideas. It comes
through by playing with the dancers. The humor comes from the climate we
set in the rehearsal studio, which is one of playfulness. And there is
generally a very free energy there. We’re not quick to judge... but we
are quick to play."
Amongst his more recent achievements Keigwin
choreographed the public space spectacle at Lincoln Center during
Fashion’s Night Out: The Show, last fall.
"Fashion Week was a
different story. It was all sketched out and all computerized. There
were 175 models and they were all mapped out on a computer beforehand.
But we only had three hours with the models the day of the event, so we
needed to be strategic."
On another front Keigwin is has been
picked to choreograph the musical version of Tales of the City. "But,"
he confessed "I never read the books. I do, though, know about their
place in 70s gay history. And I’m definitely a product the disco 70s.
Betty Buckley is playing Anna Madrigal and The Scissor Sisters (Jake
Shears and John Garden) are writing the music." The world premiere
production is scheduled to run form May 17 - June 19, 2010 at the A.C.T.
The book to the show is being adapted from Armistead Maupin’s
best-selling novels by Jeff Whitty (who won a Tony Award for Avenue Q)
and is being directed by Avenue Q’s director Jason Moore.
