In keeping with its vision of creating and maintaining a “Living Archive” of great works of musical theater choreography, American Dance Machine for the 21st Century (ADM21) – a 501c3 non-profit organization based in NYC and founded by noted Broadway dancer, choreographer, and director Lee Becker Theodore in 1976, under the original name of American Dance Machine – has just released its latest short film, “T’aint Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do” from Bullets Over Broadway The Musical, in loving memory of Nick Cordero. The Tony-nominated actor, who starred in the 2014 Broadway stage adaptation of the 1995 Woody Allen movie, lost his battle with COVID-19 on July 5, 2020.
The exhilarating production number, directed by Sam Hoffman (Madam Secretary), with choreography by Tony-winner Susan Stroman (The Producers) as recreated by film director and screenwriter James Gray, is the latest in ADM21’s series of Broadway song-and-dance favorites, which launched on December 17. Beginning with the release of its first virtual video “The Music and the Mirror” from A Chorus Line, performed by 27 singer/dancers coached by Tony winner Donna McKechnie (who created the role of Cassie in the original Broadway production), it was followed by the company’s second video, “Cool” from West Side Story, directed by Emmy-winning choreographer and dancer Joshua Bergasse (Smash), which has been viewed over 150,000 times on social media. Both are still available online, with free access on Vimeo.
“I applaud American Dance Machine for its dedication to faithfully recreating original Broadway dance and celebrating the choreographers and dancers who are the real backbone of our beloved musicals,” said Stroman. “I am thrilled that ‘T’aint Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do’ from Bullets Over Broadway has been chosen as one of their Virtual Choreographic segments. I remember every heartfelt moment of creating this number with top-notch Broadway dancers and I’m delighted to see it staged again with some of the most talented tappers in the business. To have the opportunity to develop such entertaining music, establish characters, and style is a gift for any choreographer. ADM21 appreciates this, honoring and respecting dance as the pure art form it is. I am humbly grateful they recognize these musical-theater-tap-dancing-gangsters and ‘T’aint Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do’ as part of Broadway’s best.”
ADM21 Founder and Producing Artistic Director Nikki Feirt Atkins noted, “This film is a full-on cinematic, choreographic gem! Susan Stroman’s glorious choreography, reimagined and staged by James Gray, is constructed, danced and shot to perfection. We are so grateful to Susan Stroman who has been incredibly generous to ADM21, allowing us to reconstruct and present several of her great choreographic works. This film, in addition to showing brilliant choreography and restaging, is a beautiful tribute to the memory of Nick Cordero.”
Performed by Clyde Alves, Phillip A. Attmore, Michael Biren, Jim Borstelmann, Preston Truman Boyd, Lamont Brown, Barry Busby, Joshua Buscher, Andrew Cao, Jake Corcoran, Casey Garvin, Dan Horn, Jess Leprotto, Kevin Ligon, Brian Martin, Paul Mcgill, Bobby Pestka, Jonalyn Saxer, Angelo Soriano, Kevin Worley, Richard Riaz Yoder, and Bradley Allan Zarr, “T’aint Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do” has music by Porter Grainger and Everett Robbins, lyrics by Porter Grainger, Glen Kelly, and Everett Robbins, orchestration by Doug Besterman, dance arrangement by Glen Kelly, musical direction by Andy Einhorn, and costumes by William Ivey Long, with Keith Putnam serving as director of photography, and film editing by Lisa Cossettini.
Gray remarked, “Thank goodness for ADM21 preserving original choreography. This was such a great opportunity to collaborate with director Sam Hoffman and cinematographer Keith Putnam. Recreating this fabulous dance on a NYC rooftop with Broadways best was a thrill. I will never forget that day we filmed Stro’s iconic choreography starting at 7:30 am, as delighted New Yorkers looked on from their windows. Capturing detailed choreography on film is what makes ADM21 unique and enables us to pass on the original dance to future generations. I am honored to be a part of that legacy.”
And Hoffman said, “I was thrilled that ADM21 gave me the opportunity to collaborate once again with Susan Stroman and James Gray. After the challenges of the last year, it felt like the perfect metaphor to film this iconic New York dance number on a rooftop in midtown Manhattan. Working with talents like these reminds us why nothing can keep this city down. Special shout out to Keith Putnam for his glorious camera work.”
You can watch the video of “T’aint Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do” on Vimeo and below. Viewing is free, but donations to American Dance Machine for the 21st Century are welcome; 20% of all funds raised by the film will be donated equally to The Actors Fund and the Black Theatre Coalition.
If you love what you see, you can look forward to Dance! Dance! Dance! Broadway Showstoppers, coming to Broadway soon. A celebration of Broadway’s greatest choreography, conceived by Atkins and directed by Bergasse, the show will feature more than twenty iconic song-and-dance numbers from your favorite musicals recreated as they were intended by the original choreographers or dancers from the premiere productions.
