Chet Walker Talks PIPPIN, Bob Fosse & Choreography

Performer, choreographer and director Chet Walker discusses his impressive resume as well as reflects on his valuable time spent throughout his career with master director/choreographer Bob Fosse as part of a new interview.

Recalling his time as dancer and later dance captain on numerous Fosse productions, Walker reminisces, "I was asked the other day, 'What did he teach you?' It wasn't so much about theater as it was about humanity, about how to be with people, how to listen. Not everyone agrees with me on this one, but I never heard him raise his voice to people. I never heard him get angry."

Furthermore, Walker adds, "In my world, he was a very humble man. And a very sweet and misunderstood man."

Additionally, evaluating one's past work is a common pratfall that many choreographers take, Walker candidly opines, sharing, "What I'm doing is the most important thing, not what I've done."

Walker further illuminates the point with a poignant Fosse anecdote, "I always tried to get Mr. Fosse to come back and see shows that he had done that I was a part of, and there was always somewhat of a hesitancy of going. And I never understood that until I started choreographing and directing. I totally get it. It's not that you don't want to; it's that it's hard to go back and see what you did. You go back and look and it's evolved. As life evolves, as people evolve, it evolves."

Walker also discusses directing and choreographing a student production of PIPPIN as part of the complete chat, available here.