Grover Dale's Bio

When Dance Gets Under A Guy's Skin! 

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Clowning around in Lillian Jasper's Dance Studio. McKeesport, PA. 1953

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First Equity job in "Oklahoma" 1953

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With Becky Barksdale in "Panama Hattie" Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera 1954.

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Broadway debut in "Li'l Abner" 1956

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First featured role in "West Side Story" 1957

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Jet Song from "West Side Story" 1958

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TV appearance with Chita Rivera and Kelly Brown. 1958

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Appeared as "Andrew" in Frank Loesser musical, "Greenwillow" 1959

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Coca-Cola campaign ad. 1959

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Appeared with Patricia Harty in Noel Coward's musical, "Sail Away." 1960

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Dance Magazine cover story. July, 1960.

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Appeared with Sheila Forbes in London production of "Sail Away." 1961


In 1953, a skinny young tapper from McKeesport, PA boarded a bus for New York with $130 in his pocket and a desire to see if he could land a job on Broadway. It never occurred to him that he would soon be featured as 'Snowboy' in the original company of 'West Side Story,' be discovered by Noel Coward for a leading role in 'Sail Away,' be fired by Agnes de Mille in New York, swim with Esther Williams on CBS' first color broadcast in Hollywood, beat out Dustin Hoffman for an acting role on a daytime soap, co-star with Gene Kelly in 'The Young Girls Of Rochefort', or be acknowledged with a Tony nomination for his direction of Broadway's 'The Magic Show.' All of this was in store for the skinny young tapper who grew up in a 3-room shack on a dirt road in McKeesport, PA.
 
1953. Fresh off the bus, Grover Dale showed up at Bob Fosse's audition for "The Pajama Game." Thinking it was okay to dance in the back row, Grover was confident that good dancers get noticed no matter where they’re located. He was wrong. Fosse didn’t notice him. Grover learned a lesson.

Inexperience hid him from Bob Fosse, but it didn't get in the way of being cast by Michael Kidd in 1955 for "L'il Abner." Nor did it keep him from being noticed by Jerome Robbins the following year for “West Side Story.” Forsaking his tendency to dance in the background, Grover got himself front and center. He was cast as ‘Snowboy’ by the legendary Robbins. Five days after signing a contract, Grover arrived at the first rehearsal with Snowboy's eight lines of dialogue memorized. He assumed that was the only preparation necessary. Once again, Grover had more lessons to learn.

Overwhelmed by Robbins' demand for acting skills, Grover realized he was in trouble. Applying "objectives" was an unfamiliar task. Keeping his role challenged every resource he had. By the time WSS completed the tryout in Philadelphia, Grover's job was no longer at risk. His name was added to the featured players on the show’s poster.

WSS was a turning point. In the years that followed, Grover grasped the idea that preparing for the next opportunity never stops. There's always a new skill to be learned. That idea became the basis for the educational platform he passed on to generations of newcomers.

Exposure to choreographers like Jack Cole, Joe Layton, Tony Charmoli, Michael Bennett, Peter Gennaro, Gwen Verdon, Onna White, Graciela Daniele, Herbert Ross, Ann Reinking, Rob Marshall, Susan Stroman, and Gillian Lynne gave Grover as many opportunities as a dancer could wish for. Today, he's acknowledged, not only for professional achievements, but for his jump-starting so many dance careers through his writing.
 
Enjoy this clip from Grover's first movie role in 'The Unsinkable Molly Brown':

1950's

* Launched his own studio at the age of 15. 1950
* First professional job: Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, 1953
* Day job in New York: Nedick's Hot Dog Stand, 1953
* First NY dance job: Jackie Gleason Show, 1954
* Second TV job: Milton Berle Show, 1955
* Third TV job: Martha Raye Show, 1955
* Fourth TV job: Perry Como Show, 1955
* First Bway show: "The Amazing Adele" 1955
* Second Bway show: "Li'l Abner" 1956
* First featured role: Snowboy in "West Side Story," 1957
* Second featured role: Andrew in "Greenwillow," 1959
* Featured dancer in TV special "The Gershwin Years." 1959


1960's

* Appeared on the cover of Dance Magazine, July, 1960
* Juvenile lead: Noel Coward's "Sail Away," 1960
* Featured dancer in TV special The Gershwin Years,1960
* Juvenile lead: The Fantastiks at Goodspeed Opera House, 1961
* First acting role: Phoenix Theatre's "Too Much Johnson," 1962
* Featured dancer in eighteen national commercials, 1962-63
* Featured role of Ashton (Lee Grant's dance teacher) in film, "The Landlord," 1963
* Role of Jam (Debbie Reynold's brother) in The Unsinkable Molly Brown, 1964
* Featured role of Pearce in Bway production of "Half A Sixpence," 1964
* Recurring acting role on CBS' The Secret Storm, 1964
* Co-starred in Paramount's film of "Half A Sixpence," 1965
* Co-starred in Jacques Demy's film, "Young Girls Of Rochefort", 1966
* Enrolled in film school, 1967
* Directed/Produced award-winning short: Douglas, James, & Joe, 1967
* Wrote & choreo'd original musical: aired on CBS Look Up & Live, 1967
* Assistant Director to Jerome Robbins: American Theatre Lab, 1968
* Choreographed the musical "Allegro" at Goodspeed Opera House, 1969


1970's

* Choreo'd the play "Steambath" at the Truck & Warehouse Theatre, 1970
* Choreo'd 1st Bway show:"Billy" 1970, Drama Desk Award & Tony Nomination
* Directed experimental musicals at Lenox Arts Center, 1971-72
* Choreo'd the film "The Way We Were" 1973
* Co-choreographed "Seesaw" with Michael Bennett, 1973, Tony Award
* Directed "The Magic Show," 1974, Tony Nomination for Direction
* Choreographed and directed 12 national commercials, 1975-78
* Birth of son James Badge Dale. 1978
* Rec'd citation from NYC mayor for a 5-year stint of staging "I Love NY" commercials. 1979
* Choreo'd & directed "The King Of Schnorrers" 1979


1980's

* Wrote title song & choreographed film of "So Fine," 1980
* Choreographed 4 television specials, 1980-83
* Choreo'd Barry Manilow's TV movie "Copacabana," 1984, Emmy Nomination
* Choreographed Warner Bros film "Quicksilver," 1985
* Choreo'd Pasadena Playhouse production of "Mail," 1986, Dramalogue Award
* Choreographed Bway production of "Mail" 1987, Drama Desk Nomination
* Co-directed "Jerome Robbins Broadway," 1988-89, Tony Award for Direction


1990's

* Founded L.A. Dance Foundation / Dance & Fitness Magazine, 1991
* Produced 38 showcases and workshops in L.A., 1992-1995
* Co-Produced American Choreography Awards, 1994-98
* Appeared in nine network commercials, 1998-99
* Interviewed 10 choreographers for D&F Magazine 1995-1999
* Launched "Answers4dancers.com" Oct, 1999


2000's

* Danced in Disney's TV musical "Geppetto" 2000
* Appeared in boyband parody on The Teen Choice Awards 2000
* Rec'd LifeTime Achievement Award at Dance Under The Stars Choreography Festival 2001
* Partnered Carol Lawrence in Reprise Production of "Follies." 2002
* 2003-2004 Appeared in three national commercials (Ebay, Kaiser Permanente, and RadioShack)
* Featured as Faye Dunaway's dance partner on an episode of CSI Las Vegas 2006
* Guest Speaker at North Carolina School Of The Arts during tribute to "West Side Story." 2007
* Panelist at Words On Dance in San Francisco. 2007
* Hired by Michael Rooney to dance in "Nationwide" commercial. 2007
* Covered Bangkok Fringe Festival for A4D. 2008
* Appeared with Rita Moreno in a tribute to Jerome Robbins in San Francisco. 2008
* Rec'd Lifetime Achievement Recognition at Lester Horton Awards, Los Angeles. 2008
* Rec'd Education Award from U.S. Local Business Assn. 2008
* Directed the Lyric Stage Co's production of "West Side Story" in Irving, TX.
* Rec'd 2008 Community Service Award from Passion For Dance Project. 2008
* Appeared on PBS-TV "Something To Dance About" a 2-hr documentary featuring the life and work of Jerome Robbins. 2009
* Moderated a "Tribute To Michael Kidd" at St. Luke's Theatre in NYC. 2009
* Rec'd 2nd education award from U.S. Local Business Assn. 2009
* Appeared on SYTYCD coaching 24 finalists in Las Vegas


2010's

* Appeared at SYTYCD celebration of National Dance Day at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Taught Mary Murphy's salsa routine. July 2011
* Principal role in Lowe's Hardware commercial. September 2011
* Led two 'Light Up The Room Workshops' in NYC & LA. Oct 2011
* 2012: Became a board member of the Dizzy Feet Foundation in Los Angeles.
* 2014: Named as a Distinguished Artist by the Beaux Arts Society.
* 2015: Appeared with Donna McKechnie and Randy Skinner at Steps Foundation's Artist Talk.
* 2018: Appeared at BroadwayCon as part of 'West Side Story' original cast member reunion.
* 2018: Appeared at USS Intrepid and shared stories of Jerome Robbins as part of centennial celebration.

 

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Appeared in MGM's "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" w/ Debbie Reynolds. 1963

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"I Ain't Down Yet" number from "Unsinkable Molly Brown" 1963

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"Money To Burn" number from "Half A Sixpence" 1964

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Co-starred with Catherine Deneuve in "The Young Girls Of Rochefort" 1966

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Co-starred with George Chakiris in "The Young Girls Of Rochefort" 1966

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Film version of "Half A Sixpence" 1967

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Choreographed "Eubie Blake" special  1981

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Photographed with Anita Morris and son James. 1982

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"If The Shoe Fits" in Los Angeles. 1992

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Headshot. 1998.

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Appeared with Carol Lawrence in L.A. production of "Follies." 2002

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Professional Audition Workshop. 2002.

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Fine tuning dancers at audition workshop. 2001.

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Speedance workshop session. 2001.

 


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