Every Little Step (2008)

In 2006, Bob Avian, decided to bring A Chorus Line back to Broadway; the show originally premiered on Broadway in the 1970's, with Avain serving as the co-choreographer on the original production (with director Michael Bennett).  The casting process, and the stories of the dancers, are interspersed with the stories of the original dancers and the characters they inspired.

In the 1970s, Michael Bennett gathered a group of dancers to talk about their stories: why they dance, their heartaches, etc.  The recordings from the meeting inspired the dialogue and songs of the show, with many of the dancers portraying the character they inspired.  Avian, and his team, wanted to do justice to the show, without duplicating the cast of the original.


I fell in love with musicals at a young age... I loved everything about them: people randomly bursting into song, the choreographed dances, etc.  I especially love the dancing, as I am not graceful.  People always talk about the impact of A Chorus Line, so I decided to check it out.  It wasn't playing at any local theaters, so I was delighted to find a DVD version at the public library.  I raced home, eager to experience this legendary show... but I was sorely disappointed.  It was o.k., but didn't live up to the hype.  Then I started perusing YouTube, to listen to the songs again.  On YouTube I discovered the 2008 Broadway Revival cast recording, and fell in love; I even downloaded "What I Did for Love" (Natalie Cortez is amazing).

I understand why you would want to adapt the show for a broad movie audience, but the movie didn't work.  It seems to be contrary to everything the show is about: what it means to be a dancer on Broadway.  Last night I watched Every Little Step, the documentary about the Broadway Revival of the show.  This is the kind of movie I would prefer to see.  I recognized a few of the dancers from YouTube videos, and a few others from shows like So You Think You Can Dance, etc.

Every Little Step (2008) 96 minutes
Director: Adam Del Doro & James D. Stern
Starring: Bob Avian