If you only see one show this season, you must make it the Alicia Keys’s musical “Hell’s Kitchen.” Not just for the music, which features many Alicia Keys songs, or for the storyline, which tells a bit of her story in growing up in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood—you must see it for the stunning choreography that makes the show vibrant and flow in a way that will leave you captivated. The choreography is the work of Camille A. Brown, who is currently nominated for a Tony Award. Brown recently discussed her specific inspirations with the AmNews for the choreography that she created and shared her process.
AmNews: What is the inspiration for the fun hip-hop choreography in the first number?
Camille A. Brown (CAB): In the beginning of the show, Ali introduces us to her world. She expresses how trapped she feels in the apartment at Manhattan Plaza, and how free it feels to walk outside the building into the streets of NYC. I wanted the choreography to embody the joy she feels when seeing the many individuals who make up the city and for it to also align with her personality. Her whole vibe is hip hop, so I decided to use a combination of hip hop and step dance for the opening number. This is how she sees the world: She sees rhythm, heartbeat, and joy in the streets, and I wanted the choreography to embody that. This is the first time the audience is introduced to NYC, so it was important to establish how connected she is to the world and how she places herself inside it.
AmNews: “Kaleidoscope” has moves that seem to reflect ballet and interpretative dance. There’s a freedom and joy that comes across. What did you want the audience to feel?
CAB: This is the first time Ali sees Miss Liza Jane playing the piano, and something inside her feels alive for the first time. She can’t quite put her finger on it, but something has changed inside of her. It’s a magical experience for her, so I wanted the dancing to embody that. The movement for “Kaleidoscope” tapped into my modern dance side. It was fun to show another side of myself to the theater community. It’s also a fun moment where the piano moves in space for the first time. I think of things very cinematically, so I was constantly working on how to make the movement of the piano a major event, manipulated by the dancers as they move in space. The music has a very gospel feel, so I saw the dancers as a moving gospel chorus. Wherever the song went, the dancers were always in alignment.
AmNews: Your choreography adds to the excitement of many scenes. How long does it take to create the choreography for a musical like this?
CAB: Thank you! I approach each musical differently. Before I even get in a room, I always ask myself how I want the audience to feel when watching the choreography. I joined the team in February 2022, and had two workshops leading up to our shows at the Public Theater. In each workshop, I worked on more scenes and continued to craft the ones I had already started. For instance, “Gramercy Park” is the moment where Knuck expresses to Ali how he feels about walking in the world as a Black man and how he is perceived versus who he knows himself to be. During the process, I spoke with Chris Lee [who plays Knuck] and the male dancers who are men of color about their experiences. By listening, I was able to create a movement language that combines the emotions of protest and oppression. The music itself felt like a work song, so I made the movements represent that kind of hardship: what it feels like to be worked to exhaustion. I wanted to approach each number with specificity. They all move very differently, evoke different emotions, and are inspired by dance influences like African, modern, jazz, ballet, tap, and hip hop.
AmNews: What is your process with the dancers? They seem to perform the moves effortlessly.
CAB: I always try to lead a room with the combination of rigor and joy. The dancers are a beautiful hybrid of members of my dance company, Camille A. Brown & Dancers, and dancers I am working with for the first time on “HK.” They have always been hardworking, loving, and supportive in the space. We had a ritual during the process that was very special to all of us: Someone would offer a question up for the group to answer. One particular question stands out. It was, “Where does your power come from?” It was wonderful to hear each person’s answer. I felt like we grew stronger together whenever we did this ritual. We were learning about each other, and in doing so, trust was getting stronger and stronger every day. They really are a fantastic group of individuals who move beautifully and harmoniously together.
AmNews: The spiritual number that occurs at the memorial service of Ms. Liza Jane has moving, praise dance moves—what was the inspiration for that?
CAB: The inspiration behind that number was to evoke sorrow, praise, and love for Miss Liza Jane who has passed on. It is the moment [when] Ali’s whole universe is disrupted. I wanted the cast to show the loss of Miss Liza Jane and what she meant to them through their bodies. When the solo dancer performs, he is embodying Ali and everyone’s heartache in that moment. I wanted the movement to be on its own rhythm and ahead of the music to capture the rollercoaster of emotions Ali could be experiencing at that time. The solo dancer rejoins the group and they begin to dance together to continue expressing pain, but to all work their way toward healing. The number turns into a communal mourning dance.
AmNews: When you did the choreography for Alicia Keys’s musical, did she give you any feedback?
CAB: Yes! She was encouraging and supportive the entire way. I have been a fan of Alicia’s music since forever, so to actually be in collaboration with her—creating movement to her music—was a gift I will always cherish. I loved hearing her responses to the choreography. She would always share specific things that she liked about it. I remember when she watched “You Don’t Know My Name” and said she loved the TLC moment. I was so happy she saw that because it was exactly what I was going for! It made me feel so good to know she was pleased with the work I was doing. I am very thankful for her love, support, and generosity throughout the process.
AmNews: Where were you professionally trained?
CAB: I am originally from Jamaica, Queens, New York, and started my training at the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center. When I was 11, I began attending the Devore Dance Center. I started at Fiorello H. LaGuardia HS [the “Fame” school] at 13 years old and attended the Ailey School on scholarship starting my sophomore year. I received my BFA at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and last year, I was given two honorary doctorates, one from UNCSA and the other from Drew University.
AmNews: What dancers were your role models?
CAB: As a dancer, my biggest inspiration was Ella Fitzgerald—her range and clarity, her keen awareness of her instrument…I wanted to dance the way she sang. Dancers: Dormeshia, Matthew Rushing, Elana Anderson, Angelica Edwards, Karah Abiog—all of them sophisticated storytellers. You could see their blood memory when they danced! Watching them was always an enlightening experience.
AmNews: How do you feel when you dance?CAB: I feel alive! There is absolutely nothing like it. I used to get teased when I was younger, so dance was a way for me to create a safe space for myself. I could show my emotions and express myself without fear.