Gwen calls out Bob’s choreography in Gap commercial 4

Dance

In a 1999 interview, Gwen Verdon (1925 – 2000) expressed mild exasperation at the use of choreography by Bob Fosse (1927 – 1987) in a commercial by The Gap.

“It’s very interesting that right now there is “Go Go Khaki,” a commercial for The Gap. They are doing the Frug. It’s amazing. They are not supposed to lift steps like that. The whole concept. I don’t know who choreographed that.”

“Bob had this wonderful sense of humor and it was very irreverent. Take the Frug, there was a night club called Arthur’s. It was supposed to be a disco, but it was so gentle.

“We saw all these people — Mrs. Kennedy, Sybil Burton — it was just so elegant, but they thought they were swinging around like the kids do.

“He did it in three parts, the Aloof, The Heavy Weight, was a tribute to Floyd Paterson, and the big finish. He stayed current with what was going on in everybody’s social life.”

source: Interview with Gwen Verdon, Broadway Beat, cable television broadcast, Bradshaw Smith, director, June 22, 1999, courtesy The Paley Center for Media, New York. Thank you Jane Klain.

4 thoughts on “Gwen calls out Bob’s choreography in Gap commercial

  1. debra levine Aug 18,2018 11:01 am

    You bet she does, Jim. Thank you for sharing. Unbelievable.

  2. Jim Aug 18,2018 3:09 am

    Derricks used some of those same Fosse moves in the opening to Austin Powers round about that time (from c1:40 here ).

  3. debra levine Jul 18,2017 1:52 pm

    well, she got it! cheers, judith.

  4. Judith FLEX Helle Jul 18,2017 11:04 am

    Marguerite Derricks takes responsibilty for this choreography job….
    I cannot speak for her but believe she was looking for the fun Fosse flavor in this choreography.

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