Carrying On Inspiration
Right near the end of tonight’s 75th Annual Tony Awards at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, and before “A Strange Loop” won for Best Musical, Tony Awards Host, and Oscar winner, Ariana DeBose, was bestowed a dubious once in a lifetime honor, Ariana was inducted into the sisterhood of “West Side Story” by none other than the first Anita herself to perform “West Side Story” on Broadway back in 1957, Chita Rivera, who now joins Rita Moreno, also playing Anita in the 1962 film adaptation of “West Side Story”.
Ariana is the latest Latino Actress to bring new hope and inspiration to future aspirating Latino performers of all kinds who sing, dance, and act who will one day play Anita in yet another “West Side Story” adaption whether it’s film, or in the closest form possible following the latest “West Side Story” movie, another Broadway revival, and many more variations for years to come.
Going back just about a year ago when taking an Intro To Fosse class at Broadway Dance Center in New York City, Daniel plus Lauren remembers a dance off involving Chita Rivera in one of Fosse’s classics, yours truly is glad they embodied Chita, and also being told by dance instructor that they were more Ballet than anything, and that would help in understanding Jazz and Fosse, Chita Rivera’s practice in Ballet was instrumental in her career as a performer.