Jerome Robbins was a nightmare to work with. Honestly, if you talk to the original Broadway cast members or the dancers from the 1961 film, they’ll tell you he was a genius who pushed them to the point of physical and mental collapse. But that’s exactly why the west side story dance style changed everything. Before 1957, Broadway dancing was often just decorative. It was "pretty." You had a song, the actors stopped acting, the "gypsies" (dancers) came out to do a soft shoe or a kick line, and then the plot resumed. Robbins hated that. He wanted the movement to be the dialogue.
He succeeded.
When you watch the prologue of West Side Story, you aren't just watching choreography. You’re watching a gang war. The snapping fingers aren't a musical gimmick; they’re a ticking time bomb. The way the Jets leap through the air isn't about grace—it’s about claiming space in a city that wants to crush them.
The Brutal Physics of Robbins’ Choreography
Robbins didn't just want dancers. He wanted "actors who move."
The style he created for the west side story dance sequences is a weird, volatile cocktail of classical ballet, jazz, and "cool" street 1950s posturing. It’s built on tension. You’ve got these high-tension extensions and sudden, explosive movements that require insane core strength. Take the "Cool" sequence. It’s probably the most difficult piece of jazz choreography ever put on film. It isn't just about the steps; it's about the internal pressure of a group of teenagers trying not to commit murder.
It’s exhausting to watch, let alone perform.
During the filming of the 1961 movie, the dancers were performing on genuine asphalt in Los Angeles. Real streets. No sprung floors. Their knees were shredded. Robbins made them do take after take until their shoes literally wore through. He was eventually fired from the film because he was over budget and behind schedule, mostly because he was obsessed with the perfection of a single finger snap or the angle of a chin. But his DNA stayed.
Why the "Prologue" Is Actually a Fight
Most people see the Jets and Sharks leaping and think it’s just "musical theater." Look closer.
Every movement in the prologue is a territorial claim. When a Jet extends his leg in a grand battement, he’s checking a street corner. When they pivot, they’re looking for a Shark. It’s a language. Robbins actually prohibited the actors playing the Jets and the Sharks from eating lunch together. He wanted real animosity. He wanted them to feel the divide.
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If you look at the 2021 Steven Spielberg remake, choreographer Justin Peck had a massive task. How do you honor the west side story dance legacy without just copying Robbins? Peck kept the "language" but changed the "sentences." In the 2021 version, the prologue is much more integrated into the actual environment. The dancers aren't just on a set; they're tripping over rubble and dodging real traffic. It’s grittier, but it still relies on that same Robbins tension—the idea that a dance step is just a punch that hasn't landed yet.
The "America" Shift: Pure Technical Fire
"America" is the fan favorite, and for good reason. It’s the ultimate showcase of the west side story dance vocabulary's versatility.
In the original stage play, "America" was just for the Shark girls. It was a back-and-forth about the Puerto Rican experience. In the 1961 film, they added the men, which turned it into a competitive battle of the sexes. The choreography here uses Huapango rhythms—that 6/8 and 3/4 time signature swap—which makes the dancing feel incredibly syncopated and alive.
- The Skirt Work: This isn't just flapping fabric. The women use their skirts as percussion and as a way to expand their physical presence.
- The Footwork: It’s heavily influenced by Spanish flamenco but flattened out with a jazz sensibility.
- The Verticality: Notice how much the dancers jump. They aren't just moving horizontally across the roof or the street; they are constantly trying to get off the ground.
It's pure joy masking a lot of social pain. That’s the secret sauce. You’re watching people dance about the fact that they are second-class citizens, and that friction makes the movement feel electric.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Style
A lot of high school productions or amateur troupes try to do the west side story dance and it falls flat. Why? Because they make it too "balletic."
If it looks pretty, you’re doing it wrong.
The aesthetic is "cool." Not 2026 cool, but 1950s "I might have a switchblade in my pocket" cool. It’s about groundedness. Your center of gravity has to be lower. You have to look like you’re ready to run or fight at any second. Robbins used to tell his dancers to imagine they were "carrying the weight of the city" on their shoulders.
The Mambo: A Controlled Riot
The "Dance at the Gym" is the only time the two gangs are in the same space without (immediately) killing each other. The Mambo is the peak of this.
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It’s a competition.
The choreography is symmetrical but aggressive. The Jets do their version, the Sharks do theirs. It’s a "anything you can do, I can do better" moment. If you watch the 1961 version, the colors are used to delineate the movement. The Jets are in cool blues and yellows; the Sharks are in hot purples and reds. The dance becomes a visual blur of those two palettes clashing.
When Tony and Maria see each other, the dance doesn't stop, but the world around them blurs. This is a classic Robbins trick. He uses the chaos of the Mambo to highlight the stillness of the lovers. It’s a cinematic use of choreography that hadn't really been seen before.
The Legacy: From Broadway to Michael Jackson
You can't talk about the west side story dance influence without talking about Beat It or Bad.
Michael Jackson was a massive Jerome Robbins fan. If you watch the Beat It music video, the structure is a direct homage to West Side Story. The two gangs meeting in a warehouse, the formation of the dancers, the snapping, the rhythmic walking—it’s all there. Robbins essentially invented the "urban gang dance" trope that we see in music videos today.
Before him, "street" and "dance" didn't live in the same house. He proved that you could take the most rugged, masculine, violent themes and express them through the most disciplined art form in the world.
How to Actually Analyze the Movement
If you're looking to understand the technicality of the west side story dance style, pay attention to these three things:
- The Parallel Turn: Unlike classical ballet, which uses "turn out" (rotating the legs from the hips), a lot of West Side Story uses parallel positions. It looks more modern, more athletic, and way more aggressive.
- The Finger Snap: It’s not just a sound. It’s a rhythmic anchor. The dancers use it to keep time when the music gets complex, but it also functions as a physical "exclamation point."
- The "Cool" Crouch: Look at the way the dancers often sink into their knees with their backs arched and their arms pulled back. It’s a predatory look. It’s the look of a leopard about to spring.
What Happened to the Dancers?
The physical toll was real. Many of the original film dancers suffered from long-term joint issues because of the "asphalt" filming. George Chakiris (Bernardo) and Russ Tamblyn (Riff) have both spoken about the sheer exhaustion of the shoot. Tamblyn, who had a background in gymnastics, brought a literal acrobatic element to the Jets that wasn't necessarily in the Broadway script, which is why you see those backflips and tumbles in the 1961 version.
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In the 2021 version, David Alvarez (Bernardo) and Mike Faist (Riff) brought a different energy. They were leaner, more like MMA fighters than traditional Broadway dancers. This shift shows how the west side story dance legacy evolves. It adapts to what we think "tough" looks like in any given decade.
Actionable Steps for Dancers and Fans
If you're a dancer wanting to master this style, or just a fan who wants to appreciate it more, here’s what you do:
Study the 1961 Prologue with the sound off. You’ll see the narrative being told entirely through the physical lean of the actors. Notice who owns the frame.
Practice "The Snap." It sounds silly, but the Robbins snap comes from the shoulder, not just the fingers. It’s a full-body engagement.
Check out the "Jerome Robbins' Broadway" documentary. It’s the best way to see how these numbers were reconstructed years later and the level of insane precision he demanded from his performers.
Watch the 2021 "America" sequence. Pay attention to how the choreography moves through an entire neighborhood rather than just staying on a roof. It changes the scale of the movement entirely.
Compare the "Somewhere" ballet. In the original stage version, there’s a massive dream ballet sequence that is often cut or shortened in films. Seeking out footage of the stage version’s "Somewhere" gives you a glimpse into the more "spiritual" side of Robbins’ work.
The west side story dance isn't just a relic of the fifties. It’s a masterclass in how to tell a story when words aren't enough. It’s about the frustration of being young, the heat of the city, and the desperate need to be seen. As long as those feelings exist, these dances will stay relevant.