Tony-winning choreographer Ann Reinking died on Saturday in Seattle, while visiting family. Reinking was born Nov. 10, 1949, and raised in Bellevue, Wash. She made her professional debut at age 12 in Giselle with the English Royal Ballet and moved to New York at age 18. After gigs in the corps de ballet at Radio City Music Hall and the ensemble of a national tour of Fiddler on the Roof, she made her Broadway debut at age 19 in Cabaret.
She went on to chorus roles in Coco (1969), Wild and Wonderful (1971), and Pippin (1972), where she met Bob Fosse. She earned a Theatre World Award for Over Here! (1974), then a Tony nomination for Goodtime Charley (1975). In 1976, she replaced Donna McKechnie in A Chorus Line, and in 1977, she replaced Gwen Verdon in Chicago. The next year, she starred in Fosse’s revue Dancin’, receiving her second Tony nomination. In 1979, she appeared in Fosse’s semi-autobiographical film All That Jazz. Below is Reinking with Erzsebet Foldi performing “Everything Old Is New Again” in the film.
Reinking appeared in two more films: Annie (1982) and Micki & Maude (1984). In 1986, she returned to Broadway, replacing Debbie Allen in Sweet Charity, but moved from performing to choreographing, including the 1992 revue Tommy Tune Tonite! and the 1995 TV adaptation of Bye Bye Birdie. In 1996, she created the choreography for Chicago at City Center’s Encores! series. Within a few months, the production moved to Broadway, becoming the longest-running American musical. In 1999, she recreated Fosse’s work for the Tony-winning revue Fosse, which earned her a fourth Tony nomination. Below is Reinking with Bebe Neuwirth and the Chicago revival cast performing “All That Jazz / Hot Honey Rag” at the 1997 Tony Awards.