It seems Chaz Wolcott has been on a whirlwind tour these past few years. While eager students had been flowing into his musical theater classes at Broadway Dance Center for years, he chose to take a big risk during the pandemic and leave New York City to explore university teaching and other endeavors.
Putting his own teaching strategy in action, he made a gutsy decision to see what he could learn outside the city’s expansive, yet insular, scene. While spending time on faculty at Penn State University and University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, he also achieved an MFA in theater arts through the University of Idaho.
Utilizing lessons learned along his journey, and all that came before, Wolcott has returned to New York City and the studios he once called home, feeling both refreshed and with an updated perspective. Having sharpened his skills teaching dancers how to succeed in the studio and on the audition circuit, he has also gained a broader perspective on how to create a respectful environment for dancers.
Wolcott was lucky to get an early start as an educator. “My teachers inspired me to become one myself. When I was in high school, my dance school had a teacher training program for more advanced students. I assisted a ballet teacher who oversaw my class for several years,” he shares. “Learning her pedagogy helped me understand how to teach younger dancers.”
Upon graduation, he attended Oklahoma City University, where he refined his teaching skills and received his BFA in dance performance. “I had some fabulous teachers who taught me life lessons at the barre while also learning tools of the trade,” he remembers. “It showed me how valuable the teacher–student relationship can be while inspiring me to create space to challenge a dancer’s skills in a supportive environment.”
After receiving his degree, Wolcott put his learnings into action. He moved to New York City and spent the next decade auditioning and working as an actor in musical theater productions on tour and at regional theaters around the country. After several stints working as a dance captain, he naturally fell into the role of director/choreographer for productions nationwide.
“Even as I was auditioning and performing, I was also teaching,” Wolcott says. “As I got into the business, [I noticed that] there seemed to be a disconnect between what was happening in the classroom and what was expected at an audition.”
To address this disparity, Wolcott began infusing audition materials into class. “I offer tough challenges for my students to ensure there are no surprises in the audition room. When a student messages me needing help with an upcoming audition, I gear my classes towards the material they will be expected to perform.”
In an effort to continue sharing relevant information with his students, Wolcott continued his own education by earning his MFA, and recently became a trained intimacy director. He explains that “bringing a practical and updated knowledge of the field to class helps guide students to understand what they want for themselves,” adding, “I put in effort to remain active in the art form to better understand trends and developments within our industry. Our students are heading out into the world, so we have to educate them on what they will experience.”
Finally settling back into his big-city flow, Wolcott reflects on his purpose. “We have a responsibility to teach our students carefully and to be considerate of both their needs and what is expected of them in the professional world. It can be challenging to balance all of these things, especially if we are updating materials and practices regularly, but it is necessary for us to learn what is best for a student in 2025, 2026, and beyond.”
As his classes at Broadway Dance Center fill back up with dancers eager to prepare for a future in musical theater, he moves forward alongside his students with reverence for the past and curiosity about the future.
Go-to warm-up: “Dance party with grape vines, kick-ball-changes, and pivot turns with attitude.”
On filming class: “While class should not be about filming, I also understand the need for students and teachers to market themselves. Find a balance. At the end of class, I film all groups once. I offer dancers to opt out of participating. But we always finish class dancing one more time without the camera.”
Surprising social media moment: “When I did the Newsies tour, I developed a massive following of aspiring theater performers. I have seen them grow up over the years and many have now taken class from me. I find them so inspiring!”
Classroom approach: “Feel the fear and do it anyway. Those in-class moments when dancers break through and start believing in themselves are the best!”
Respecting boundaries: “For a long time, there was no refined way of staging intimate moments in theater. Whether the content is romantic or just generally uncomfortable, we need to support artists telling difficult stories with dialogue and consent.”
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