Wicked Choreographer Christopher Scott Breaks Down “Dancing Through Life”

Since the theatrical release of Wicked last month, fans have been buzzing about the song and choreography of “Dancing Through Life,” the big musical number from Jonathan Bailey, who plays Fiyero in the film.

The character dances on books, keeps his balance in a rotating library, and makes his classmates — and the Internet — swoon in the process.

In an interview with Bustle, Wicked choreographer Christopher Scott broke down the “Dancing Through Life” dance routine, giving much of the credit to director Jon M. Chu.

“I’ve been working with him now for 17 years, and this one in particular was an amazing process,” Scott tells Bustle. “[Producer] Mark Platt and the team were like, ‘OK, Jon, you’ve got to break these numbers down for us one by one.’ I don't know if he was actually fully ready yet, but every day, he would go home and come up with all these ideas and the meaning behind it all.”

Much of that involved collaborating with Bailey. “The first day he came in, I had a whole number built for him,” Scott says of the actor. “Most of the movement stayed, but it’s all about the nuance and how he performed it.”

One of the first things Chu, Scott, and Bailey did was talk through how to add more depth to Fiyero. “[Bailey] was very clear that he wanted to play this role very three-, four-dimensional,” Scott says. “He wants you to see behind the eyes. He wants the audience to get a little glimpse in, because that’s what we can’t do on stage, but we can get right there with him.”

Ariana’s Move Has A Special Meaning

One way to add depth came courtesy of Glinda (Ariana Grande). As Fiyero dances on a table, Glinda attempts to recreate his moves in an awestruck way.

“I wanted to create a call and response, because if we’re going to create a world where Fiyero is enticing everybody to dance, and he’s inviting them into his world, I hate when everybody just already knows the choreography, so you just give a little in,” Scott says of Grande’s move. “For that first moment, you give a little hip roll, you let them go.”

“What I love about what Ariana did was, she really Glinda-fied it,” he adds. “There’s a moment right before, if you notice, when Fiyero runs up to the table, and she’s holding him, and then she swoops under it and she just holds this pose. It’s very quick in the movie, but it’s a little gem.”

Fans will be able to attempt the moves themselves on Dec. 31, when Wicked becomes available to purchase or rent on digital platforms. These versions will feature deleted scenes, a sing-along option, and special behind-the-scenes featurettes.