She’s Got the Moves:

CHS welcomes new choreographer Meg Rodd

by Rebecca Bloom

On a dimly lit stage, 60 high school students are dressed in steampunk costumes — complete with corsets, goggles, tanks and suspenders. They move together in a triangle formation, dancing in the suggestive and physically demanding style invented by Broadway director-choreographer Bob Fosse. Together, their movements bring to life a “play within a play” about a boy on a quest to find meaning and fulfillment in his life.

The conception for some of those movements and formations came to the CHS theater department’s new choreographer while she was driving on the highway. “That sounds weird,” says Meg Rodd, whose choreography of “Pippin” delighted the student actors and their audiences. “I do a lot of driving. I can daydream and envision patterns on the stage. That makes me sound like a terrible driver, but I swear I’m not.”

Rodd’s explanation — both earnest and lighthearted — sums up her demeanor as she provides stage direction to the student actors involved in the mainstage production. “Meg maintained a great balance between seriousness and silliness,” senior Claire Lisker said. “She kept us focused, but also had fun with us.”

The actors appreciate Rodd’s skill and encouraging disposition.

“Since the day we met her at the audition, she has always had a really great attitude,” sophomore Robert Hollocher said. “She is super fun and cool. We all feel so comfortable around her, and it creates a great environment. And she’s a great dancer.”

Rodd learned early in her career the importance of building rapport with her charges.

“I work with the idea of peer-to-peer respect,” she said. “I promise to respect your time and talent if you respect mine. I try to be positive even with criticism because, let’s be honest, you know if you nailed it or if it was an epic fail, right?”

Rodd began dancing casually at a young age, and while a high school student in New Jersey, she began to study with former Broadway dancers. She majored in musical theatre at Wagner College in New York, and had her first break as a choreographer at her own high school alma mater’s production of “Plain and Fancy.”

“It was not my finest work … definitely a learning experience,” she said. The following year, she co-choreographed “Jesus Christ Superstar” with her former dance teacher. “I learned so much watching her,” she said. “I learned to create choreography that fits all skill levels, and ‘tells’ the audience where to focus.”

Fast forward several years, and Rodd has successfully choreographed a dozen shows for various high schools and for Stages St. Louis. This past summer, she received the call she’d been hoping would someday come: Kelly Webber, CHS theater director, invited her to choreograph the 13-14 mainstage show, “Pippin.”

Rodd was thrilled to have the opportunity. In preparation, she studied the original 1972 Broadway production which was choreographed by Fosse. “I watched a lot of Fosse choreography and videos to get the ‘vibe’ of the show,” she said.

Senior Griffin Reed credits Rodd’s familiarity with Fosse for the unique experience of acting in Pippin. “She incorporated characteristic elements of Fosse’s work into the dances,” Reed said. “You can really tell she has a passion for what she does.”

Junior Katie Warnusz Steckle said her passion for choreography is matched by her knack for working with teens. “Meg creates a really positive, safe environment for us. That’s not always the priority of choreographers, and it doesn’t need to be, but that’s what is so great about Meg is that she goes the extra mile.”

It is no surprise that Rodd loves working high school students, and she says  choreographing at Clayton was especially unique “because of the maturity of the students. That maturity is reflected in their preparedness at rehearsal, in how they take on the responsibility of learning their choreography, and in how the faculty can trust them with mature themes and content. It almost feels like working with adults.”

As for her show experience, she said, “I had such an amazing time working with everyone. They should all be immensely proud of the production they put on. I am so proud of all of them

.”