Dancing with Todd: How his Annie Partners Rate Him
Todd McKenney, well-known as Dancing With the Stars’ ‘tough’ or ‘nasty’ judge, now has two of musical theatre’s top hoofers as dancing partners, Nancye Hayes (Miss Hannigan) and Chloë Dallimore (Lily St Regis), in the new Australian production of Annie. Neil Litchfield asked for their adjudication on Todd’s dancing a few days before opening.
I’d just watched the trio performing Easy Street at the Media Call for the production of Annie.
Nancye Hayes first worked with Todd in 42nd Street (1989), when he played juvenile lead Billy Lawler.
“I played the leading lady Dorothy Brock, who couldn’t dance,” Nancye said.
“That was a stretch for Nancye,” Todd (sitting beside her) added.
“You’ve had dance lessons all around Australia with Todd,” I suggested to Nancye.
“I have,’ Nancye replied. “He taught me to dance in Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, and it went on for a year and a half.”
“The longest six weeks of our lives,” Todd added with a laugh.
“And Todd, of course, is a judge on Dancing With the Stars,” I said.
“Well, I’ll be holding numbers up when we come off in Easy Street, and I ‘d even give him a zero if he’s really naughty,” Nancye said, Todd giving a hurt expression. “No, you’ll always be a 10 to me.”
“What’s Todd really like to dance with?” I asked.
“He’s beautiful to dance with,” Nancye said. “What a thrill.”
“If you were adjudicating Todd, what would you say about his dancing?” I asked.
Although Todd was being called away for another interview, he said, “Wait, I want to hear this answer.”
“The wonderful thing about Todd is the way he absolutely comes to life when he dances,” Nancye said. “He dances from his heart and his soul. He’s a great technician, but there’s a difference between a technician and what I’d call a true dancer – the joy in him when he dances … (‘Ohh,’ Todd murmured happily) … is just such a joy to watch. You can’t be taught that … (‘She read my script perfectly’, Todd interjected with a cheeky smile) … even though he was taught beautifully, by his mother … (‘by my mum’ Todd overlapped). You can’t teach that, and that’s something which someone has which sets them apart.”
“I think that’s the other reason I like working with Nancye,” Todd added. “When we were putting the play Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks together, it was really evident that we both learn things on our feet; we don’t learn them sitting down. That comes from a dancer’s background. We approach things from a physical point of view. We’re much better off moving and feeling it in our bodies, and that’s a special dancers’ thing, I think.”
“So Nancye, your score for Todd?” I asked.
“A 10,” Nancye replied without hesitation.
“And Todd, your score for Nancye?”
“A 20.”
While Todd was on stage in the midst of another interview, I had the opportunity to speak to his other dance partner, Chloë Dallimore.
By accident, specifically the accident when the American leading man was injured, Chloë worked with Todd in her first professional show, Crazy For You.
“I was there the day that Todd was called in from his relaxing Sunday lunch to have to do the show,” Chloë said. “He didn’t think that he was going to have to be there until he took over the role six months in. It was amazing. It was like watching someone run a marathon, but effortlessly. You could see his body just grappling with the adrenalin and the fatigue, the nervousness, the insane professionalism – it was pretty special stuff.”
“And with his reputation as the tough judge in Dancing With the Stars, how is Todd as a dance partner?” I asked
“You know what, he’s an 11. He’s just extraordinary. He’s so there, which is really rare in a dance partner. He’s so aware of where he is in a space, where you are in relation to him and how he can help you manoeuvre around him. Having a dance partner who is so in tune with space, and his and your bodies, is so rare. I always find it’s the ballroom dancing boys who are brilliant dancing partners. When we did the Carols in the Domain, it was just so easy because it’s just instinctive. It’s joyous.”
“And what do you love about working with Nancye Hayes?” I asked.
“She’s just so classy, but she knows how to have a great time, and her constant focus on the detail of the work, and constant experimenting. That’s what the three of us, Todd, Nancye and I, have done. We constantly experiment and we bounce things off one another: ‘Is that too big?’ ‘Should I try this?’ We just go for it, and if it doesn’t work you throw it out and try something else.”
Photographer: Lindsay Kearney - Lightbox Photography.
Our earlier coverage
Annie Childrens Cast Announced
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