Broadway choreography has long been an amalgam of different social dances and forms like jazz, tap, and ballet. But today’s shows are increasingly using movement makers from genres outside the musical theater world altogether, like experimental dance (David Neumann, Annie-B Parson, Raja Feather Kelly), commercial dance (Sonya Tayeh, JaQuel Knight, Keone and Mari Madrid), modern dance (Camille A. Brown), and physical theater (Steven Hoggett).

Every dancer has a dream role. For some, it’s one character they’ve dreamed of dancing, often from a young age. For others, it extends beyond the stage—a dream role can be less about portraying a specific part or dancing in a particular show and more about finding a career path that feels perfectly suited to them.

“My favorite thing in the whole world is to laugh,” she says. “Making people smile is one of the greatest gifts, and if I can do that, then my work here is done.”

“Even when I’m far away from tap,” says Astaire Award–winning hoofer Jared Grimes, “I’m never really far.”