JoJo Smith
JoJo Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | July 20, 1938 |
| Died | January 22, 2019 (aged 80) Englewood, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupations | Dancer, choreographer, dance teacher |
| Known for | Dance consultant for Saturday Night Fever; JoJo's Dance Factory |
JoJo Smith (July 20, 1938 – January 22, 2019) was an American dancer, choreographer, and dance teacher whose career spanned Broadway, film, television, and touring work. A dance consultant for the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever, Smith was described by Dance Magazine as "The King of New York" for his contributions to Broadway and the dance industry.[1]
Early life
Smith was born to dancers Anna Margaret Grayson and Joseph Benjamin Smith.[1] His mother, Anna Grayson, danced with the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, and Katherine Dunham created a special routine for Smith when he was 13.[2]
Career
Smith made his Broadway debut as a Shark in the 1964 City Center revival of West Side Story.[3] He later appeared in Something More! and A Joyful Noise, assisting Michael Bennett on the latter production.
Smith made his Broadway debut as a choreographer with The Fifth Dimension with JoJo's Dance Factory, and was credited as choreographer on Got Tu Go Disco, which featured Irene Cara.[3]
Smith was a dance consultant for the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever.[4] Playbill described Smith as helping define disco in Hollywood films, and noted his work in Hollywood as a contemporary choreographer and coach during the 1970s disco era.[3]
Teaching
Smith founded JoJo's Dance Factory at 1733 Broadway, where he taught dancers and performers. The studio occupied the space that later became Broadway Dance Center.[3] His students included Debbie Allen, John Travolta, and Barbra Streisand.[1]
A 1978 article in The New Yorker described a disco dance lesson at JoJo's Dance Factory, where Smith led students through steps connected to Saturday Night Fever.[2]
Death
Smith died on January 22, 2019, at the Actors Fund Home in Englewood, New Jersey. He was 80.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 "JoJo Smith, Broadway and Film Star, Dies at 80". Dance Magazine. 27 January 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Action at Jo Jo's". The New Yorker. 6 November 1978. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Gans, Andrew (30 January 2019). "Broadway Dancer and Choreographer JoJo Smith Passes Away at 80". Playbill. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ↑ Barnes, Mike (30 January 2019). "JoJo Smith, Dance Consultant for 'Saturday Night Fever,' Dies at 80". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 June 2026.