Ann Reinking in "All That Jazz"
The musical form has lost a bonafide legend. Ann Reinking, actress, director, choreographer, mentor, Roxie Hart revivalist, and Fosse expert nonpareil, passed away this weekend in her sleep at the age of 71...
the titular characters in Micki + Maude
Reinking's film career was very short, stretching through just six years and four films (1978's Golden Globe nominated Movie Movie, 1979's Oscar-nominated masterpiece All That Jazz in which she played a fictionalized version of herself, 1982's Annie as Grace Farrell, and the Golden Globe nominated romantic comedy Micki + Maude) in which she was one of two pregnant women who weren't aware that their husband was a polygamist.
It was impossible to forget her if you saw her -- all legs for days, formidable cheekbones, and long stick-straight hair. Despite a short heyday in the movies she was never out of style with that ultra modern chic physicality, inimitable voice, with her enduring stage contributions (4 Tony nominations, 1 win), and as the long-time carrier of Fosse's never-extinguished torch.
All That Jazz's warmest endearing scene
Happily Reinking had been getting renewed attention for her own place in his legendary career quite recently. In the miniseries Fosse/Verdon she was played by Margaret Qualley who felt nothing but reverence for her, telling The Hollywood Reporter
I grew up really idolizing Ann Reinking; it was one of the most surreal opportunities for me to try to play her. I was really fortunate because I had the opportunity to talk with her on the phone before we started shooting; we ended up talking for two hours. It was the coolest thing just to get her blessing. At the end of the conversation, I basically said, "I have to be honest, I feel nervous, I've looked up to you for so long." She was really, really sweet and said, "Well, be honest and trust yourself, I believe in you. And if you ever want to call me, I'm here." I definitely abused that power and ended up calling her once or twice a week.
Ann Reinking won the Tony for choreography for recreating / reinterpreting Fosse's work in the 1970s Chicago for 1997's revival -- and she made an excellent Roxie Hart.
Since hearing the sad news I've been thinking a lot about All That Jazz (1979) and how so much of it is the artful seductive guiding of Fosse to accept his own death, with Reinking as one the chief guides. But I've also been trying to imagine her dancing her way out of this life. There would undoubtedly be a brief but exuberant shimmy, impossibly precise enormously stylized 'walking' with sharp knee bends, and before the curtain, a tip of a bowler hat.
She will be missed. We throw flowers to her memory.