2. Mission Statement
Josh Walden founded a dance company, Walden Dance Theatre, with the desire to marry America’s classic
legacy of expression through dance with the realities of today’s culture and society. Through his work with
this company, he quickly discovered there lies great potential and value in taking the theatricality and traditions
of musical theatre to another level by emphasizing the power of one element: movement. Building on the
foundation laid by such visionaries as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, Walden strives to marry this discipline and
style with contemporary themes and music to tell new stories and reinvent those which are familiar. He also
desires coupling the technical skills of dancing with the tools of the acting world to create a highly charged
theatrical setting while exploring the power of being still.
3. A Day in the Life of Ordinary People
“His music and dance frequently
flash with originality and flair.”
-Miriam Horn, The New York Times
Hairspray
“...Hairspray is a big brash
show that punches out lively
numbers with great dance
routines that are a tribute to
the skills of the performers
and the choreographer
Josh Walden.”
Roy Bradbrook, Dan’s Papers-
4. Josh had the amazing opportunity to work with puppet designer
Eric Wright on the Off Broadway Revival of Seussical
for TheatreworksUSA, directed and choreographed by Tony
nominated Marcia Milgrom Dodge.
He was also given the responsibility to create
an entire physical score for the 3 Bird Girls.
5. Using elements found in the Brazilian art form
Capoeira and drawing from various iconic,
religious poses, Josh created a world for the
rock opera Fallen Angel, featured in the 2006
New York International Fringe Festival, where
freedom of touch and movement distinguished
the separation between good and evil.
“And, as choreographer, director Walden keeps
the cast in constant movement, particularly in
the wild devil scenes where boots and leather,
lust and violence, prevail.”
-Irene Backalenick, Backstage
Fallen Angel
6. My Fair Lady A Chorus Line
“Right off the bat with the sparkling
choreography of Josh Walden, the audience
knew that it was in for a treat.”
-Bev Sykes, The Davis Enterprise
On The Town
“Between Josh Walden’s creditable direction
and snap-to choreography...this one tracks
“The choreography by Josh Walden was true and straight into the theater bull’s-eye!”
faultless. This young choreographer should -Tony Curulla, Syracuse.com
go on to greater heights if this memorable
production is any indication.”
-Richard Connema, talkingbroadway.com
7. Josh spent the winter of 2011 in Tampa,
FL working with the Tianyicheng Troupe,
20 young male and female bounce stilt
acrobats from China, to create a highly
charged theatrical act featuring dance,
somersaults and basketball maneuvers for
Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey’s
Fully Charged, the all-new, 141st edition of
The Greatest Show On Earth!
8. In the Fall of 2009, Josh helped his mentor, Marcia
Milgrom Dodge, take her Helen Hayes Award winning
Kennedy Center revival production of Ragtime to
Broadway. As the Associate Director/Associate
Choreographer, he assisted in the creation of a human
assembly line of red and white tires and choreographed
a repetitive, modern dance depicting the Lawrence
mill workers at their looms.
9. ALL IS LOVE, Walden Dance Theatre’s First Full Length Dance Musical
“...it is refreshing to sit back and enjoy a dance drama that reminds us of the
days of Kelly, Caron and Astaire. The dancers’ expressions along with their
movements told the story well. The ecstatic reaction of the audience indicates
that this is what dance and theater goers want.”
-Joan Eshkenazi, curtainup.com
“The choreography is exquisite with its magic woven into the picture
of the group’s movement as a whole (such as the portrayal of the city
waking up to its eventual hustle and bustle in the beginning) as well as into
each dancer’s individual image painting its unique own with the haunting
original music (such as each of the girl’s sequences of infatuation).”
-West, From East to West
“I saw ALL IS LOVE, the thrillingly theatrical and romantic dance musical in
NYMF. It’s clear that Walden is more than a Broadway triple threat, but a
major voice in the future of musical theatre. I can only imagine what he could
do with FOLLIES or WEST SIDE STORY. The production is gorgeous and the
cast is wonderful (and gorgeous...) Anyone who cares about the future of
dance in theatre should check it out.”
-BroadwayWorld.com
10. And The Curtain Rises
Most recently, Josh choreographed
the new musical And the Curtain Rises “Josh Walden contributes aptly decorous
for the Signature Theatre in which 6
ballerinas, from the 1860’s, had to dance choreography for the ballet dancers.”
on pointe as both subterranean fairies - Peter Marks, The Washington Post
from a golden realm as well as vicious
demons from the fiery pits of hell.
11. THEATRE
Fallen Angel
New York International Fringe Festival
Josh Walden
A Chorus Line
Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, NY
Josh Walden
And the Curtain Rises
Signature Theatre, DC
Kristin Hanggi
My Fair Lady
Sacramento Music Circus, CA
Marcia Milgrom Dodge
Espresso Trasho
New York International Fringe Festival
Marcia Milgrom Dodge
Limonade tous les Jours
Actors Theatre of Louisville, KY
Marc Masterson
Carousel
Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, VA
Hal Herman
The Mikado
Theatre Barn, NY
Frank Latson
Seabourn Sun Cruise Ship
Morag Productions, FL
Keith Crumwell
On the Town
Venus Rising Co, CA
Kevin Morales
12. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER
Ragtime, Broadway Revival
Neil Simon Theatre, NY
Marcia Milgrom Dodge
Ragtime
Kennedy Center, DC
Marcia Milgrom Dodge
Seussical
Lucille Lortel Theatre, NY
Marcia Milgrom Dodge
ASSOCIATE CHOREOGRAPHER/DANCE CAPTAIN
The Who’s Tommy
Bay Street Theatre, NY
Marcia Milgrom Dodge
Knight Life
Riverside Theatre, FL
Marcia Milgrom Dodge
Divorce Me, Darling
CAP 21 Studios, NY
Marcia Milgrom Dodge
13. In January, Josh will venture up to
Plymouth State College in NH to
choreograph and help transform
Hans Christian Anderson’s The
Wild Swans into a musical theatre
dance piece.
At the end of August, Josh will
be in LA working with Marcia
Milgrom Dodge as her Associate
Choreographer on Cabaret for
Jason Alexander’s Reprise Theatre
Company.
14. AWARDS
- Best Revival of a Musical for the Bay Area, San Francisco Chronicle, 2000
- On the Town, Venus Rising Company
- Excellence Award, Outstanding Musical, FringeNYC, 2006
- Fallen Angel
- Honorable Mention, Excellence in Direction and Choreography, NYMF, 2006
- All is Love
- Best Production of the Summer Season Nomination, Syracuse Area Live Theater Award, 2010
- A Chorus Line, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse
- Best Director, and Best Revival Nominations, Tony Awards, 2010
- Ragtime
