#FFB: Broadway's Shuffle Along Reunion
If this looks like one of the most fun, energetic (not to mention, biggest!) photoshoots to date on FFB.. it's because it was! :) Thanks to Christian Dante, who I've been trying to organize a FFB feature with for a year! (almost to the day of this photoshoot we figured out).
Christian's idea for a Shuffle Along feature came about while I was still in London and when the stars finally aligned for it to happen, we had to start singing the tune of a Shuffle Along REUNION.
The show may have closed but don't worry, Shuffle Along vibes were on fire with this group who tapped their way through the photoshoot, literally (they even pulled in an audience at the Highline!) It's an 8 for 1 special today with these beaming souls sharing their wisdom about what it takes to be FIT FOR BROADWAY!
Special Thanks to Lumberjack Studios for these amazing photos! Jake, you capture all of the greatest moments on FFB! :)
For inquires about headshot, portrait, or lifestyle photography, visit LUMBERJACKSTUDIOS.NET
"Fit for Broadway" Orchid & "Fit for Broadway" Blue from Fit for Broadway Apparel (Click the picture!)
Christian Dante
NOTE FROM CHRISTIAN: Hi! My name is Christian Dante White! Im from South Bend, IN and I've been performing professionally for 10 years now. I love being an artist and the community that I’m in. I made my broadway debut in The Scottsboro Boys followed by The Book of Mormon, Shuffle Along and next year Hello Dolly. Coffee, gym, nutrition and a great support system keep me going each day in this hectic business. Most of these shows are so athletic beyond your voice, talent, and mind, the body itself is another major component to making sure you're full out with great conviction for 8 shows a week.
How do you stay Fit for Broadway? Coffee!! I stay Fit for Broadway by first keeping a balanced mind. It all starts there. I cherish and value my morning time. I have coffee, watch something on TV to clear my head and get into the zone. I always watch videos that inspire me in some way or lift me to get me through those days I'm tired and want to be lazy. I watch, as much as I can, what I eat, and workout. Each day revolves around me getting up on that stage and giving the best possible show I can. My job requires me to stay fit for myself first, and for my art.
Top 3 tips for health and fitness on Broadway?
Balance
Knowledge
Discipline
My Last workout was…. last week dancing full out in pre production. Cardio baby!
What I Ate Yesterday?
I just discovered this awesome smoothie near my apartment that has blueberries, bananas, cranberry juice and avocado its called,"Brain Power" I'm addicted and it definitely keeps me razor sharp. I love bananas. Im a chicken rice guy probably every other day! And shhhh, PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA!
Breakfast- Juice Smoothie/Banana/Coffee
Lunch-Subway Sandwich-Chicken Caesar Melt
Dinner- Grilled Chicken over rice
Snacks- Bananas/Granola Bars
The best part about being on Broadway is… the family you create within your company and sharing a new story to a new audience each night.
The most challenging part of being on Broadway is… the time sacrifice. Your life revolves around doing your show. Sometimes you just want to be normal and do normal things but you can't. What we do isn't normal therefore you can't live that way. But I love what I do and it’s worth the disciplined life!
Karissa Royster
NOTE FROM KARISSA: Hi, I'm Karissa! I'm a tap dancer and lover of history and art. My passion is people.
How do you stay Fit for Broadway? Steamed veggies! But really - I try to eat plenty of vegetables & fruits that are prepared in clean, natural ways. I also enjoy doing yoga for stretching, strengthening, and maintaining peace of mind.
Top 3 tips for health and fitness on Broadway?
Your body is your temple. When your body feels good, you're more inclined to feel mentally good.
Stretching is key to maintenance!
Sadly, alcohol slows you down. Keep the booze in moderation.
What I ate yesterday?
Breakfast- coffee, oatmeal w/ peanut butter
Lunch- mixed green salad w/balsamic vinaigrette
Dinner- spicy tuna roll, California roll
My last workout was… Yoga!
The best part about being on Broadway is… being able to share your craft and story with audiences of all backgrounds.
The most challenging part of being on Broadway is… making sure you find time for yourself to stay centered and breathe! Finding time to slow down is important.
"Built for Broadway", "Mind Body Broadway" & "Audition, Audition" from Fit for Broadway Apparel
CK Edwards
NOTE FROM CK: I’m from Dallas, TX and graduated from the Univ. of OK. I’ve lived in NY for a little over 8 years now - 5 of those years married to the amazing Tia DeShazor. My greatest passion is making people people laugh and smile even if only for a moment...
How do I stay Fit for Broadway? Bike to work!
Top 3 tips for health and fitness on Broadway?
Keep taking an active class every week whether it's dance, yoga, or kick boxing. My bonus is biking 10 miles to/from(total) work everyday. I'd encourage anyone to incorporate an activity into getting to work or doing errands i.e., get off train 2 stops early and walk/run or even earlier and rent a Citi bike:)
No matter how little dance you do in your show find a way to do a full warm-up before each.
Keep light/healthy-ish snacks at your DR station so you can break the habit of eating large portions before/after your show.
My last workout was… 2 days ago. I don't think that workouts have to be everyday, as long as I try to be active everyday. I'm actually considering losing my gym membership(that I've had for a year) and going back to more dance classes, YouTubing exercise vids, and/or long distance biking.
What I ate yesterday?
Breakfast - granola & two bananas
Lunch- two corn tacos from Chipotle
Dinner- Brussel Sprouts & Japanese squash
Snacks- midnight cereal & another banana
Drink- I rarely drink Soda but I had an izze at chipotle. Also, I try to drink at least a gallon of water a day. I didn't quite make it yesterday.
The best part of being on Broadway is… finding this huge community of people who are living their dreams along side you. Then working with them to create programs for helping the next generation do it even better. But, of course Broadway Softball, and bowling leagues!
The most challenging part of being on Broadway is… how quickly things can change and having to figure out how to maintain the momentum you've gained in your career while continuing to grow.
Janelle Davis
NOTE FROM JANELLE: Hi, I'm Janelle Neal. I love God, my husband, my family, Broadway, dancing, singing, writing, creating, and food, food, food!!!
How do I stay Fit for Broadway? Nutrition
Top 3 tips for health and fitness on Broadway?
Stay fed
Stay rested
Stay true to yourself
My Last workout… involved getting on the bike and doing leg and arm exercises to help strengthen the body.
What I Ate Yesterday? Honestly, this past week was not a great one for me due to being out of town, but, here goes nothin'!
Breakfast- skipped, which I don't recommend. I usually would have grits with honey or raisins (I like my grits sweet), and a banana
Lunch- a hummus and veggie wrap, from Pret
Dinner- the farmstead, from Bareburger with a little bit of horseradish and hot honey mustard. I normally eat from home, but when I am away, and making my way back into town, these options are safe go-to's.
Snacks- organic snap peas, a cliff bar, and 2 coconut macaroons.
Miscellaneous- some vegan carrot cake. My sweet tooth got the best of me.
The best part about being on Broadway is… watching a dream unfold before my eyes, even if it's mixed with a little drama. To be able to be a part of something that pulls from every creative side of me along with every emotion, is pretty incredible.
The most challenging part of being on Broadway is… knowing what your body needs. It's a constant learning experience because the schedule, I was given, from week to week, would constantly change. This would affect how much I ate, when I could rest, and what I needed to focus on, mentally and spiritually, to get me through each week.
Richard Raiz
NOTE FROM RICHARD: Hi I'm Richard! I'm a big goofball that loves, video games, yoga, reading, booze, pizza, pizza, pizza, and tap dancing! I have been lucky enough to be in three Broadway shows with another one on the way and have gotten the chance to do them with friends every time!!!
How do you stay Fit for Broadway? Fried chicken and Yoga! I love to work hard and keeping my body healthy. Yoga helps me to connect my mind and body together. I tend to let a lot of things get under my skin and yoga helps me relax and just enjoy life. The fried chicken is because I love it and I need things I love in my life!
Top 3 tips for health and fitness on Broadway?
Getting enough rest.
Making sure you make allotted time each week to spend time with friends that are not in your show. It's good for the soul.
Eating a meal that is filling but won't drag you down before shows.
My Last workout was… Dancing at the opening of the African American Museum in DC.
What I Ate Yesterday?
Breakfast- Protein Shake
Lunch- Turkey Avocado Wrap
Dinner- Chicken and Turkey Bacon Salad
Snacks- 6 whisky and Ginger drinks and 2 slices of pizza...gotta have fun sometimes.
The best part about being on Broadway is… working with so many talented people that really love what they do.
The most challenging part of being on Broadway is… getting on Broadway and staying there...
"Training for Broadway" "Broadway Full Out" & "Audition, Audition" from Fit for Broadway Apparel (click the pictures!)
Curtis Holland
NOTE FROM CURTIS: Hi, my name is Curtis Holland. I love dance, animal documentaries and hanging out.
How do you stay Fit for Broadway? Meditation and A JOB!
Top 3 tips for health and fitness on Broadway?
Do not forget about your mental fitness and sanity. Find friends, take up a hobby, or go view a sunset at the beach. Do anything to keep the pressure and anxiety of the business down.
Continue to work, whether employed or waiting for your next gig. The only way to be ready to be ready for opportunity is to work in the mean time.
Take your vitamins. Dancing with the flu is no joke.
My Last workout was… September 19, 2016
What I Ate Yesterday?
Breakfast- 4 eggs, oatmeal with a splash of almond milk, topped with pears, cinnamon and agave nectar
Lunch- chicken breast, quinoa, bell peppers, onions, and an apple on the side
Dinner- Salmon salad with sweet potatoes and broccoli on the side
Snacks- peanut butter over brown rice cakes
Misc- a bag of skittles
The best part about being on Broadway is… Meeting extraordinary talented cast mates who can quickly grow into trustworthy friends.
The most challenging part of being on Broadway is… Tech rehearsal.
Alicia Lundgren
NOTE FROM ALICIA: Hey! My name Alicia Lundgren. I'm a dancer in NYC. I love animals, ice cream, traveling, and thrifting. Did I mention I like thrifting? I like comedy, and friends and family are very important.
How do you stay Fit for Broadway? Squaaaaats! Cardio is great for losing or maintaining weight, but toning is important too. And so squats with added weight are good for lifting that badonk! Dabs. I'm sure if you dab enough times, it'll burn some calories
Top 3 tips for health and fitness on Broadway?
you must eat.
enough sleep
hydrate
My last workout was… lifting Funyuns to my mouth, and putting my hand down back into the bag. Many reps.
What I Ate Yesterday?
Breakfast: coffee, egg white sandwich and fries
Lunch: Thai food and some sushi
Dinner: Funyuns (I had a late show)
The best part about being on Broadway is… Getting to meet and work with amazing artists who become friends!
The most challenging part of being on Broadway is… spelling Brooks Ashkamanskas' last name
NOTE FROM ERIN: Hi, I'm Erin. I'm from St. Louis and I like jokes, food, theater, matte lipstick, The Obamas, high waisted pants, gum, thrifting, Lululemon sports bras, words, sparkling water, and shoes. I'm also obsessed with coffee. My life is powered my coffee.
How do you stay Fit for Broadway? Vegan! I stay fit by eating a somewhat balanced diet. I don't have any rules for eating (like no carbs, no eating after X time etc.) and I'm not consistent on how many times/what times I eat during the day. Two things that I notice that I DO do consistently are: 1) eat only when I'm hungry. 2) I don't really snack. Also, I'm vegan, so I eat a lot of vegetables and whole grains. But I have a sweet tooth, and get on sweet kicks (ya'll HAVE to try the donuts at Babycakes), and I love fries, so I eat that stuff too. I just try not to go overboard, and I'm active so I think it all works itself out. Also, doing a show keeps me in shape and I cross train with dance class, the treadmill, and sometimes yoga.
My last workout was… walking on the treadmill.
What I ate yesterday?
Breakfast-coffee
Lunch-Thai food
Dinner-Sweet Chili Doritos (it was late, I was out of town and 7-11 was my only option...call me resourceful?yes, they are vegan).
The best part about being on Broadway is… getting to the show every night! Every show is different, so it's fun to play/explore, try to find new things in your track and watch and learn from your other cast members as they explore and grow. I like giving myself little challenges or focusing on different aspects of my performance in each show. Sometimes things work, sometimes they don't, but you always get another shot at it the next day.
The most challenging part about being on Broadway is… that you are on the opposite schedule as the rest of the world so you miss holidays/weddings/graduations etc and you can never go to shows/concerts.
