Ned Wayburn

Ned Wayburn shaped American theatrical dance as a producer, choreographer, teacher, and director spanning vaudeville, Broadway revues, and professional training. Born in Pittsburgh and raised in Chicago, he began as a pianist before staging large musical productions. His work included collaborations with Lew Fields and Florenz Ziegfeld, and he became closely associated with the Ziegfeld Follies. The art of stage dancing presents the methods behind that practical career. Issued during the 1920s, the manual discusses training, posture, rhythm, rehearsal, stage presence, and several dance forms, while also explaining the discipline expected in theatrical work. Wayburn addresses aspiring performers directly, treating dance as both craft and profession. The Routledge Encyclopedia of Modernism credits him with staging hundreds of shows and with important innovations in American popular theatre. The art of stage dancing therefore serves not simply as an exercise guide but as a record of the production system, teaching habits, and performance standards developed by an experienced Broadway dance director.