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Creative Entertainment: Choreographing aSpelltacular

Posted by Emily Wagner Oct 8, 2015

Since making its debut at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” has put

a spell on Guests at the Magic Kingdom Park special event. The enchanting musical numbers have audiences

singing and even dancing along with the Sanderson Sisters and Disney villains, but how did the Cast learn their

wickedly good dance moves?

Creative Entertainment: Choreographing a Spelltacular

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Creative Entertainment: Choreographing a Spelltacular

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Choreographer Cindy Wilson (left) and Show Director Denise Case (right)

The dynamic duo behind the bewitching dances in “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” is Choreographer Cindy

Wilson and Show Director Denise Case. It’s clear that the two enjoyed collaborating on the project, and that their

knowledge of dance helped them to see eye-to-eye on the importance of choreography to the show.

“From the beginning, we knew that we wanted the dancing to drive the story,” said Cindy. “We didn’t want any

dancing just for dancing’s sake.” This motivation for movement was supported by the show’s plot. “This show is

really special because we got to tell a story, and not just present a revue,” explained Denise.

With this goal in mind, Cindy and Denise approached each musical number individually. While all connected in

the overall story arc, the selections varied in musical style and mood, which allowed the team to incorporate a

variety of movement styles. But no matter what, “it had to give me goosebumps,” said Cindy.

'Season of the Witch'

Cindy and Denise explained that the opening number, “Season of the Witch,” was the most challenging to

choreograph since it had to set the tone for the rest of the show without overshadowing other numbers. While

the team originally envisioned it in a contemporary hip-hop style, after breaking it down into “beats,” they

realized the dance needed to be playful and more free-form. The final product is in a modern style, with big,

active movements that culminate in a “carousel” of exciting lifts, turns and leaps.

Creative Entertainment: Choreographing a Spelltacular

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'Friends on the Other Side'

Dr. Facilier’s “Friends on the Other Side” provided plenty of inspiration in its lyrics and original animation

sequence. Cindy explained that she wanted to literally show the song lyrics and story through the movement,

such as having the Sanderson Sisters “sit down at [the] table” of dancers. The character animation also helped

to inspire choreography: “If you look at villains, they’re typically drawn very angular, sharp and hunched, so we

translated that into shapes that the dancers take,” said Denise.

Creative Entertainment: Choreographing a Spelltacular

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'Oogie Boogie's Song'

Cindy also drew inspiration from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” for “Oogie Boogie’s Song,”

particularly the casino visuals, which led to a rotating “roulette” that the dancers perform to encircle the

Sanderson Sisters. She explained that after hearing the music, “I instantly knew that this was going to be slick,

smooth jazz in the Fosse style.” The number also follows a story as Oogie Boogie picks on each sister for a

verse, and then makes their worst nightmare come true in the form of a kickline finale.

Creative Entertainment: Choreographing a Spelltacular

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'I Put a Spell on You'

“Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” concludes with a favorite number from the 1993 “Hocus Pocus” film: “I Put a

Spell on You.” Cindy and Denise shared that this signature piece came together quickly because they knew they

wanted to pull the sisters straight out of the movie and feature a dance break with the villains. The dance break

went through a few revisions before Cindy found the hook, or what she calls, “the bell,” and it became “Dancing

with the Villain Stars,” which turns the castle stage into a ballroom complete with mirror ball projections!

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'Dancing with the Villain Stars'

The “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” choreography brings movement, excitement and comedyto the stage, and is a key element of the show’s storytelling. Whether or not every audience canpick out the pirouettes, calypsos and chassés, they can appreciate the energy and enthusiasmthat shines through every dance. The choreography captures the storyline and conjures aperformance that is, just as Cindy explained she had hoped, “kooky, fun and magical.”

Take a look at the full show in the video below:

Don’t get too scared by the nefarious nightmares, or you may miss Cindy’s and Denise’s favorite part: when

Oogie Boogie knocks on the gates, the dancers first twitch their heads, perform a series of exaggerated,

cartoony walks and then quickly turn away in fear:

Creative Entertainment: Choreographing a Spelltacular

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