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Hey Jam Fam! We are excited to share today's episode with you, featuring Phil LaDuca! We know you know the name for being the shoe maker to the stars, but there is so much more to his story. Thank you Phil for honesty and carving out time for us!
Most recognize the name LaDuca as the pinnacle of dance shoes, but before shoes, there was Phil LaDuca, the performer, who went from classical ballet and contemporary dance, onto Broadway as a song and dance man, to ‘hoofing’ with the biggest stars onstage, offstage and the big screen.
Phil began his early stage career singing in rock bands in Chicago before switching gears to a dance career studying classical ballet with the premier ballet masters, Bentley Stone and Walter Camryn (actually performing in the ballet Romeo and Juliet with the legendary Rudolf Nureyev). jazz with Lou Conte founder of Hubbard Street Dance Company, and contemporary with the Joel Hall Dancers.
On Broadway he appeared in “Brigadoon” for Agnes DeMille (alongside Jerry Mitchell), the “Pirates of Penzance” , and was the original understudy for the Gene Kelly role in “Singin’ In the Rain” for Twyla Tharp. Phil toured in “Camelot” along with staring on tour in the lead role, of Bill Snipson in “Me and My Girl”.
While in New York Phil first performed with American Dance Machine under the legendary Lee Theodore, working with such greats as Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, Ona White, Danny Daniels, Patricia Birch, Anne Reinking, Wayne Cilento and Chita Rivera.
Fulfilling another creative side, Phil created the international acclaimed LaDuca Shoes, crowned the “Shoemaker to the Shoes”; designing shoes for the likes of Katy Perry, Meryl Streep, Taylor Swift, Emma Thompson, Hugh Jackman, Catherine Zeta Jones, Lea Salonga, Pink, Shania Twain, Penelope Cruz, Selena Gomez , Christina Aguilera, Harry Connick Jr. and most of the shows on Broadway and tour; Moulin Rouge, The Music Man, Wicked, Book of Mormon, Frozen, Some Like It Hot, The Cher Musical, Bandstand, An American in Paris, Kinky Boots, Matilda, Pippin, Sister Act, Annie, Anastasia, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Aladdin; TV – Fosse/Verdon, Hairspray Live, So You Think You Can Dance, SMASH; Movies – The Eternals, The Prom, The Greatest Showman, La La Land, Chicago, Burlesque, NINE, Mamma Mia, Julie/Julia, Hail Caesar, working with such stars as Meryl Streep, Catherine Zeta Jones, Liza Minnelli, Cher, Arianna Grande, Antonio Banderas, Bette Midler, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Hudson, Sophia Loren, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Judith Dench, Glen Close, Reba McIntire, Sarah Paulson and Tatum Channing to name a few.
Along with being the first, “Shoe commentator’ for Miss America in 2015, Phil is most proud of being bestowed a Drama Desk Award 2017 for, “Proving that character comes from the ground up, the designer’s innovative flexible dance ensures that hoofers on any stage remain on point”.
Mr. LaDuca continues to design but still finds time to teach Master Theatre Jazz Dance classes. “I believe in not only giving back to this great community of dance, but I also feel obligated to ‘pass the baton’ to future generations, all the knowledge I was gifted by the greats who taught and influenced me to achieve my goals and dreams”.
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