BYU dance faculty Nathan Balser performed in the opening number of the TONY Awards last night, June 9, on CBS. Balser performed in the Radio City Music Hall as one of the core dancers and singers in the show.
Originally from Springville, Utah, Balser has spent much of his career performing on stage in Broadway shows like Promises, Mamma Mia! and Legally Blonde. As a performer and a teacher, Balser also spends a lot of time teaching classes and workshops for Broadway Dance Projects all over the nation. Some of his more recent projects include his choreography for Sundance’s Summer 2012 stage production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and his creative work for the Nauvoo Historical Pageant in Nauvoo, IL, in 2011. The BYU Department of Dance is glad to have such a talented, experienced contemporary dance teacher.
To perform in the opening number of the TONY Awards is a great honor. The TONY Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. Originally started in 1967, the American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards® are the official awards for American Broadway theatre.
In a Facebook post, Balser commented on the experience, “What else can you say about it . . . ! Such a rush to see 6,000 people jump to their feet for a standing ovation!”