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'83 grad receives choreography award for Academy Awards show number

Rob AshfordRob Ashford, a 1983 Point Park dance alumnus, won the 2009 Emmy for Outstanding Choreography for the "81st Annual Academy Awards" and his "Musicals Are Back" opening number. The number was a compilation of numerous musical theatre songs, including "You're the One That I Want" from Grease, "All that Jazz" from Chicago, and "Maria" from West Side Story. Many stars from musical movies were in the performance, such as Hugh Jackman, Beyonce Knowles, Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper.

Ashford is no stranger to the Tony Awards either. He won the 2002 Tony Award for Best Choreography for Thoroughly Modern Millie, and had received Tony nominations for Cry-Baby, Curtains and The Wedding Singer. His most recent involvement with the Awards was choreographing the 2009 opening number.

Ashford's also tried his hand at directing with great success. He recently directed the workshop of Promises, Promises (featuring Sean Hayes and Anne Hathaway) in New York. He's set to direct and choreograph the Broadway revival in the near future. Currently Ashford is directing A Streetcar Named Desire at the Donmar Westhouse in London, where Rachel Weisz is playing the role of Blanche DuBois.

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