Wanderers of the seven keys…
Today we unveil a Royal Card of global prestige.
Janine Molinari – choreographer, director, and founder of Dance Molinari DMO – opens up in an exclusive interview that spans continents, generations, and dreams.
From the bright lights of Broadway to the stages of Italy, she shares her mission to shape performers and ignite souls — one step, one note, one heart at a time.
Janine, you’ve trained hundreds of artists who now perform on the world’s greatest stages. When did you realize that your mission was to train performers?
As the story goes, when I was 3 years old in my first onstage performance leading a song and dance in front of a microphone with 25 little girls behind me – I abruptly stopped what I was doing when I noticed they were in need of my help and walked around the stage correcting the others (in front of the audience ) and then went back and finished the performance proudly!
That sums up my life mission.
I always knew I loved directing and choreographing other performers as well as passing on important information that was taught to me by my great teachers – Luigi , Frank Hatchett, Phil Black, Gus Giordano, Jacque D’Amboise, Maurice and Gregory Hines, Maryann Asdal, Julia Brande ( Ziegfeld Folly Girl)
Dance Molinari has become a true institution in New York. What makes your approach so unique?
DMO has been around for 25 years in NYC, 12 years in LA, and 7 years Chicago but also all over the USA and the world – DMO team and I have taught classes and performed in Japan, China, Taiwan, Canada,Italy, Spain, Amsterdam, London, Taiwan, and even Latin America.
We strongly believe in unity through diversity!
We are honored to be given these extraordinary opportunities and love bringing our knowledge and skills to others who may continue to pass it on thru future generations of artists. All our classes are filled with positivity, passion, and a belief that dance is for all people of all levels! I believe in constructive criticism, always striving to be better and most importantly making learning fun!
You are an expert in tap dance. What still fascinates you about this discipline today?
To be referred to as an expert in Tap Dance is quite humbling as I always know there is more to learn and I continue to take classes myself and study. Tap dancing is ever evolving, it’s playing a musical instrument. tap fascinates me because there is always new steps, new rhythms to explore, and everyone who does it can put their own creative twist, and even invent their own steps! I love that it is truly a unique form of self expression very much like Hip-Hop and steps are created and passed on from Tap Dancer to Tap Dancer!
You often work with young performers. What do you truly look for in a talent?
I want to correct that question I work with younger and older performers of all levels and that brings me so much joy as a talent can be discovered in someone at age 50 as well as someone at age 5. I am drawn to performers that have that special life in their eyes, a sparkle, the bright light that seems to turn on within them when they perform! I also look for those with an extreme desire to learn, but also have a natural joy and positivity!
DMO also works in Italy and collaborates with many international organizations. What do you appreciate most about Italian talent?
Italian performers have such desire, passion, urgency, seriousness in their training and amore so much amore! it’s one of the reasons I constantly return to Italy as I am constantly recharged by the artists here in Italy, and also reminded constantly of why I love what I do so much! I love the respect, the pure joy, the intensity, and the lovely grace, humility, gratefulness and great talent !
You are also a talent scout. How do you recognize a performer with real potential for Broadway or television?
There are so many variables that go into a performer who ends up making it on Broadway and in TV film- dedication to their craft, practice, and always leveling up to a point of obsession, and knowing who you truly are and what you can bring to each project is so important when auditioning, and then of course, being cast in the show. The most successful performers, practice daily, and are always studying !!!! learning never ends even when you do get cast in a Broadway show or in a show on TV and film. I work with performers who are in shows but never stop taking classes. taking their training up to the next level and also adding other skills as well, such as acrobatics, baton, twirling, singing, different styles, dancing different styles acting different styles always adding on to their skills and bag of tricks as I refer.
What has been an unforgettable moment for you as a choreographer or teacher?
I have had so many unforgettable moments that this is a very difficult question for me as a choreographer I would have to say directing and choreographing huge shows, such as A Bronx Tale, Footloose, Tommy, Jesus Christ, superstar, legally, blonde, etc. Every opening night is an unforgettable experience to see my vision come to life.
being part of the directing and choreography team of the first Italian version of Tony and Tina’s Wedding – New York’s longest running comedy- doing it in two languages was monumental. The show has been done thousands and thousands of times around the world and it’s about an Italian wedding, but it had never been done in Italy, so that is definitely one of the experiences I will always remember!
As far as film, I would say directing in choreographing Broadway’s we’re gonna come back music video in New York City during Covid with over 30 Broadway performers and it has won over 375 international awards. During the filming, we were the first performers inside a Broadway theater after the Covid shut down and we were allowed to uncover the seats in the Marriott marquee Broadway theater. We were the first to step inside a theater!
In my television experience, I would have to say being on set at the Disney Studios choreographing with such amazingly talented cast members!
as a teacher, when I think back through the years of the students that have come through the doors of Dmo, I am amazed at how many such as Ariana Grande, Nick Jonas Peyton List , Meg Donnely, Nick Barrasch Jenny Mollet Analise Scarpaci so many so many so many talented artists … and continually do so!
A hugely proud moment for me was the Tony awards in which we had multiple shows performing Matilda, a Christmas story, and Annie and they were all filled with Dmo kids!
You are also a director. Of all the shows you've directed, which one do you hold dearest to your heart, and why?
I will say a very special experience was a bronx tale because I directed alongside Joe Barbara, who used to play Tony opposite my Tina and also the opportunity to have 4 amazingly talented students of MTA perform alongside these Broadway veterans!
Opening night was spectacular! Chaz pulmonary came to see the show. Who as you know is a movie star but also the creator of a bronx tale and he thoroughly was so impressed with the talent from MTA!
You’re part of the creative and production team of the international company Breaking Borders. What is your mission within this ambitious project?
Please refer to the current Breaking Borders website for our mission because I think that pretty much sums it up! Unity through diversity artist from all over the world coming together with a common mission, breaking the borders of language and sharing each other’s cultures all for the love of musical theater and beyond!
We are currently working on a new production in London and original musical, as well as an original retelling of an old story in Italy and our next project in United States in the spring of 2026 that would feature international cast!
Opening night was spectacular! Chaz pulmonary came to see the show. Who as you know is a movie star but also the creator of a bronx tale and he thoroughly was so impressed with the talent from MTA!
What do you think young performers need today in order to stand out in such a competitive industry?
Young performers and older performers, need to be trained thoroughly in song dance, Acting, reading music and even acrobatic skills as many skills as you possibly can train have knowledge and history of the musical theater past present and even future shows that are in development! Training training training, you can never stop training, no matter how successful you become! To survive in this competitive market, you must be positive have an extreme love and really want to do this so that you can devote hours of time each day to your craft!
If you could give just one piece of advice to someone dreaming of a musical theatre career, what would it be?
Also, if you really cannot see yourself doing anything else and this is what you love more than anything never give up never stop training constantly remind yourself of all of the things that you love about being on stage and how it makes you feel always be on time. That’s a big one always be prepared with the material that is given to you and always be professional. anything is possible if you let it!
Looking to the future, what are your upcoming projects in the world of musical theatre?
I have multiple upcoming projects because I never like to be bored lol a new musical rock musical of Don Giovanni‘ in London, hopefully the West End! Fingers crossed a retelling of a favorite old, classic with new music in Italy, a revival of Tony and Tina’s Wedding in Italian and hopefully in New York City, a new film, a new music video, in choreographing and upcoming revival in New York!
SIGNATURE QUESTION: When the curtain falls and the lights go down... who remains?
The ghost light remains, and the ghost light is the symbol of hope that another show will soon open again and when the curtain falls, you always have yourself in the next project and the next creative love, and the next dream of passion!
And when the curtain falls, in the Kingdom of Musical Theatre, a light always remains…
Janine Molinari reminded us that the stage is sacred ground, and that teaching is a calling born of passion, discipline, and boundless joy.
To her, we grant the title of Royal Card, for those who build bridges between cultures, artists, and future stars.
May the ghost light never fade.
