* REVIEW The late director/choreographer Bob Fosse is having a big weekend in central Illinois. The hit movie version of his 1975 Broadway show “Chicago” finally made it to area screens, and the stage retrospective of his dance pieces, the appropriately titled “Fosse,” just played two sold-out performances at the Sangamon Auditorium. Not bad for a man who has been dead since 1987.

It would seem that, to steal a line from the Fosse show “Pippin,” when it comes to art, “You’ve got to be dead before you find out if you were any good!”

Well, it’s a good line, but not entirely true in Fosse’s case. Anyone who has followed theatre or dance over the past 50 years knows that Fosse has long had a huge following.

Like most of the great choreographers, he had a unique style that is instantly recognizable: Knocked-knees, snapping fingers, dangling cigarettes, slumped shoulders and pelvic gyrations are all basics in the Fosse dance vocabulary. Add to that a bowler hat pulled down over the eyes, slinky black outfits and the occasional white glove and you have the makings of a classic Fosse dance routine.

That’s not to say the man became a cliche. He was a brilliant director/choreographer who could move from one medium to the next with exceptional ease and skill. In 1973, he won the Tony (for “Pippin”), Oscar (for “Cabaret”) and Emmy (for “Liza with a Z”), the only artist ever to have pulled off such a tri-fecta.

His genius was on abundant display in the frequently thrilling production of “Fosse” that played at the Sangamon Auditorium yesterday.

The show “Fosse” is a tribute to the choreographer Fosse. Those looking for a full scale musical, or any insight into what made the man tick, might have been disappointed. There was no narration explaining the origin of the works presented, and no time line letting us follow his progress as an artist. This production would be more correctly marketed as a fleshed-out dance recital.

And for most people in the sold-out crowd, that was enough.

Many of his most exciting dances from the stage, television and movies were recreated here, all presented by attractive young performers, many of whom were probably in pre-school the year he died. No matter. They have obviously been coached by people who are well versed in the Fosse style.

The Broadway production of “Fosse” was the brain child of many Theatre/Dance professionals: Gwen Verdon, Fosse’s ex-wife and former muse; Ann Reinking, Fosse’s former girlfriend and muse; Chet Walker, former Fosse dancer; and Richard Maltby, Jr., a Broadway lyricist/director/author.

This touring version has been supervised with precision by Debra McWaters, an associate of Ann Reinking. McWaters has been able to teach the Fosse style to these young performers, and she has successfully passed the torch on to a new generation.

Rodrick Covington kicked off the evening singing a stylized version of “Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries.” He has a smooth, jazzy voice that was featured several times during the performance. He also is an accomplished dancer, able to glide through such numbers as “Me And My Shadow” with grace and flair along with partners Emilee Dupre and Kristina Fernandez.

The dance trio is a motif that pops up frequently in Fosse’s work. There were several versions of this configuration throughout the performance, but the best example was in the number “Steam Heat” from the musical “The Pajama Game.” Richard J. Hinds, Brent McBeth and Dustienne Miller performed the song with old-fashioned show biz savvy and made it one of the Act 1 highlights.

I also thought the dancers did an extraordinary job with “Rich Man’s Frug” from the musical “Sweet Charity.” With the men hunched over, puffing on cigarettes, and the women bent over backwards at a 45 degree angle, leading with the hips, they instantly showed the audience they were portraying an aloof crowd of swingers. I imagine that the cast pays a fortune in visits to the physical therapist or the chiropractor!

Fosse was also one of the most successful Broadway choreographers at expressing sexuality through dance, and this aspect of his personality was expressed in the number “Take Off With Us,” from his semi-autobiographical film, “All That Jazz.”

The evening ended with the most exciting number of the show, Benny Goodman’s “Sing Sing Sing.” The dancers were joined on stage by an exceptional jazz combo, and danced their way through several combinations, building the intensity to a very satisfying pay-off.

Musical director Ross Scott Rawlings deserves special mention for his leadership of the first rate orchestra. The dancers and band were in perfect synch all night long. And lighting designer Andrew Bridge really helped to create the sensual atmosphere needed for many of the numbers.

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Gus Gordon is the chief meteorologist at News Channel 20 and a free lance arts reviewer. He can be reached at gusgordon00@lycos.com