Jim Cooney has taught jazz, tap, and musical theater across the world and has established himself as one of the most popular theater dance faculty members at BDC. The New York Times profiled his class in their Theater and Dance sections and praised him for training dancers with "audition must haves: character, motivation, and endurance." He is proudly the faculty advisor of BDC's elite Professional Semester training program and the Summer Intern Program.
Students of his have gone on to win leading roles on Broadway and national tours and many Broadway performers attend his classes as part of their continual training. His classes also attract a wide spectrum of students from former "American Idol" contestants to movie/television actors, and even celebrities from coaching Katie Couric on how to lindy hop to being asked by Rosie O'Donnell for private dance classes, and he was part of the team rehearsing MTV's "Rich Girls" star Ally Hilfiger on her Broadway debut.
Choreography credits: assisting Tony nominated Randy Skinner on the Broadway production of Abby’s Song starring Paul Sorvino and the musical Ginger starring Tony award winner Donna McKechnie, "The Today Show" featuring Little Richard, Pat Boone and Didi Conn, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" featuring Kristin Chenoweth, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Float Unveiling, Supergirl clothing line launch by Warner Brothers and Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin, Glamour Magazine at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, NephCure Foundation at Citi Field featuring Robbie Rosen of "American Idol", The Accused at Tropicana in Atlantic City, flash mobs for Bloomingdale's, Feiyue Shoes, and Office Max's "Elf Yourself" campaign on "Fox & Friends" and at Union Square and The New York Stock Exchange, the New York International Fringe Festival production of In Search of Stanley Hammer, and directing/choreographing regional productions of 42nd St., Side Show, Once on This Island, Gypsy, No, No Nanette, The Music Man, Oklahoma!, Guys & Dolls, Sleeping Beauty, Bye Bye Birdie, Victor/Victoria, and Sorry, Wrong Number.
Jim also has been the dance captain for eight productions including the first national tour of Tony award winner Susan Stroman’s Broadway revival of The Music Man and the original company of Nights on Broadway, directed and choreographed by Tony award winner Andy Blankenbuehler and starring former Miss America Kate Shindle. He is certified in Cardio Barre and Pilates and was a group fitness instructor at Equinox Fitness Clubs for several years.
Find Jim on Facebook to stay up to date on his latest projects and additional classes.
Jim Cooney
