The Danciest Moments of Hairspray Live!

Decorating and shopping for presents are old news. Live TV musicals have become the new way to ring in the holiday season. Last night’s production of Hairspray Live! marked NBC’s fourth December musical. (Past years included versions of The Wiz, Peter Pan and The Sound of Music). But the tradition doesn’t stop here. NBC already announced next year’s live show: Bye Bye Birdie, starring Jennifer Lopez. FOX likely has another in the works, after the success of its Grease Live! last January, and according to this article from May, ABC isn’t too far behind either. Hail the era of the small-screen musical.

Check out some of Hairspray‘s danciest moments below, ranging from the Pony to aerials and pirouettes. While the choreography, by Jerry Mitchell, isn’t the most technically challenging, it complements the pop soundtrack well, capturing the essence of 60s social dances. Step touch, anyone?

Tracy Turnblad, played by Marymount Manhattan College student Maddie Baillio, and the cast dance their way through the streets in “Good Morning, Baltimore.” In a scene like this, the movement is more about showcasing high energy than intricate patterns.

In “Run and Tell That,” Seaweed, played by Ephraim Sykes, sings about racial prejudice, but he’s also not afraid to get down. He and the ensemble dish out plenty of hip thrusts. (You may recognize Sykes from shows like Hamilton and Motown: The Musical.) Check out the dance break that starts about two minutes into this clip.

Tracy hits the street once again for “Welcome to the ’60s,” but this time, her mother, played by Harvey Fierstein, is in tow. Watch as they transform from drab to fab but not without the help of more than 20 dancers. The scene features a trio of glam singers with synchronized smooth moves (à la Dream Girls), leaping photographers and even a mobile hot dog cart.

TV show host Corny Collins, played by Derek Hough of “Dancing with the Stars” fame, leads the ensemble through a laundry list of popular dances, like the Monkey and the Twist, in “The Nicest Kids in Town.” The slick number is all about showing off the squeaky clean personas of the teens of “The Corny Collins Show,” so it’s packed with mega-watt smiles, flawless formations and syncopated choreo.

Didn’t have a chance to catch last night’s airing of Hairspray Live!? You can stream the whole show here until December 20.