San Diego Dancer Makes Big Step to Broadway

Soon after leaving San Diego for New York in 1985, dancer Tony Caligagan’s dramatic presence and sleek moves made him a protege of Alvin Ailey, the legendary Apostle of Black Dance. A bright future seemed imminent.

But Caligagan, who danced with the San Diego-based company Jazz Unlimited before he left for New York, got caught up in cocaine, an addiction that almost cost him his life as well as his career. He kicked the habit and bounced back with a starring role in a touring show last year. However, the break the 28-year-old was searching for eluded him until last week, when the dancer made his debut in the Tony Award-winning musical “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway.”

Now the flamboyant performer is flashing his energy and panache in snippets from several all-time blockbusters, including “West Side Story,” “Fiddler on the Roof” and “On the Town.”

“I was asked to try out twice before, but I was never available for the auditions,” Caligagan said by phone from New York. “This time I took a risk and stayed in town for the audition, even though it meant missing my train to Virginia,” to catch up with his touring show, ‘Lost Luggage.’ “I had to go into debt to pay my way, but I knew this was my best shot, so I took the chance.”

The risk was rewarded when Caligagan was cast in the hit musical. Although the show closes on Broadway in September, Caligagan expects to stay with the production when it moves on to Los Angeles’ Shubert Theatre in October for an extended run. In fact, Robbins interviewed Caligagan for the lead role of Bernardo in the “West Side Story” number last week.

“I think they’ll take me,” said the confident dancer. “It was the first time I met (Robbins), and he worked with me for an hour, making corrections. He hasn’t seen me in the show yet, but I’m sure he liked my audition.”

Joe Konicki, Caligagan’s dance captain in “Robbins’ Broadway,” gave the San Diego-bred dancer a good shot at the role.

“He has a striking presence and a natural facility well-suited to dancing,” Konicki said. “He’s an intelligent dancer, and looks especially strong in ‘West Side Story.’ ”

But, even if the starring role in “Robbins’ Broadway” eludes him, dancing in the New York production is reward enough for Caligagan.

“I’m dancing on Broadway,” he said. “I accomplished my major goal--which was just to get here. I’ve been off drugs for almost two years, and I feel great, although I’m really sore from dancing in this show.”

Another San Diego native, Alan Ariano, has also been part of the “Robbins’ Broadway” cast for almost a year. The show has become his stepping stone to a speaking part in “Shogun,” a new musical scheduled to start rehearsals in July.