©2004 by Saul Davis. This biographical sketch was written by Saul Davis in relation to a proposed production/revival of Promises, Promises He also produced a week-long master class by Betsy Haug at Broadway Dance Center, attended by about 150 professional dancers.
Betsy Haug is an internationally-known choreographer and master-teacher. She has choreographed shows on Broadway and in London, Tokyo, Rome, Las Vegas, Reno, Atlantic City, Toronto, and more. As the Dance Captain in the original Broadway company of Promises, Promises, Ms. Haug staged the original productions of Promises, Promises in London, Rome, Tokyo, and Denmark. She uses the show's "bible," which contains all of Michael Bennett's original choreography, staging, and instructions for directing the show.
Ms. Haug choreographed Broadway shows for Peter Allen (Up In One) and Lenora Nemetz; shows for Joel Grey, Radio City Music Hall, Gloria Gaynor, and Liza Minnelli's come-back tour. She staged shows for the Manhattan night-club Club Ibis for three years.
She was Assistant Choreographer to Ron Lewis for Liza Minnelli's Broadway show The Act, and was Assistant Choreographer to Joyce Trisler for the Chicago production of Pal Joey. Betsy Haug's original revues include Sizzle at The Sands in Las Vegas, Bustin' Out at Harrah's in Reno, Risque Business at Harvey's in Tahoe, More Outrageous at Bally's Park Place in Atlantic City for a three-year run and also in Toronto, and Jubilation at the Crystal Palace Casino in the Bahama Islands for a five-year run.
Ms. Haug's performing career as a dancer ranged from Broadway (Dance Captain in Promises, Promises) to ballet (the runs of two shows as ballet soloist at Radio City Music Hall) to television (Kraft Music Hall, Tony Awards) and the national company of West Side Story.
One of Manhattan's most popular jazz-dance teachers for over twenty-five years, Ms. Haug taught Jazz, Tap, and Modern (Horton technique} at such studios as the Alvin Ailey School, the Betsy Haug Studio, New Dance Group, New York School of Ballet, Steps, and Broadway Dance Center until 1988. She has been a regularly-featured instructor at the Boston Summer Jazz-Dance Festival, on the dance-convention circuit, and has taught master classes in Japan (five times), Spain, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Brazil, Puerto Rico, and at New York's Broadway Dance Center. She has been featured many times on television in Japan, and also on RAI in Italy.
Ms. Haug is now residing in Seattle, Washington.