Our Legendary Line of Long-Legged Lovelies
At age 18 Leila Burgess
As Company Dance Manager and Creative Consultant, Leila Burgess contributes to all Follies production numbers and wardrobe design, and manages the entire cast, no easy task considering the group's "seniority." She's also out front performing. At 75, she is in her 19th Follies season.
After attending New York's High School of Performing Arts, Leila danced professionally in New York's famed Latin Quarter and made special appearances on television's Colgate Comedy Hour and Naked City. She was later the managing director of Latin Quarter Showgirls West and produced three Latin Quarter revivals from 1989 to 1992, the proceeds of which went to abused and missing children's charities.
She also established the Newport Beach Parks and Recreation Department children's dance program, where she taught and choreographed for 12 years.
Leila has two children and three grandchildren.
What is your favorite Follies memory? "For my birthday one year, the Follies Man rented a ‘big bussy' for the entire cast to travel to Mexico. So many Follies patrons arrive by bus that it was fun to finally take a ride on one too. We all had a blast!"
MORE FUN FACTS:
- A side aspect of her performing at the Latin Quarter in New York was "meeting mob guys" who hung out at the famous nightclub.
- Perhaps synchronous to her first professional job, "Latin" has remained her favorite style of dance.
- Her mother revealed that, as a baby, she started walking on her toes as soon as she progressed from crawling, and she began taking dance classes at the age of four.
- She grew up on the East Side of New York and went to the West Side for dancing lessons. "There was never any doubt in my mind that I was going to be a dancer."
- The physical challenge of being in the Follies is met "by getting extra rest during working days" and the mental by "not thinking about it much – just doing it. It's oh so natural." As for staying in shape, "the show is an automatic exercise program."
- She had stopped dancing professionally before auditioning for the Follies, spurred by "the exciting thought that I could possibly perform again in front of an audience."
- What she likes best about performing in the Follies: "I love dancing, wearing makeup and dressing up, with lots of laughter. What more can one want?"
- Succinct answer to what would change if she had her life to live over: "Nothing."
