Ric Silver

Early Years
Ric Silver (born 1/22/1948) is an American dancer and dance choreographer. A square dance he created called the Texas 'Silver' Star premiered on the Country Music Awards Show in 1989. This square dance was created to go into a country western version of "As You Like It."
He attended Westminster Choir college in 1966 majoring in Piano and a minor in Voice but quickly transferred to Connecticut College in New London, CT and majored in Dance, Studying with Martha Meyers of the Martha Graham Company. Martha's program was setup to invite a different Company Dancer from a major Dance Company every Wednesday. Jose Limon, Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor, Danny Daniels, Rael Lamb and others were his inspiration and mentors.
He took a Directing class with Larry Arrick at the National Theatre Institute in Waterford, CT. He did an Independent in Directing at NTI directing "Boys In The Band" which he got an "B" for. When He asked Mr. Arrick what he could have done to get a better mark, he was told that no one is perfect.
Mr. Silver received a Scholarship to the American Dance Festival which was also held at Connecticut College and studied with Walter Nicks who took him under his wing and even though he was only scheduled to take the Intermediate Jazz Class - was taken into the Advanced class and stood along side Mr. Nicks for the entire Festival.
New York
He was taken to New York City after the Festival and was hired to dance with the Larry Richardson Dance Company but at the same time was giving the Opening Party for a new Discotheque opened by Steak and Brew's Beefsteak Charlie branch at 71st & Broadway in Manhattan. He worked as doorman for the club after the opening party as the owners had hired him to give the opening party because he was a professional dancer and they had wanted the club to be strictly for Professional Dancers. They had stated at his hiring that there were so many dance clubs in the city but that none were Just for Professional Dancers and hire Mr. Silver because of his extensive background and familiarity. When the club started losing patrons a few months later, the owners asked that he give another party but asked that he introduce a new dance at that time - and In June 1976 he gave this party and introduced "The Electric" to the world. Because of the lyrics of the song, people would constantly ask Ric to teach them the Electric Slide and even after repeated tries to explain that the dance was called The Electric and that one of the steps was called The Slide - he was resigned to add the "aka The Electric Slide" to the title of the dance.
Studio54
Ric was very fortunate to have been one of the lead dancers at Studio54 and was well known at all the dance clubs in Manhattan and Brooklyn, even Fire Island's Monster cleared the Sunday Tea Dance floor to allow him to dance. The New York Times stated after a performance "There are only 3 Real Dancers in the world today - Baryshnikov, Nureyev, and Ric Silver."
Dancing "The Blue Boy" at Studio54 - he was asked to open several clubs around Manhattan. He starred in the Off-Broadway production of "The Body Beautiful" for 3 years at the Rialto Theatre on 43rd and Broadway/8th across from The New York Times building and was asked to play the role of Frank in the Bus and Truck tour of "Over Here" with the Andrew Sisters but unfortunately they canceled the tour at the last minute because after doing 6 months on Broadway the Sisters didn't feel up to a National Tour.
Ric was also asked to dance in the Original "Dr. Pepper" commercials by the Los Angeles based Choreographers. The commercials were slated to be shot in what was then being called the Robert F. Kennedy Theatre for Children on 48th street - but Ric was pulled from the commercial as "He would outshine the lead dancer - who is the Producer's Lover".
Ric was finally hired by the Urban Arts Corp for their original production of "All The King's Men" from an audition of 600 men but Vinnette Carroll would have to ask her friend Alvin Ailey to supply her with dancers to match Ric's talent. The Show was such a success that even though Ms. Carroll moved from Manhattan to Fort Lauderdale, she has done several revivals of this show.
Los Angeles
Ric moved to Los Angeles in 1979, and performed at the Wilshire Ebell in the Fuller Gordy production of "Charlenne" where he opened the show with a big song and danceman spectacle number and then played the Pimp. He met Halle Berry at the cast party, a shy heavyset 8 year old who loved music.
Who'sWho Madison, 2007-2008,pg1834

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