Jeff Kutash (born 1945) is an American dancer and choreographer.

Jeff Kutash
Born (1945-04-08) April 8, 1945 (age 79)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Known forDance and choreography
MovementStreet dance
AwardsEmmy
Golden Globe

Early life

edit

Jeff was born in Cleveland, Ohio.[citation needed] As a teen, he was a middleweight Golden Gloves boxer.[1]

Career

edit

Jeff Kutash began his entertainment career in Cleveland, Ohio, as a dancer/choreographer of the musical variety show Upbeat, which was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2013.[2][3] He has choreographed for James Brown, Otis Redding, Jackie Wilson, John Travolta, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jackson, Bette Midler, Cher and Jerry Lewis.[citation needed] He served as a Live Show Attraction Director for Elvis Presley, Dick Clark, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Tom Jones.[4]

Kutash created Las Vegas' first water show, Splash, which was a long-running hit for 20 years and paved the way for O.[5] His unique brand of "Street Dancing" is credited with invigorating Las Vegas' shows for a younger audience, innovating a format that had been held by French-themed revues that filled the nightclubs.[6]

Personal life

edit

Jeff currently resides in Las Vegas, NV.[citation needed] In September 1997, he testified in a trial denying accusations of bribing a judge for a favorable outcome concerning his show Splash in Las Vegas.[7] He is divorced with one daughter, and has a long term girlfriend.

References

edit
  1. ^ Segal, Lewis (August 31, 1986). "Jeff Kutash's Street-Style Showdancing". Los Angeles Times. Las Vegas. p. 222. Retrieved June 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ Branst, Lee (April 27, 1979). "Stepping up". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 72. Retrieved June 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Bhatia, Kabir (August 19, 2013). "R&B; Hall of Fame makes Cleveland its home... for now". WKSU. Archived from the original on September 6, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  4. ^ "Los Angeles Times: Jeff Kutash Profile".
  5. ^ ""Splash!" Vegas Live Show".
  6. ^ "LA Times Interview: Jeff Kutash's "Street Dancing"".
  7. ^ "Las Vegas Sun: Kutash Calls His Accusers "Liars"".
edit