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How did Agnes deMille use dance to advance the plot of Oklahoma!?

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Western dance Egyptian dancing, detail from a tomb painting from Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qurnah, Egypt, c. 1400 bce; in the British Museum, London.

In the 1943 Broadway musical Oklahoma!, Agnes de Mille revolutionized American theatrical history by using dance as a narrative tool to advance the plot, rather than merely as an atmospheric or decorative element.12

Her most significant contribution was the "Dream Ballet," which concluded the first act. This deeply psychological sequence provided a serious exploration of the protagonist Laurey’s internal state, specifically her romantic desires and fears regarding her suitors, Curly and Jud Fry. By externalizing Laurey’s subconscious thoughts through movement, de Mille allowed the audience to understand the character's emotional conflict and the stakes of her romantic choices in a way that dialogue alone could not achieve.3

This integration of dance into the storytelling process helped establish Oklahoma! as a "unified" musical, where all production elements worked in concert to drive the narrative forward. This approach marked a departure from the traditional conventions of musical comedies at the time and set a new standard for the genre.3