donna

With the sad news today about Cyd Charisse dying, I wondered what you thought was the best ever dance routines in any films.


Has to be Singing in the Rain with Gene.

earlb

Agree with both your previous postings Donna Kebab but I am very annoyed that Donald O Connor never got equal status with Gene and Fred - Just look at his movements in 'Singing in the rain' to the tune 'Moses supposes'. To me he was a real genius. I was talking to him in later years and asked him if he could still run up the wall to which he answered "You must be Joking" - a true star.

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

donna

he certainly was always more the clown wasnt he and his looks didnt have the Kelly charima , but what a hoofer. did you know that Debbie Reynolds had never danced until that point she said her heels had no skin on them as Gene was a perfectionist and had her jumping over the couch loads of times just to get it right.

Harleybloke

The Dole Queue routine from 'The Full Monty'!

.....You couldn't hear it, if they were shooting at me with howitzers!

donna

Quote from Ann Miller.......................At MGM, I always played the second feminine lead. I was never the star in films. I was the brassy, good-hearted showgirl. I never really had my big moment on the screen. Broadway gave me the stardom that my soul kind of yearned for.

Briant

Elvis dancing in 'Jailhouse Rock'-excellent. Elvis doing the Twist in the fadeout of 'Girls, girls, girls'-embarrassing!

Edward G

Surely the most under-appreciated dancers ever were the Nicholas Brothers? They appeared with the great Gene Kelly and also the likes of Fats Waller in a number of 1940's, 1950's musicals and on a pure dancing level were easily the equal of Kelly. Their status as relative unknowns compared to Kelly, Astaire and Rogers is more down to race issues at the time in the US than talent.
Does anyone else remember them?

I'm as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!

lupinpooter

I wholeheartedly agree: was just having this very conversation with my daughter, and we agreed that, although On The Town is our favourite musical, the best routine has to be GK's Singin' in the Rain number, because it always makes us feel glad to be alive

Donald O'Connor really was a great dancer too, as was Ann Miller (her Prehistoric Man number in On The Town is another favourite).

What about Jacques d'Amboise in Carousel though?!

Briant

Russ Tamblyn and Bobby Van are two names I remember from the MGM musical period.

Gene Kelly is easily my favourite male screen dancer of all time.

Edward G

Cheers Donna,
If anyone is interested I have a 1 hour TV tribute done for The Nicholas Brothers that I can convert to DVD - their routines were acrobatic and eye popping and they were great to listen to reminiscing about their days on screen.

I'm as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!

scholes

Don't forget that James Cagney was also a fine tap dancer.
The Yankee Doodle Boy from YDD.

ShirlGirl

The most sensually sexy and naturally glamorous dancer of all time, Cyd Charisse never failed to mesmerise.

And oh!... those legs!

>>here


>>here


She could be very spirited, too. See her when she gets going... here.
Fantastic.

This is arguably the best dancing she and Fred ever did together... Dancing in the Dark.
Pure magic.




.

Third Man

There's some wonderful dance routines on display in the documentary Ballet Russes all about the famous group lead by the impresario Serge Diaghilev and it's split into the Ballet Russe of Monte Carlo directed by Massine and the Original Ballet Russe, led by Colonel de Basil.

Cyd Charisse joined up with the one of these groups while they were doing there famous tours of the USA.

Simon

ShirlGirl

I have far too many favourite dancers and dance routines to list them all. Amongst them are these...

The house-building production number in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Top class!
Russ Tamblyn, Tommy Rall + others.

All the dancing in West Side Story -- Russ Tamblyn again.

Vera Ellen & Gene Kelly - Slaughter on Tenth Avenue - Words and Music, 1948.
Vera-Ellen in a blonde wig looks like Doris Day. This would have been a good one for Cyd Charisse - Vera-Ellen was a great dancer, but not too good at being sultry. The music is terrific.


Gene Nelson - a great dancer and the perfect partner for Doris Day - see them here.. Lullaby of Broadway


Marge and Gower Champion - everything they did was wonderful - singing excluded, but who care when the dancing is so terrific.
I'm sure Christopher Dean must have been inspired by them, so much of his choreography is reminiscent of theirs. Furthermore, Jane Torvill even looks a lot like Marge Champion.
Here's a brief sample from Showboat

Marky B

Wasn't it Cyd Charisse who danced with Gene Kelly in that magnificent final ballet from An American In Paris? Great film!

Regards Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy,his tap dancing down the steps has never been equalled. Has anyone on the forum tried it.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.