Favorite Dance Movies

[Mary_Gail_36]

“West Side Story” is my favorite dance movie.

Another one, that I haven’t seen in a number of years, but features some great ballet by Mikhail Baryshnikov and great jazz dancing by Gregory Hines is “White Nights”

The plot dates the film though.

One of the dances is called, “Le jeune homme et la mort” by Roland Petit. I can’t find it with Baryshnikov. It is on youtube performed by Rudolf Nureyev.

Oddly enough, I do like Saturday Night Fever, but not necessarily for the dancing. I don’t think the actress who played Stephanie was talented at dancing. The character development was interesting. Sometimes I’ll watch the censored TV version.

 

[dixieagle]

The dance number in White Christmas .
The Best Things Happen When You’re Dancing.

Best ever.

Love that!!! I still want Vera Ellen’s pink dress and shoes.

 

[meltzerboy]

Love that!!! I still want Vera Ellen’s pink dress and shoes.

That can be arranged.

 

[meltzerboy]

“West Side Story” is my favorite dance movie.

Another one, that I haven’t seen in a number of years, but features some great ballet by Mikhail Baryshnikov and great jazz dancing by Gregory Hines is “White Nights”

The plot dates the film though.

One of the dances is called, “Le jeune homme et la mort” by Roland Petit. I can’t find it with Baryshnikov. It is on youtube performed by Rudolf Nureyev.

Oddly enough, I do like Saturday Night Fever, but not necessarily for the dancing. I don’t think the actress who played Stephanie was talented at dancing. The character development was interesting. Sometimes I’ll watch the censored TV version.

I thought Gregory Hines’ dancing in that movie was slightly better than that of Baryshnikov.

 

[meltzerboy]

Silk Stockings with Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. It was a musical version of the 1939 film Ninotchka with Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas.

Any dance movie with Fred Astaire is great, no?

 

[meltzerboy]

Have to go with “West Side Story”. Best choreography in any movie.

And the music!

 

[meltzerboy]

Turning Point
Dirty Dancing
Footloose

West Side Story is my absolute favorite and I could watch that movie over and over again.

Center Stage is a guilty pleasure for me.

It’s tough to actually appreciate it as a “good” dance movie. I used to dance ballet on a professional level and I taught ballet too.

I didn’t like it because it was totally unrealistic. The choreographed pieces at the end were a bit much.

Great acting as well in Turning Point.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Singing in the Rain

Bye Bye Birdie

White Christmas - The Best Things Happen When You Are Dancing and The Minstrel Number (I wish I had Vera’s waistline!)

All movies where Fred Astaire is dancing - especially with Ginger.

 

[jeannetherese]

Love the old musicals, (and the new ones too)
Brigadoon is another one to watch again and here’s a link to “Barn Raising” from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers:

youtube.com/watch?v=TygmMPbwfjA

 

[7_Sorrows]

Love the old musicals, (and the new ones too)
Brigadoon is another one to watch again and here’s a link to “Barn Raising” from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers:

youtube.com/watch?v=TygmMPbwfjA

I have never seen Brigadoon.

I think The Unsinkable Molly Brown had a couple of Dance numbers that were good - Belly Up to the Bar Boys was one.

I also liked the musical CAN CAN.

 

[Arebella]

Saturday Night Fever - I’m a child of the disco era!

 

[Della]

Daddy Long-legs. Lesile Caron and Fred Astaire. Charming story, great dances. What more does one need?

 

[7_Sorrows]

Daddy Long-legs. Lesile Caron and Fred Astaire. Charming story, great dances. What more does one need?

that movie has been on recently om get tv or movies for those of us who have antenna tv.

 

[Della]

that movie has been on recently om get tv or movies for those of us who have antenna tv.

I know. I’m watching right now–well, listening to it from my home office.

Another great dance movie–an oldie but a goodie is “Good News” with June Allyson and Peter Lawford, neither of whom were dancers. The real dancing was by the supporting cast: Joan McCracken and Ray McDonald, sadly, both all but forgotten now. Mel Torme sang “The Best Things in Life are Free”–lovely voice, lovely song.

 

[7_Sorrows]

I know. I’m watching right now–well, listening to it from my home office.

Another great dance movie–an oldie but a goodie is “Good News” with June Allyson and Peter Lawford, neither of whom were dancers. The real dancing was by the supporting cast: Joan McCracken and Ray McDonald, sadly, both all but forgotten now. Mel Torme sang “The Best Things in Life are Free”–lovely voice, lovely song.

I actually saw Peter Lawford dancing in a movie when he was very young. Maybe it was that one. Actors had to be so versatile back then.
Peter wasn’t bad. I don’t think it was a solo. He was in a group of other male dancers.

Buddy Ebsen from Beverly Hillbillies was a good dancer.

 

[Della]

I actually saw Peter Lawford dancing in a movie when he was very young. Maybe it was that one. Actors had to be so versatile back then.
Peter wasn’t bad. I don’t think it was a solo. He was in a group of other male dancers.

Yes, that was Good News. He was also in “Royal Wedding”, another great musical, but he did no dancing in it, although I think he did sing one song, but I can’t remember for sure.

Buddy Ebsen from Beverly Hillbillies was a good dancer.

Ah yes, he danced with Shirley Temple in one of her films–the name of the film eludes me. I’ll have to Google it. Her movies always had a few dance numbers but they couldn’t really be classified as musicals, per se. But she did some really great dance numbers–usually with an adult man, such as Bill Bojangles or Arthur Treacher (The Little Princess).

Buddy was supposed to play the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz” but the make-up nearly killed him–it was a silver powder he inhaled. He lost the part to Jack Haley on whom they used a silver paste, instead.

 

[Luvz2travel]

Save the Last Dance
Flashdance
Dirty Dancing
Westside Story
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Saturday Night Fever
Pulp Fiction

 

[7_Sorrows]

Yes, that was Good News. He was also in “Royal Wedding”, another great musical, but he did no dancing in it, although I think he did sing one song, but I can’t remember for sure.

Ah yes, he danced with Shirley Temple in one of her films–the name of the film eludes me. I’ll have to Google it. Her movies always had a few dance numbers but they couldn’t really be classified as musicals, per se. But she did some really great dance numbers–usually with an adult man, such as Bill Bojangles or Arthur Treacher (The Little Princess).

Buddy was supposed to play the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz” but the make-up nearly killed him–it was a silver powder he inhaled. He lost the part to Jack Haley on whom they used a silver paste, instead.

I wonder if he has any bitterness about that. Buddy would have made a great Tin Man. It is a shame he had the reaction with the makeup. I am glad he lived though!

 

[Della]

I wonder if he has any bitterness about that. Buddy would have made a great Tin Man. It is a shame he had the reaction with the makeup. I am glad he lived though!

Yes, he was very unhappy, especially that they didn’t wait for him to recover, but hired someone else to play the part. But he had a long and fulfilling career afterwards.

Another great musical was The Harvey Girls. Ray Bolger’s dance number is a real hoot: youtube.com/watch?v=ctDf2_R2MVw. He did another funny routine in Stage Door Canteen well worth viewing: youtube.com/watch?v=PsW9Z_uNbng.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Yes, he was very unhappy, especially that they didn’t wait for him to recover, but hired someone else to play the part. But he had a long and fulfilling career afterwards.

Another great musical was The Harvey Girls. Ray Bolger’s dance number is a real hoot: youtube.com/watch?v=ctDf2_R2MVw. He did another funny routine in Stage Door Canteen well worth viewing: youtube.com/watch?v=PsW9Z_uNbng.

That was sad they didn’t wait for him to get well. Even though he found fame as Jed Clampett I am sure he would loved to have remained part of the Wizard of Oz cast.
I enjoyed the link from the Harvey Girls. My grandmother was a Harvey Girl. She was from Chicago and ended up in Dodge City, Kansas. I like that movie.