For Dancers Only

[Neil]

I was swept away by Henry Mancini's extraordinary "Dreamsville" today...I've been listening to a lot of his music of late, and keep discovering gems - or rediscovering them, as happened today when I was finally able to start reclaiming Pink Panther Theme.  Anyway, I was so moved by Dreamsville on this listening, that I wanted to share, and so off to YouTube I went.  I went with the following vid, despite feeling initially that it may subtract from the music, and that the vinyl rip with album sleeve would probably be better:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fXN4P71zQk

...A shame that it's not actually the music she's moving to, but it's beautiful none-the-less.  This - and the [noembed]recent Al & Leon Charleston clip[/noembed] (works really well with the sound muted and your own choice of music backing) - have set me off thinking about dancing, and specifically dancing set to music.  In a time where we can synchronise computer-generated graphics to our choice of music, I think I basically forgot (or took for granted) the power actual dancing can have. 

I'd really like to see some more examples of your favourite dancing - preferably examples where the music and movements align brilliantly to amplify the power of both.  I've started looking up more belly-dancing clips...there are some brilliant ones on YouTube, I'll post some of my finds soon.  I'll leave you with a clip ApexJazz introduced me to a while ago though, this is Cab Calloway and the Nicholas Brothers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8yGGtVKrD8

[Mob Bunkhaus]

[Egyptian Feast]

The Lindy-hopping scene in Hellzapoppin' is still astonishing after 67 years. Unfortunately, this is the best quality clip I could find on YouTube:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTg5V2oA_hY&feature=related[/youtube]

I'm a huge fan of this number from 42nd Street also, though it's more to do with excellent choreography and trippy visuals than great dancing.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOerxVCr1Ys[/youtube]

[Ignatius_S]

The Lindy-hopping scene in Hellzapoppin' is still astonishing after 67 years....

Great scene from a great film!

This one is from The American Astronaut, a splendid sci-fi Western musical - I'm not sure if it really counts as dancing, but I found the movement really intensifies the audio experience:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkBYGXL63PM

[Neil]

That Hellzapoppin clip is incredible, more please!

Fred & Ginger: Night and Day:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-g3PDipYS5I

[Orias]

More from Whitey's Lindyhoppers from Marx Brothers' A Day At The Races (1937)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=S2f9dFrvBr4

Eat shit, Tiger Woods - Fred Astaire in Carefree (1938)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QvFXuGdvDUE

A few cuts and camera trickery, but probably Astaire's most iconic performance from Blue Skies (1946)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IFabjc6mFk4

[Neil]

Just started at the last one there, will watch the other two now, but wow!  And in the related videos thing it brought up his "famous ceiling dance", which is jaw-dropping:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ggDjnjrinkY&NR=1

I guess they spun the whole room and camera or something?  Reminds me of some Ernie Kovacs bits I've seen, which still look technically impressive these days when they're redone by the likes of Shaun Micallef.

Actually I'm not surprised I am so drawn to this stuff, as I've always loved the visual spectacles in martial arts movies.

EDIT:  I really want to go on a musicals binge now, after just chatting about them with ffogems.  Can remember LOVING Calamity Jane in particular.

[Talulah, really!]

Modern music and ballet can often be a bit grim but if the ballerina is the astonishing Sylvie Guillem then it can be breathtaking. The strength, suppleness and expressiveness of her movement is shown to the full in this short clip. (there is a longer version where she uses a table as a prop and her body just flows around it)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=63oBG3TUaKU

Actress Neve Campbell was a trained ballerina in her youth and got her self back in the saddle for her role as a ballerina in Robert Altman's The Company. All of the sequences in the film are amazing but I harbour a soft spot for a open air performance of My Funny Valentine with accompanying jazz trio and storm.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3n37R4o1WTM

We've had Fred and Ginger so how about his other great partner Cyd Charisse. Seen here in Fated to be Mated from Cole Porter's Silk Stockings. Breathtaking for performer and audience is the swirl round the lamp posts at 1:00.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UHvu6g1bmOo

Some awesome tap dancing clips starting with Sammy Davis when he was very junior!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz1S0UrWPgs

edit: Some great clips in the above posts.

[Neil]

Modern music and ballet can often be a bit grim but if the ballerina is the astonishing Sylvie Guillem then it can be breathtaking. The strength, suppleness and expressiveness of her movement is shown to the full in this short clip. (there is a longer version where she uses a table as a prop and her body just flows around it)

[noembed]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=63oBG3TUaKU[/noembed]

WOW!  That is utterly astonishing, more please!

Given the mention of Sammy Davis Jr, I'll fire this one in here too in case anyone hasn't seen it before.  One of the greatest things I've ever seen (and it turned out to have been encoded by LFBarfe)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=edJFA83CNpc

[Talulah, really!]

WOW!  That is utterly astonishing, more please!

Okay dokey. First up is the version of the Sylvie Guillem piece above that has the part where she dances round a table. The second half is the same as the clip above (though the quality isn't as good).(though on the other hand it does feature some Shakira type hip shaking to demonstrate how to do housework whilst still performing as a lapdancer. And she gets utterly drenched in water. Quite pervy, really.)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr-4GWBSDM0

One of the leading names in contemporary ballet/dance is La La La Human Steps. Two pieces by them.

First "Human Sex", an eye melting fusion of ballet, gymnastics and pro-wrestling. Again, contains levels of perviness.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8q876pJ0tWE

Finally, a rather gentler piece but much higher quality and shot with filming in mind allowing a greater opportunity to appreciate the technical artistry involved at this level of dance.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=r8ekL6ptrsM

Given the mention of Sammy Davis Jr, I'll fire this one in here too in case anyone hasn't seen it before.  One of the greatest things I've ever seen (and it turned out to have been encoded by LFBarfe)

That is a really wonderful clip. Thanks. I love how all those old school variety/vaudville guys could do just about everything. As another Sammy Davis Jr example I'll post this (even though it doesn't have much dancing). Watch his expressions as he transforms himself into various other singers.

Sammy Davis Jr "One for my baby and one more for the road," which as he says was written for Fred Astaire.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NeDaNGzUYM8

Actually I'm not surprised I am so drawn to this stuff, as I've always loved the visual spectacles in martial arts movies.

They are very similar fields. I think both Jackie Chan and Zhang Ziyi were trained as dancers as much as anything when children which perhaps explains why they are so fluid compared to say, Jason Statham who although great in those fight sequences in "The Transporter" looks more mechanical, you have a sense of effort.

EDIT:  I really want to go on a musicals binge now, after just chatting about them with ffogems.  Can remember LOVING Calamity Jane in particular.

Oh whip crack away, oh whip crack away. Terrific score.

My Fair Lady is my favourite, though Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is seriously under rated. The Sherman brothers are great musical writers (all those great Disney musicals)

(that's enough brackets, ed)

[Artemis]

Saw this first in the wonderful movie 'Ghost World'; there's a certain joyous freedom going on in this dance. Not technically amazing, but the whole 'shake it outta ya system' feeling I get from it is great :)

[youtube=425,350]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FyEnG_DEB1I[/youtube]

[Orias]

A couple more:

Seven Brides For Seven Brothers Barn dance - if ever a musical were made for Technicolor and Widescreen, it was this one.  Look at the composition and framing, and the costuming is fabulous.  Can be seen to be a little twee now but the ensemble choreography is great and of course Russ Tamblin is rather marvellous...

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCdiWxzw0RU[/youtube]

Not sure if Cirque Du Soleil can count in this thread but I was knocked out when I saw this in Quidam.  Not necessarily dance, but the strength, control and balance of these two are quite astonishing (the action starts 53 seconds in):

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I0gJUknDaQ[/youtube]

Reflective Edit:  The human body is kinda wonderful really...