TigerLily91 Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 Hi there. I'm doing a project for school for which I would like to know what are the best classic dancing movies. If you could list as many as possible I would appreciate it. After I get a feel for the ones that have made history I will be able to do research on them for my project. I already know of Singin' in the Rain and West Side Story and really popular ones like that. Any other input would be greatly appreciated! Thanx! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
movieman1957 Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 Start with anything with Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire. Fred - "Band Wagon" "Top Hat" "Holiday Inn" Gene - "An American In Paris" "On The Town" Others - "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" "Footlight Parade" Many others are available and others will chime in. Stay tuned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgeciff Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Check out MEET ME IN LAS VEGAS. Cyd Charisse has some terrific ballet numbers in this one (including a sizzling "Frankie and Johnny" sung by Sammy Davis, Jr. Unfortunately this film is not yet available on DVD although it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightwalker Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Another one of Fred Astaire's movies that's worth checking out is ROYAL WEDDING from 1952. In it, he dances with a coatrack (!) and makes it look good(!). But this film also contains Fred's wonderful dance up the walls and on the ceiling, a sequence still untopped by anyone, as far as I'm concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molo14 Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Well you can't go wrong with Fred Astaire as others have said. All of the Astaire/Rogers films have something to offer. I would add *Follow The Fleet* and *Swingtime.* Also check out Fred Astaire with Eleanor Powell in *The Broadway Melody of 1940* For Gene Kelly I would add *The Pirate* which has the added bonus of featuring the Nicholas Brothers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 To throw in some Fox musicals, I'll add these: My Blue Heaven Down Argentine Way The Gang's All Here That Night In Rio Springtime In The Rockies Week-End in Havana I've posted a few clips from various dance numbers in this this thread: http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=124622&tstart=0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerLily91 Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 Thanks so much guys! I'm really grateful for the help. :-D I love Fred & Ginger. They were so great to watch. I've seen Swing Time and Top Hat with my mom and loved them both. Were there any famous solo dancers? I know that Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly did some solo numbers. But with the girls were there any movies where they performed solo, like burlesque type stuff maybe? I mean sans the naughty bits of course. Were there any ladies who were known to dance solo sometimes rather than with a partner? I hope that doesn't sound too confusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerLily91 Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 I hope you won't mind me asking further questions... Were there any famous solo dancers? I know that Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly did some solo numbers. But with the girls were there any movies where they performed solo, like burlesque type stuff maybe? I mean sans the naughty bits of course. Were there any ladies who were known to dance solo sometimes rather than with a partner? I hope that doesn't sound too confusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 The ones that sometimes danced alone were: Betty Grable Carmen Miranda Mitzi Gaynor Eleanor Powell Carmen Miranda Judy Garland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molo14 Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Another one would be Ann Miller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyishere Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Don't forget Rita Hayworth In Affair In Trinidad and she also has a solo in Cover Girl and The Loves Of Carmen. And Cyd Charisse solo in Party Girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molo14 Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Starting at midnight eastern time, the night of April 28/29 TCM is airing a lot of dancing stuff. There's *Dancing Lady* at 12:00am eastern followed by two dance oriented shorts, then a Private Screening with Ann Miller. This is followed by: *That's Dancing! (1985)* *Gene Kelly, Liza Minnelli and Mikhail Baryshnikov host this compilation of some of the greatest* *dance numbers in movie history.* *Dir: Jack Haley, Jr. BW-105 mins, TV-G* Look it up on the schedule page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bargar Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 VERA-ELLEN was a dancer in the late 40s and 50s. She was tiny and athletic in her dance style, but she could also do slow numbers with grace and poise. She partnered with Kelly,Astaire, & O'Connor but also did solo numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainingviolets21 Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 ESTELLE SLOANE - best tap-dancer in the business, watch her speciality number in Night And Day (she taps to "Just one of Those Things") superb.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debro52 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Of course this is my opinion but, Some really good ones are: Dames, Broadway Melody (several were made starting in 1929) Gold Diggers of 1933 was also very good. Here is a list of several that are not so commonly seen any more. Many of them I had to order from TCM's data base. Four Jills in a Jeep-1944 Damsel in Distress-1937 White Christmas 1954- ( this can be found at Wal-mart at Christmas time) Pot O" Gold-1941 Second Chorus-1943 Annie Get Your Gun-1950 Take Me Out to the Ballgame-(1949) Alexander's Ragtime Band-(1938) There are many more that I can name if you need them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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