Washington Post's Best Dance Scenes in Movies

[lydecker]

Pretty much all of my favorites are here.  How about you?  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/entertainment/best-movie-dance-scenes/?utm_term=.a8484d8431b3

[jakeem]

Unfortunately, it left out Fred Astaire's solo dance from "You Were Never Lovelier" (1942). His character auditions for a wealthy Buenos Aires nightclub owner (Adolphe Menjou) with an inspired, Latin-style tap routine using only a cane and office furniture as props.

 

[EricJ]

Okay, they got Nicholas Brothers from "Stormy Weather"--

But no "Moses Supposes".

No "Born to Hand-Jive".

No King & I.

No Blues Brothers:

"Small Town Girl"--Ann Miller, yes, but no hopping Bobby Van.

And the only Eleanor Powell/Broadway Melody we get is the Fred Astaire one?...Oo-la-la, nononono!

 

[jamesjazzguitar]

The Shanghai Li scene from Footlight Parade.

 

[lydecker]

35 minutes ago, jamesjazzguitar said:

The Shanghai Li scene from Footlight Parade.

 

Forgot about that one.  Love it!

[drednm]

They left out Joan McCracken and Ray McDonald in the "Pass That Peace Pipe" number from GOOD NEWS.

 

[jakeem]

They also left out the Friars Club dance-off between George M. Cohan (James Cagney, reprising his Oscar-winning role) and Eddie Foy Sr. (Bob Hope) in "The Seven Little Foys" (1955).

 

[Swithin]

Some good ones on their list, but it's fairly cliched. Here are two of my favorites, from Roxie Hart and Barcelona.

 

 

[bluebirdsfly]

I'm actually surprised by a lot of these picks. Stepmom, White Chicks and Silver Linings Playbook are movies I'd never put on my favorite dance sequences but to each their own I guess. 

I have to say one of my favorite guilty pleasure movies is Center Stage so I'm happy The Way You Make Me Feel was listed! 

And even though I didn't like The Red Shoes the ballet sequence was very beautiful. 

[EricJ]

19 minutes ago, bluebirdsfly said:

I'm actually surprised by a lot of these picks. Stepmom,

Well, they had to pick Stepmom, which seems to have replaced The Big Chill as THE iconic 90's-00's "Bouncing around the kitchen karaoke'ing Motown into big wooden spoons" scene, that became such a staple of chick-flick for the next decade or two.

And that one didn't have as many dance moves.

[darrylfxanax]

Not from the classic era, but still quite entertaining, this exuberant number is a highlight from the 2005 romantic comedy, Adam & Steve.  The dance off ensues while Jackie Beat performs a rollicking country/western-themed track.  Craig Chester and Malcolm Gets star, while the always wonderful Parker Posey co-stars, along with Chris Kattan, of SNL-fame.  The lyrics, taken out of context as they are, do not seem to make much sense.  However, they do relate to a comedic episode earlier in the film that derails the romance of the main characters, for the time being.

[Bevie]

The most beautiful dance scene ever, in my opinion, was from "Blood & Sand" when Rita Hayworth and Anthony Quinn danced together near the end of the film. If you haven't seen it, check it out. I don't understand how the WaPo did not include it on their list.

[sagebrush]

1 minute ago, Bevie said:

The most beautiful dance scene ever, in my opinion, was from "Blood & Sand" when Rita Hayworth and Anthony Quinn danced together near the end of the film. If you haven't seen it, check it out. I don't understand how the WaPo did not include it on their list.

I love that scene!

[sagebrush]

I would have added Fred Astaire's "Puttin" On The Ritz" number from BLUE SKIES.

[Gershwin fan]

 

[jakeem]

14 minutes ago, sagebrush said:

I would have added Fred Astaire's "Puttin" On The Ritz" number from BLUE SKIES.

Another of my favorite Astaire performances!

[FilmSnob]

The Tango!

 

[SansFin]

I believe their #11: All That Jazz (1979) ‘Take Off With Us’ is iconic. The contrasts within it are supreme. It is first a lighthearted romp and then serious social critique. The dancers make it look so light and easy and we see also the strain and sweat. Passion and ennui, precision teamwork and individual excellence and tradition and innovation are all juxtaposed perfectly. 

I find it interesting also that this is within Bob Fosse's autobiographical work while two other dance scenes in the WP list were choreographed by him also. I doubt that any person could seriously argue against: ‘The Aloof, the Heavyweight, the Big Finish’ and: ‘Whatever Lola Wants’ being listed among the greatest dance scenes ever.

I loved the writer's description of B. Fosse as: "the master of sinister sexiness."

[SansFin]

On 11/10/2018 at 6:10 PM, EricJ said:

But no "Moses Supposes".

 

My favorite tribute to that dance scene is this:

 

[GGGGerald]

I love dance scenes in film. That list is a great place to start.

Of course with any list, you can come up with more scenes that were great. But, that's not bad.

[sagebrush]

Can I just go ahead and say I "like" everyone's suggestions?

[Sepiatone]

Well, in PENNIES FROM HEAVEN I'd have picked THIS dance....

 

Sepiatone

[Gershwin fan]

15 minutes ago, Sepiatone said:

Well, in PENNIES FROM HEAVEN I'd have picked THIS dance....

 

Sepiatone

This is my favorite number from the film. Let's Misbehave is pretty good too though.

 

[sagebrush]

From PENNIES FROM HEAVEN, I would choose this dance scene, mostly because Tommy Rall is in it!

 

[Dargo]

Don't know why exactly, perhaps because there was always something about leggy brunettes that always did "somethin' extra" for me, but I never get tired, and even when it's over a hundred degrees in the shade, of watching Ann Miller performing this "Too Darn Hot" number in Kiss Me Kate...

 

And re Astaire and Rogers...my favorite of their routines was always the following "dance class" number in Swing Time...