Something different - tap dancing | The Boneyard

Something different - tap dancing

HuskyNan

HuskyNan

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I've got Singin' in the Rain on while I'm doing some paperwork. Interesting factoid - 19 year old Debbie Reynolds did not know how to tap dance before making the movie. She was given 3 months of intense training before filming. Despite her inexperience, Debbie held her own dancing with two incredible dancers in Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor. The video below shows them in Good Mornin', a classic.

Anyone else love the art of tap dancing and have a favorite dancer/song?

 
The famous "Challenge" scene from the beloved 1989 film "Tap." In order, Arthur Duncan, Bunny Briggs, Jimmy Slyde, Steve Condos, Harold Nicholas, Sandman Sims and of course, Sammy Davis Jr. All masters of the art and still making it look easy in their 60s and 70s.

 
For something completely different, this Tango scene from Scent of a Woman gets me every time.

To everyone who disliked this scene because of technique, it wasn’t supposed to be perfect. He was blind, she was a beginner. It was about the beauty of the scene, I loved it
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HuskyNan said:
I've got Singin' in the Rain on while I'm doing some paperwork. Interesting factoid - 19 year old Debbie Reynolds did not know how to tap dance before making the movie. She was given 3 months of intense training before filming. Despite her inexperience, Debbie held her own dancing with two incredible dancers in Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor. The video below shows them in Good Mornin', a classic.

Anyone else love the art of tap dancing and have a favorite dancer/song?

Expand ...

That always fascinates me as well. Supposedly she was miserable for much of the movie, yet you look at all three of them and they appear to be having so much fun and the dancing so effortless.

Here's a modern dance movie stars are neither known for being singers nor dancers:

 
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I'm no good at transferring stuff, but if you go to YouTube and look up Fred Astaire and
Eleanor Powell dancing to Begin the Beguine, you will see 2 min and 52 sec of some of
the best tap dancing you will ever see.
 
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HuskyNan said:
I've got Singin' in the Rain on while I'm doing some paperwork. Interesting factoid - 19 year old Debbie Reynolds did not know how to tap dance before making the movie. She was given 3 months of intense training before filming. Despite her inexperience, Debbie held her own dancing with two incredible dancers in Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor. The video below shows them in Good Mornin', a classic.

Anyone else love the art of tap dancing and have a favorite dancer/song?

Expand ...

Gene Kelly dancing in the rain in that movie is one of my favorites.
 
From my personal collection. January 17, 1999. This is Rod Ferrone performing at Swing 46 on New York's Restaurant Row at which legendary tap dancer/vaudevillian, Buster Brown, hosted a tap dance jam every Sunday evening. Buster welcomed and encouraged any and all tap dancers; from current and past Broadway performers to aspiring young tap dancers having only recently taken their first lessons. Always a lot of fun.
 
RSHERMVIKES said:
Gregory and Maurice Hines TAP DANCE 1984


I went to HS with Gregory Hines in NYC!
Sadly he passed away several years ago!
Expand ...

Last time I saw Mr. Hines was at Buster Brown's funeral in 2002. An outstanding, versatile performer and a very nice guy.
 
Apparently, the latest craze with teens is Shuffle Dancing. This viral video from 2018 has 68,209,721 views. Love the music they chose.

 
Movie stars dancing to 'Footloose'.

List of movies used

It's A Wonderful Life, Dirty Dancing, Don't Knock The Rock, Gold Diggers Of 1935, Good News, Dames, Babes On Broadway, Panama Hattie, Follow The Fleet, Bye Bye Birdie, Lady Of Burlesque, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Show Boat (1951), I Love Melvin, Meet Me After The Show, Down To Earth, Viva Las Vegas, A Date With Judy, Footloose, Moon Over Miami, Hello Dolly, The Gold Rush, Flower Drum Song, Mary Poppins, West Side Story, The Kid From Brooklyn, Les Girls, Easter Parade, Guys & Dolls, Royal Wedding, 42nd Street, Sweet Charity, White Nights, The Affairs Of Dobie Gillis, Three Little Words, Let's Be Happy, Blue Skies, Singin' In The Rain, Lullaby Of Broadway, The Seven Little Foys, Broadway Melody Of 1940, Tea For Two, Call Me Madam, Sun Valley Serenade, Words And Music, It's Always Fair Weather, The Band Wagon, Alexander's Ragtime Band, Down Argentine Way, Les Demoiselles De Rochefort, Saturday Night Fever, Flashdance, On The Town, The Little Princess, Stormy Weather, Hit The Deck, Excuse My Dust, Pennies From Heaven, The Great American Broadcast, Damn Yankees, Broadway Melody Of 1938, You're My Everything, Look For The Silver Lining, Sensations Of 1945, White Christmas, Lovely To Look At, Deep In My Heart, A Damsel In Distress, There's No Business Like Show Business, You'll Never Get Rich, The Barkleys Of Broadway, Evergreen, Honolulu, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Hollywood Canteen, The Belle Of New York, Star!, Broadway Rhythm, The Gang's All Here, Anchors Aweigh, Breakin'.

 
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It's interesting how tap dance has been interpreted in other countries, the chicken-and-rice of dance.

 
Came across this today. Steve Martin has his own style :-) In my opinion, most really good comedians have great body control and movement. Watch John Belushi do a Blues Brothers number as an example

 
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I learned tap dancing 8 years ago. Currently, I'm into soft shoe style to popular funeral dirges. Very challenging.
 
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