Movies: Dance movies?

[mylildancer]

M26, you're thinking of "Slow Dancing in the Big City". I've tried to find it many times, but have not been successful.

[Tuesday]

Les Enfants de la Danse can be found on Amazon.com by looking up this DVD:

 

Delibes - Coppelia / Giezendanner, Ganio, Lacotte, Paris Ballet (2001)

 

The documentary is included with the ballet (which is danced by students of the Paris Opera Ballet school) as a bonus feature. I couldn't find it anywhere by itself.

[King]

Has anyone seen Black Tights with Zizi Jeanmaire and Cyd Charisse? Talk about legs- Cyd Charisse had great ones! I've seen posters for the movie- thinking about getting it thru our Amazon link, but wanted some opinions first!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Black Tights" (1960) featured Roland Petit's (and Zizi Jeanmaire's) Ballets de Paris. It is a composite of several of Petit's ballets and is a bit clunky and old-fashioned in places, but has some remarkable dancing--especially, in my opinion, Petit's "Carmen." It is narratedby Maurice Chevalier. The young Robert Joffrey was a member of Petit's company for a time in 1949 [edited to correct typo], before "Black Tights" was filmed.

 

Another old movie with some terrific dancing is Gene Kelley's "Invitation to the Dance" (1956), which, like "Black Tights" is a composite of a number of pieces. You will see some very acrobatic dancing on the part of Gene Kelly and a remarkable solo by Igor Youskevitch. If you never had an opportunity to see Youskevitch in his prime, this will open your eyes. Also featuring Claire Sombert, Tamara Toumanova.

 

Here's a rare one: the (made for television) Bell Telephone Hour's "Johnny Appleseed" (1964), Hoagy Carmichael's suite for narrator, singer, dancer and orchestra, featuring Edward Villela in a tour de force. If anyone knows where I can find a reproduction of this, please let me know.

 

King Douglas

Edited December 25, 2005 by King

[Mel Johnson]

Actually, a very young Mr. Joffrey danced with Petit's company in their 1950 run in NYC at the Broadhurst Theater. By 1959, he was already very busy directing the company and running his school.

 

But talk about a blast from the past. I had not recalled that Villella had danced this on the BTH. I think I remember seeing it, but it didn't leave any lasting impression, so much so that it took this to remind me.

[King]

Actually, a very young Mr. Joffrey danced with Petit's company in their 1950 run in NYC at the Broadhurst Theater.  By 1959, he was already very busy directing the company and running his school.

 

But talk about a blast from the past.  I had not recalled that Villella had danced this on the BTH.  I think I remember seeing it, but it didn't leave any lasting impression, so much so that it took this to remind me.

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You are right (of course). Joffrey was with Roland Petit in 1949. Pardon my typo.

 

King

[Mel Johnson]

Not a problem. Anytime anybody remembers Mr. Joffrey favorably, I like it!

[Guest dancing<><piper]

I apologize if someone has already mentioned this, but Ballet Shoes is a sweet movie.

[pinkpointes101]

I will always love Flashdance and White Nights.  But more recently I think Center Stage is a great movie.  DD and I just watched that one last night.  I didn't realize that the one actress who was the rebel in class-who replaced the bulemic girl at the end.....she was in Pirates of the Carribean too!  She was a dancer first.

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I love Center Stage! Who does she play in Pirates of the Carribean? I love that movie too!

[superchauffer]

She plays one of the buccaneer pirates that Jack Sparrow and William crew to go after the pirates. DD and I watched the movie last night and as soon as we saw her, we both said "Eva Roderiguez"!

[pinkpointes101]

Oh now I remember!

[Xandra]

There's also the movie called The Company.

[Juli]

I just finished watching a movie called The Dancer, it has subtitles but I love how they show the dancing and the making of freed pointe shoes. It's circa 92 , 94

 

yes Eva has dance training but she hadn't kept it up for ballet in a while. She's also in Drumline.

 

Cyd Charisse, There's a book out with the second being Shrimp, the main character is named Cyd after her but I never seen her dance. I would love to see that.

 

I still love a Chorus Line, what that black dude did with his legs still suprizes me.

[Hamorah]

I was extremely disappointed in The Company. I gather the Director wanted to make it more like a documentary, so he told his actors not to "act" so as to appear natural. The result as far as I was concerned was boring. Also, they filmed the dancing from such wierd angles, that I couldn't even appreciate that.

 

There is a film called Dancers with Baryshnikov, which is a bit kitchy, but features some amazing dancing by B. in Giselle, which made the film definitely worthwhile watching! It also has real life dancers playing the roles, such as Lynn Seymour as the rehearsal director.

 

However, I think one of my favourite dance films still has to be The Turning Point. Fantastic dancing (including Baryshnikov in an early role), brilliant acting from Shirley MacLaine and Ann Bancroft, a totally real story line, which any dancer or ex dancer can identify with, and it hasn't dated even though it was made in 1977 - it's still relevant today.

[Tiny Dancer]

Last night I tried to see the movie Rent, because it's a musical and I was hoping for some dancing too. I found it to be very dark and depressing. I expected some of that because it's based on La Boheme, but I just couldn't get through the first 20 minutes.

 

Oh the good old days when movie musicals during wartimes were uplifting and bright. ( OK they were predicatable, but at least you could count on that!)

 

If anyone knows of a good musical with lots of dancing, let me know. I am sending Rent back to Netflix and need to "fill my que!"

[Juli]

Last night I tried to see the movie Rent, because it's a musical and I was hoping for some dancing too. I found it to be very dark and depressing. I expected some of that because it's based on La Boheme, but I just couldn't get through the first 20 minutes.

 

Oh the good old days when movie musicals during wartimes were uplifting and bright. ( OK they were predicatable, but at least you could count on that!)

 

If anyone knows of a good musical with lots of dancing, let me know. I am sending Rent back to Netflix and need to "fill my que!"

I love Oklahoma's dance scene

Oliver has a tad bit of dancing but is just a great musica;

A CHorus Line, has more of a jazz based dance

Grease 2 (when they're at the bowling alley and during the competition) Grease 1 is okay (john travolta)

Chicago (of course)

Mary Poppin's chimeny sweeps are nifty

as is Chitty chitty bang bang's toy scene

Jesus Christ Super Star has good sequencing though is mostly just stage "dancing"

Cats (duh)

Les Miserables ( if you find the right version)

The Starlight express ( it's about trains, I may have gotten the name wrong)

 

sorry that's all I can think of for now. I havn't watched musicals in a while