Wednesday, 22 April 2009

"Light-footed, Wry in Comment, and Elegant in Form."

I am only just "tapping into" the incredibly attractive (as well as addictive) world of Old-Hollywood tap dancing and singing (it is never too late!). For me, it is not just the amazing dance sequences and their gorgeous olive-oiled voices; it is the whole atmosphere and aurae-the colours, the ensemble, the glamour and elegance of a bygone era. Here are some of the film footage which I have come across so far and really enjoyed, following a few of Gjon Mili's marvellous stroboscopic photographs of these dance geniuses.

Ray Bolger photographed by Gjon Mili

Gene Kelly photographed by Gjon Mili

Fred Astaire


Ray Bolger dance scene from The Harvey Girls (1946)


Gene Kelly: "I'm Singin' in the Rain", from Singin' in the Rain (1952)


Fred Astaire: "Puttin' on the Ritz", from Blue Skies (1946)

(*Title quote: Gjon Mili describing Ray Bolger.)

3 comments:

lune_blanc said...

I grew up watching old musicals and tap dancing, funny I didn't remember that scene from The Harvey Girls, one of the most charming tap dancing scenes ever....
In Japan many people my age (and younger) don't even know the name Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire, it's sad :(

Unknown said...

Wow! Thank you for this. I'm sick in bed and watching these vids made me so happy. I feel in the mood for musicals now.

Poesis said...

Glad you like Ray Bolger's dance scene Michiko! I wouldn't have discovered it were it not for your introduction to Gjon Mili - I really like his strobe photographs of Bolger (he had such an unusually long body for a dancer then).

And I'm happy to hear that this post and videos put you in a better mood, Ana. Hope you're much better now. :-)

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