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The subtitle of
this page, Making Love On the Dance Floor, maybe deserves a
bit of explanation. It is said that a movie reviewer once commented on
one of Fred Astaire's movies, "OK, dancing is a euphemism for sex. What
else is there to say about this movie?" When Fred was asked why he and
Ginger almost never kissed on the screen, he said, "I make love with my
feet." It's true, Fred's dancing is pure
courtship, and there is a lesson there for all of us.
When we first learn a new figure, a new amalgamation, a new
dance, it is natural to focus on the steps and the technique, but if we
want to feel good and look good, we have to go beyond technical
accuracy and create an evocative human relationship with our partner.
Without a relationship, the dance is just steps, just exercise, just
earnest, unsmiling locomotion. But if the dance contains emotion and
communication, then we have something more.
Fred shows us good dance position and clear dance steps, but
he also shows that he really enjoys his partner and the entire dance.
We can do this too. We can work to get the steps right, but we can also
think about developing emotional responses that are complementary to
the music and to the dance. We can think about communicating
those emotions. We can create a relationship with our partner. We can
at least smile.
First, let's look at the ten films he made
with Ginger Rogers. He danced with many other partners, but Ginger was
the most fun, by far.
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Flying Down To Rio, 1933
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(click on any thumbnail for a larger view)
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| The Gay
Divorcee, 1934 |
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| Roberta, 1935 |
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| Top Hat, 1935 |
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| Follow the
Fleet, 1936 |
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| Swing Time, 1936 |
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| Shall We
Dance, 1937 |
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| Carefree, 1938 |
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| The Story of
Vernon and Irene Castle, 1939 |
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| The Barkleys of
Broadway, 1949 |
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| Fred and Ginger
before there was Fred & Ginger
Fred Astaire's dancing career began with his sister,
Adele, in vaudeville and on Broadway.
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| Dancing Lady,
1933
Fred's first movie was also with "another woman," Joan
Crawford.
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| A Damsel in
Distress, 1937
With Joan Fontaine
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| Broadway
Melody of 1940
With Eleanor Powell
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| Second Chorus,
1941
With Paulette Goddard
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| You'll Never
Get Rich, 1941
With Rita Hayworth
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| Holiday Inn,
1942
With Virginia Dale
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| You Were
Never Lovelier, 1942
With Rita Hayworth again
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| The Sky's the
Limit, 1943
With Joan Leslie
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| Yolanda and the
Thief, 1945
With Lucille Bremer
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| Ziegfeld Follies,
1946
With Cyd Charisse
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| Blue Skies, 1946
With Joan Caulfield
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| Easter Parade,
1948
With Judy Garland
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| Three Little
Words, 1950
With Vera-Ellen
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| Let's Dance, 1950
With Betty Hutton
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| Royal Wedding,
1951
With Jane Powell
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| The Belle of
New York, 1952
With Vera-Ellen again
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| The Band Wagon,
1953
With Cyd Charisse again
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| Daddy Long
Legs, 1955
With Leslie Caron
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| Funny Face, 1957
With Audrey Hepburn
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| Silk
Stockings, 1957
With Cyd Charisse a third time
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| Toward the end of his career, Fred began
to dance on TV, often with Barrie Chase.
In the movies, he took more dramatic roles — 1958–1981. |
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| Sources |
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- Search for other books or videos on dance steps,
styling, or Astaire:
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If you would like to read other articles on dance
position, technique, styling, and specific dance rhythms, you may visit
the article TOC.
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Go beyond this site. Good instructional
books and videos, both new and used, are available at low prices from Amazon. Find other references on our Sources and Links
pages.
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