It is not normal for me to put something here on dancing, but this was an exception.
Nearly eight decades ago, one of the best dances ever caught on film was done, and apparently without prior rehearsal and in a single take!
That, at least, is what was claimed in this article, and I certainly will not argue the point.
This was the performance by the Nicholas Brothers, Fayard and Harold. They did an amazing dance to Cab Calloway's Jumpin' Jive. It was done for Stormy Weather, a 1943 musical film. Most likely, it should be more famous than it is.
No less an authority than Fred Astaire said that it was ‘the greatest dancing he had ever seen on film’.
75 Years Ago, One of the Best Dance Routines Ever Was Filmed, Unrehearsed on the First Take, Feb 8, 2018:
https://twistedsifter.com/videos/nicholas-brothers-jumpin-jive-cab-calloway-stormy-weather/
I'm blown away by that performance. While I can't claim to be a dance aficionado by any means, people who can do spectacular things which I obviously could never do have always held a certain fascination for me, and that dance number is a prime example. I can't even wrap my brain around the long years of discipline, sacrifice and devotion to one's craft required to achieve such a level of impeccable timing and athleticism. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteAt the complete opposite of the spectrum, if you want to relive a goofy dance-themed scene we saw many years ago, copy and paste this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VSkORt91vM
Agreed, it was incredibly impressive. I will check out that video later, when on a desktop or laptop.
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