Like this:

Tomorrow I will read all of Mockingjay, so tonight I will enjoy some light entertainment in the form of dancing in film, mostly American with a dash of Australian.

First we have the Amazingly talented and popular Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1930s:

Then the fabulous Gene Kelly and Donold O’Conor being quite funny in the 1950s:

And then (if I’m not mistaken, please tell me if I am!) there is kind of a hiatus for dancing in film that didn’t originate on broadway until about Dirty Dancing in 87, though it’s set in the early 60s when movie musicals were a fad.  In this case only Mr. Swayze was anything close to a professional dancer.

Then there was an Australian film in 1992, Baz Luhrmann’s first, lighter masterpeice, Stricktly Ballroom.  One of my favorite all time films!  There’s no singing, just dancing.  Here is the beginning stages of hiring rather accomplished dancers as actors who really can’t act all that well.  This practice is really exemplified in Center Stage, where dancers are doing what they do best in a more modern and American setting.  (I say “modern” but when I looked up the film, it’s already 10 years old. the only acrtor/dancer who has moved on was Zoe Saldana)

Strictly Ball room dancing:

Center Stage dancing:

So, since 2000 is not modern, lets go to the continuation of this practice of dancers turned actors with the Step Up films.  Specifically in 2008 for Step up 2 the Streets.  You might have noticed the 3rd installment, Step up 3D is out now, but since I haven’ seen it, we will stick with the second one.  So here is a very modern dance sequence/climax:

All in all I like that the Step Up franchise is trying to do it’s part to bring dancing back to the silver screen.  We have America’s Best Dance Crew, but I like to know more about the dancers be it fiction or nonfiction.  i’ll take a documentary!

I know I missed all Bollywood which has never given up on the movie musical/dance number.  There is just way too much to cover since that is just about all they do.

I apologize for those not into dancing, but perhaps you should give it a chance because it just makes life better!

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