Featured dancer: Bob Fosse

My favorite jazz choreographer -- Bob Fosse was a one-of-a-kind dancer, musical theater choreographer/director and film director.

Years ago I saw an interview of Bob in which he explained how he developed his style of dancing -- the inward knees and toes and rounded shoulders. He claimed he was just exaggerating his own, physical flaws so that the audience wouldn't notice they were flaws. ;-) He didn't explain where the "stylized, cynical sexuality" elements came from. Perhaps the inspiration came from the burlesque clubs that he worked in (as a vaudeville-type performer) at age 13 as featured in his biopic, 'All That Jazz'.

Here's some early Fosse choreography and dancing from 1951 from the Colgate Comedy Hour (yeah, that's Jerry Lewis hosting!). Although it's kinda kitschy, there are already some hints of the future Fosse style here with the exotic "Indian" moves and body isolations. Dancing with Fosse is his first wife, Mary Ann Niles:

From the 1955 film 'My Sister Eileen', here's Fosse and Tommy Rall performing a piece choreographed by Fosse. The characters are meant to be showing off their skills to each other, but mostly they're just showing us how they can defy gravity!

From around the same time (1956?), here's Bob and the incomparable Carol Haney on The Ed Sullivan Show performing 'I Love a Piano' from 'The Pajama Game'. This dance really starts to show the trademark Fosse style:

Finally, one of my all-time faves -- 'A Ssssnake in the Grassss' from 'The Little Prince'. I love the bit where he sprinkles some sand on the sand for a soft-shoe. ;-) Pure Fosse!

Featured dancer: Ann Miller - Fastest tap in the West!

Tap-dancer Ann Miller was a Hollywood musical staple in the 1940s and 1950s. Born in Texas, she was discovered by Lucille Ball at age 13. Her agent claimed Miller could produce 500 taps per minute. That may have been a slight exaggeration, but whatever the true figure, the girl could sure tap FAST!

(She also invented pantyhose! Who knew?!)

Here she is performing "Too darn Hot" in "Kiss me Kate" - 1953:

"Shakin' the Blues Away" from "Easter Parade" - 1948 (now THIS is FAST!):

And from "Deep in My Heart" - 1954 -- a tap-Charleston!:

More on Ann Miller @ Turner Classic Movies.

Featured dancer: Vladimir Vasiliev - 'God of the Dance'

Russian premier danseur, Vladimir Vasiliev, performed with the Bolshoi Ballet starting in 1958. He later choreographed for the Bolshoi and eventually became its director (until he was dismissed by Vladimir Putin in 2000).

He has been described as 'God of the dance' -- and he really set the standard for all danseurs who were to follow him.

Here are some excerpts of Vasiliev performing Don Quixote in 1960. The ballerina is Ekaterina Maximova (who is also Vasiliev's wife):

Here they are again in Don Quixote from 1972:

DON QUIXOTE - GRAND PD2 (Maximova-Vasiliev, 1972) @ Yahoo! Video

Whoever said white men can't jump?! ;-)

Vasiliev is most well known for his role of 'Spartacus'. Two scenes from that ballet can be viewed here and here [embed not available]. What a stunning performance!