4/30/2012

Dance Films Over the Years

By Eloise J Allerton


Dancing has long been an art form that has been widely exploited by directors and film makers in order to tell stories in their movies. It is impossible to count the huge number of films that have been released with some theme based around dance but we will look at 3 particular examples here in which dance has been used. Whether it be the central theme or if it is just the style of movie, it is undoubtedly very effective for film makers.

The inimitable Gene Kelly starred in several theatre productions as well as many movies in his time but is perhaps most celebrated in the classic 1952 movie "Singing in the Rain". "Singing in the Rain" is well known throughout the world and it would be impossible to count the number of times that people have paid homage to it in other films and TV shows.

In 1987 came what for many people consider still to be the greatest dancing movie of all time, Dirty Dancing. The success of this movie owed itself mainly due to the fact that the actors chosen for it, such as the unforgettable Patrick Swayze, were chosen as much for their dancing ability as for their acting prowess. Dirty Dancing still maintains cult status amongst many people and its story is almost timeless.

Coming in to the modern era, we have seen more urban dancing appearing in movies. This is evident in the UK hit Street Dance 3D which enjoyed some success in the UK thanks to the casting of well-known dancers and dance groups from the series Britain's Got Talent. Street Dance 3D tapped into the "cool" image of street dance and its success was due to how this appealed to its audience.

Here we have seen 3 examples of movies - spanning some 60 years - in which dancing plays a pivotal role in the story. These examples go to show that dancing, in no matter what form it takes, is a valid medium through which to express ideas and is a successful theme for many movies and tv shows. The three examples that we have looked at are of course not the only movies in which dance is central. Huge successes such as Billy Elliot cannot be ignored either.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment