It may be all the rage on television, but movies have been dance oriented since the days of Gene Kelly. Dance movies can be hilarious, disturbing, and even inspirational. To help you see how much inspiration can come from a dance film, we have gathered a few of the most inspirational films that involved dance below.
Singin’ in the Rain – The film also brings dancing in addition to the singing. Although it was made in the 50’s, the story takes place in the era where silent films are becoming a thing of the past. Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds star. It received two Oscar nominations and won the Golden Globe for actor Donald O’Connor.
The Red Shoes – This 1948 British film centers on the life of a ballet dancer. In addition to being one of the most inspirational dance films, it also employed the “story within a story” methods of film. It won the Academy Award for Best Art and a Golden Globe for Best Original Score.
Billy Elliot – Young Billy is a man trying to find himself in Ireland. In this coming of age film, he must choose between boxing, a traditional sport for boys, or dancing, his true passion. The film is inspirational for following your heart and standing up for yourself.
Dirty Dancing – The awkward girl known as Baby grows up when she goes to a Catskills resort and meets a dance instructor. Although often criticized as a meaningless romance, the themes of growing up, following your heart, and standing up for who and what you believe them make the film inspirational. It also captures the beauty of Patrick Swayze’s dancing.
Footloose – Also proving that dancing can be a bold statement was this film. Kevin Bacon plays a newcomer into a town where dancing is banned. With courage and friends, he is able to get everyone dancing and even a remake.
Saturday Night Fever – Even if you hate disco, you can’t hate this 1977 classic for John Travolta’s break out performance. He plays a down on his luck Brooklyn kid who finds a new life and glory on the dance floor. He also finds love and his true calling.
Strictly Ballroom – This Australian film is all about a ballroom dancer who seeks to expand his craft. He and his partner seek to shake up the dancing world while dealing with family issues. A must see for lovers of ballroom dance.
Mad Hot Ballroom – Who says all dance movies have to be scripted? In this documentary, a group of elementary school children is followed as they are taught how to dance in the ballroom style. Also a good choice for those who think they can’t dance.
Fame – The dancers in this film literally seek to live forever by becoming famous dancers. It takes place in a performing arts school in New York City. It even comes with all the fashion and flare of the 80’s.
Scent of a Woman – It isn’t a dance movie, but it is an inspirational one. Al Pacino plays a suicidal blind man out on his last hoorah. He instead finds reason to live and one of the best uses of dance in the film when he performs a tango and inspires the line “when you get tangled up, tango on.”
Natalie Dawson owns the site Masters Degrees. She enjoys writing articles about everything in the education field.
Harvey Hysell in Camina Burana as the Roasted Swan, 1969
Reflecting in 1994 on a 25-year career in New Orleans, choreographer, teacher, and costume designer Harvey Hysell wrote, “What has this shy little preacher’s boy accomplished?…I sigh and ponder and finally say, ‘You did your best, and you succeeded in producing Beauty, on stage and occasionally by helping people dance to find the Beauty in themselves.”
Harvey Benson Hysell was born in New Orleans in 1936 to a Methodist minister and a church pianist. As a young boy he occasionally observed the ballet classes his mother accompanied at Newcomb College and immediately developed an interest in the art form. When Hysell was 11, his mother enrolled him with Lelia Haller, a prominent New Orleans ballet instructor and the first American dancer appointed première danseuse of the Paris Opera Ballet. Hysell was a natural and soon began performing with Haller’s Crescent City Ballet before attending high school in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he continued to be active in the performing arts. He attended Texas Christian University on full scholarship and, in 1960, became the first male in the country to receive a bachelor of fine arts degree in ballet.
In addition to dance classes, Hysell’s TCU curriculum included coursework in choreography and costume design. He excelled in both, making him particularly desirable in the world of professional dance. Upon graduation, Hysell moved to New York where he refined his technique under the tutelage of Vincenzo Celli, one of the most respected ballet instructors in the world. While in New York, Hysell designed costumes for such ballet luminaries as Royes Fernandez, the New Orleans–born principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre; Paula Tennyson, soloist with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo; and Maria Tallchief, the first Native American prima ballerina who was then with the New York City Ballet. In 1962 Hysell was signed as the premier danseur for the new company Allegro American Ballet, and within a few months he was performing the lead male roles for Swan Lake and Giselle. Shortly thereafter he became the company’s principal costume designer. After touring nationally with Ruth Page’s Chicago Opera Ballet in 1965, Hysell turned his focus solely to costume design.
Two students posing in Ballet Hysell School Studio
He moved back to New Orleans with friend and business partner Lewis “Jamie” Greenleaf in 1966 and set up Greenleaf-Hysell Associates Inc., a costume design firm specializing in work for Mardi Gras krewes and local theater groups.
The firm’s work in New Orleans quickly won acclaim. While reviewing the Gallery Circle Theatre’s 1966 production ofOnce Upon a Mattress,Times-Picayune critic Frank Gagnard noted, “Greenleaf and Hysell…have realized their ideas with wit, consistency of style and a professionalism that announces two classy designers have just settled in New Orleans.”
Hysell never lost his love of ballet, and he made occasional appearances in local dance performances. In 1969 he collaborated with the New Orleans Concert Choir on a production of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, performing as well as providing the choreography and costume design. Later that year he formed the semiprofessional company Ballet Hysell, and in 1971 he opened Ballet Hysell School, located on Magazine Street until 1978, when it was moved to a renovated church just off St. Charles Avenue.
Right - Sketch of Waltz of the Flowers Costume by Harvey Hysell
Ballet Hysell garnered immediate attention and praise for its sumptuous productions. It was the first company in New Orleans to stage Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker in its entirety, and two of its early productions, A Day for Flower Children and King David, were aired on regional PBS-affiliated television stations. As momentum grew, Hysell’s reputation became great enough to bring ballet luminaries such as Fernando Bujones and Natalia Makarova (both with the American Ballet Theatre) to perform with his company.
In 1976 Ballet Hysell became the New Orleans Ballet, with more professional personnel and stronger financial support. One of the company’s highlights was receiving a commission from Elizabeth Arden to stage a ballet named after its latest perfume, Cabriole. The company toured this ballet along with other pieces in Guatemala in September 1982.
The New Orleans Ballet was dissolved in 1982, but Hysell remained busy as guest choreographer for various local and national companies and as the director of the very successful Ballet Hysell School. With the help of longtime associate Diane Carney, Hysell intensified the school’s class schedule. They instituted summer workshops that attracted students from Alaska to Maine to study with Hysell, Carney, and a roster of important instructors and performers. Throughout the years, Ballet Hysell School trained many leading artists, including Rosalie O’Connor (American Ballet Theatre), Mireille Hassenboehler (Houston Ballet), and Devon Carney (associate artistic director, Cincinnati Ballet).
Hysell was clearly not alone in thinking he succeeded in producing beauty both on stage and within his dancers. In 1988 he and Carney reestablished Ballet Hysell, which became the recipient of numerous awards. Hysell was honored in 1995 with the Big Easy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award and again in 1996 with the Mayor’s Arts Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1998 he and Carney closed the Hysell Ballet School and later began teaching at the New Orleans Dance Academy, which since 1990 had been operating out of the Magazine Street building that originally housed Hysell’s school. Though Hysell passed away in 2008, his legacy is kept alive in his dancers and in Ballet Hysell, which can still be seen in its annual production of The Nutcracker and various other performances throughout the year.
We all seem to need extra bursts of energy from time to time, especially during hectic holiday shopping and party going. When your “get up and go” has “got up and went” what foods are the best to give you that needed pickup? While many energy-boosting products are on the market and do supply quick energy, more practical and less expensive methods for adding a little quick energy are available right in your kitchen.
Carbohydrates provide quick energy. The human body can break carbs down quickly. Foods naturally high in carbohydrates are normally low in calories and high in fiber, which is ideal. These types of carbohydrates are available in fruits and whole wheat products.
Protein provides a longer lasting type of energy. While they take longer for the body to break down to use as energy, they do the important job of sending oxygen to the blood and maintaining a lot of essential organs. Protein is available from both animal and vegetable sources.
Fat is a much maligned food source to a lot of people. However, the body needs some fat on a daily basis. Stored fat provides protection for internal organs and helps move essential vitamins such as A and D through the body. Furthermore it is holds stored energy and keeps it available for exercise. Saturated fats are found in products such as eggs, meat, and milk. Quantities should be limited as they can raise cholesterol. Unsaturated fats are obtained by eating foods such as fish, almonds, and soybeans.
Sugar provides energy almost immediately. But don’t reach for that candy bar just yet. Fruits are naturally high in sugar in the form of fructose. They still provide quick energy, but also provide healthy vitamins and fiber. Secondly, they don’t cause blood sugar levels to spike and drop dramatically in the way that refined sugar does.
Which types of snacks are the best?
Sandwiches are a good way to combine a quick pick-up from carbohydrates as well as a longer-lasting energy from protein. Whole grain bread is best, providing more fiber and less refined sugar than white bread. Sandwich fillings such as peanut butter, cheese or lean meat such as chicken provide a good source of protein.
Whole grain cereal and bread can lift both energy and mood. The healthy carbohydrates in whole grains provide the body with its preferable fuel source and help raise levels of serotonin in the body.
Bananas supply carbohydrates, protein and fiber. Fiber helps provide a steady source of energy.
Apples and peanut butter provide carbohydrates, fructose, and protein.
Citrus fruits provide fructose and healthy amounts of vitamin C.
Yogurt and milk provide protein and calcium. Try adding a few berries, nuts, or crunchy cereal to your yogurt. Yogurt can be easier to digest than milk for those who are lactose intolerant. Check the label to make sure your yogurt of choice is not too high in refined sugar.
Nuts such as almonds and cashews not only provide protein, but are a good source of magnesium, which actually helps the body convert sugar to energy.
Vegetables such as sprouts, broccoli, and spinach provide nutrition and fiber, as well as a healthy boost of energy. A snack of fresh vegetables of almost any sort will not leave you with that lazy, overstuffed feeling either.
Snacks for quick energy can be found in any food group. While products such as coffee, energy drinks and bars, and energy pills do provide a burst of energy, there are numerous easy, healthy, obtainable, and less expensive options as close as your refrigerator.
Thanksgiving is the day of the year where we should reflect on what we have to be truly thankful for. We should keep these things in our mind all year round. It should be a special day for us because we do have a lot to be thankful for. We live in a free country and for that we are so blessed. Also, we all have family of some sort. Be thankful for each of your family.
What is your traditional Thanksgiving day? Do you just go to your family's home, stuff yourself with all the delicious food, and then regret how much you ate? Why not do something nice for someone else on Thanksgiving? Think of the others who are going without. Think of the others who cannot afford to feed their family a big dinner on Thanksgiving. Share what you have been blessed with! I guarantee that you will receive greater joy in seeing someone benefiting from something you were able to do for them. This is truly what the holiday is about.
Here are some ideas to help make Thanksgiving special, along with quotes and a video.
Make a list of things you are thankful for. Then, reflect on those things. If you are thankful for someone in your life, act upon it. Go and tell them how much you appreciate them, and you can even give them a small gift to show that gratitude.
Have a Tthanksgiving box. Each day during the month of November, have your family write down something they are thankful for and put it into the box. On Thanksgiving day, read what your family members wrote. If you have young children, you could use a visual such as a picture of a turkey. Write the things they are thankful for onto feathers cut out of paper, and attach the feathers to the turkey.
Reach out to others who don't have or aren't able to visit their family. Think about the widows, singles, or college students that you know, and invite some of them to join your family for Thanksgiving dinner.
Do a service project with your family. Help out at a homeless shelter, weed an elderly neighbor's garden, prepare a thanksgiving dinner and take it to someone who is homebound. The opportunities to serve are endless. Look around your community and find a way that you can give back.
Make plates of goodies and drop them off at the homes of neighbors and friends. Take treats to a retirement home and stay to visit for awhile. Don't forget community service workers who must work on Thanksgiving, such as firefighters and police officers.
Gather together pictures and mementos from the past year. Make a scrapbook page for each person in the family. Have your family members write down what they are thankful for and any other thoughts they have on the page. Spend some time looking at the scrapbook pages from the previous years.
Buy a tablecloth specifically for Thanksgiving. Every year, have your family and guests write something they are thankful for or a thought on the tablecloth, along with their name and the date. It's fun to look at the tablecloth and see what people have said in past years. This can also be done with a journal.
This Thanksgiving Day, let's remember what we truly have to be thankful for. Let's take a good, hard look around us and realize that while we may not have everything we want, what we want is not always what we need. Think of the true meaning of this great American holiday as you celebrate with friends and family.
Here are 10 Thanksgiving quotes to celebrate and ponder.
1. "The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving." ~ H.U. Westermayer
2. "Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow." ~ Edward Sandford Martin
3. "There is one day that is ours. There is one day when all we Americans who are not self-made go back to the old home to eat saleratus biscuits and marvel how much nearer to the porch the old pump looks than it used to. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American." ~ O. Henry
4. "You say, 'If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.' You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled." ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
5. "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~ John Fitzgerald Kennedy
6. "We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction." ~ Harry A. Ironside
7. "It must be an odd feeling to be thankful to nobody in particular. Christians in public institutions often see this odd thing happening on Thanksgiving Day. Everyone in the institution seems to be thankful 'in general.' It's very strange. It's a little like being married in general." ~ Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.
8. "It is literally true, as the thankless say, that they have nothing to be thankful for. He who sits by the fire, thankless for the fire, is just as if he had no fire. Nothing is possessed save in appreciation, of which thankfulness is the indispensable ingredient. But a thankful heart hath a continual feast." ~ W. J. Cameron
9. "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." ~ Cicero
10. "Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men, but be careful that you do not take the day and leave out the gratitude." ~ E.P. Powell
As an extra, here's a video that sums up what this holiday means. Enjoy:
At Right - Russell Markert and the then "Missouri Rockets."
The Radio City Rockettes are known the world over for their precision dance routines, spectacular costumes and most of all their eye-high kicks. Besides being representatives for Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the Rockettes have also appeared in Super Bowl Halftime shows and Presidential Inaugurations. They are frequent guests on both early morning and late night talk shows.
Of course, they have also been a staple and highlight of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade since 1957. With the annual Radio City Christmas Spectacular, the Rockettes are part of one of the most watched live shows in the United States with over 2 million viewers per year. So where did this dance group originate from?
From Missouri to Manhattan
Inspired by the John Tiller Girls in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1922, Russell Markert said, “If I ever got a chance to get a group of American girls who would be taller and have longer legs and could do really complicated tap routines and eye-high kicks... they'd knock your socks off!" So he founded a group of American precision dancers in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1925 called the “Missouri Rockets.”
Showman and impresario S.L. “Roxy” Rothafel discovered the dance troupe and brought them to perform at his Roxy Theatre in New York City, dubbing them the “Roxyettes.” They shared the stage with 17 diverse acts, including the Flying Wallendas, Martha Graham and Ray Bolger.
When Rothafel left the Roxy Theatre to open Radio City Music Hall, the largest indoor theatre of it’s time, he brought the dancers with him. They performed during opening night of Radio City Music hall on December 27, 1932, and their name changed to the Rockettes in 1934.
They were an instant sensation. Markert had created the quintessential American chorus line - an exciting precision drill team with great style. Starting with just 16 women, the numbers grew over the years to what is now a 36-member Rockette kick line.
In 1933, Radio City featured a new movie and a lavish stage production every week starring the Rockettes. Russell Markert's stringent requirements never varied, and he continued to stage and choreograph productions at the Music Hall until his retirement in 1971. This concept of the dance line was to achieve absolute precision. The audience saw 36 Rockettes perform intricate routines, but always moving as "one dancer." Everything - the height, the costumes and steps - was kept completely identical. The illusion of uniform height is maintained to this day by putting the tallest dancers in the center, and gradually decreasing the height with the shortest women at either end.
Radio City Ambassadors
In addition to starring in the many Radio City Spectaculars that have made the Rockettes world famous, the dance group has also spread the magic of Radio City Music Hall far beyond New York. They've toured in Broadway productions such as "Can Can," and with performers including Peter Allen, Liberace, Ann-Margret, Chita Rivera and Paula Abdul, among many others. They danced at the premieres of "Miracle on 34th Street," "102 Dalmatians" and the premiere engagement of Disney's "The Lion King."
Today's Rockettes
Today, the Rockettes play an integral role in many Radio City theatrical productions, special events and television productions. They star annually in The Radio City Christmas Spectacular in New York and around the country. They've tapped their way through the dreams of thousands of young girls, many of whom hope to add their own legs to that world-famous kick line.
In addition to performing across North America, each year the Rockettes appear in the nationally televised Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, inspiring scores of young dancers nationwide. For several years, they've opened the "Daytime Emmy Awards," broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on ABC, and they have appeared on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and the "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." They are even the inspiration for their own Rockette doll.
Since 1932, more than 3,000 women have danced as Rockettes. Each year, in cities across America, hundreds of young women audition to be members of the internationally known troupe. Radio City Rockettes must be between 5'5" and 5'10" and must demonstrate proficiency in tap, jazz, ballet and modern dance. They must also display a radiant energy that will shine across the footlights to their audience.
Rockettes As A National Treasure
The Radio City Rockettes perform with a signature precision that perpetually delights every new audience. Indeed, these "dancing daughters" - as their founder, Russell Markert always referred to them - have not only persevered for more than 75 years, but are thriving now more than ever.
Some Facts about the Rockettes
The Rockettes performed at President George W. Bush’s 2001 Inauguration Ceremony and danced down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
They were featured in the motion picture Annie in 1982, during the scene when Annie, Daddy Warbucks and Grace go to Radio City Music Hall to watch the movie Camille.
African Americans were not allowed in the Rockettes until 1987 for a fear of disrupting the unity of the dance line.
During their trademark eye-high kicks, it appears the Rockettes are holding on to each other’s waists. In actuality, they barely touch each other so as not to disturb the other’s balance.
They performed in the halftime show during Super Bowl XXII in 1988.
The longest running numbers are “The Parade of Wooden Soldiers” and “The Living Nativity,” which have been part of Radio City’s holiday tradition since 1933.
Whether they are dancing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or helping with the NBC Rockefeller Center Tree-Lighting Ceremony, the Radio City Rockettes are the model of the American chorus line. With their exquisite costumes, constant smiles and of course those eye-high kicks, the Rockettes have been entertaining audiences for more than eighty years.
If you're feeling frustrated, it might seem hard to talk to your teacher or director, especially if you didn't get the role that you wanted or can't seem to master that pesky move. Here are a few do’s and don’ts of talking to your teacher or director.
Feelings Are Important
The only thing worse than having to talk with your teacher is not talking with your teacher. You may hear others tell you to put your feelings aside, bottle them up, not complain, and act like a good role model of a dancer; but this advice won’t help your dancing or your career. If you approach a teacher or director the right way, you’ll end up not only forging a better relationship, but you’ll also get rid of bottled-up feelings that can get in the way of your dancing.
Don’t freak out and build up anxiety about meeting with your teacher or director. Remember that every teacher was a dancer once too, and probably knows just what you’re going through. There’s no need to be intimidated or nervous; a one-on-one talk with a teacher should be a positive experience, not a negative one.
Don’t Demand
When you get around to setting up a time to talk privately with your teacher, make sure that you don’t react in an overly-emotional way. Demanding a meeting angrily and stomping your feet won’t get you the response you want. Plus, it will make you look immature and unprepared to handle the duties of being a lead dancer, which include being a role model to younger students.
As you first approach your teacher or director, do so in a calm, polite, and inquisitive way. Go to your teacher after class and say something pleasant and diplomatic that will make your point without offending anyone. For example: “Hello Madame, I was just wondering when would be a good time to talk to you about some things I had on my mind in ballet. When do you think we can meet?”
This comes across a lot better than: “I cannot believe you cast her in that role and not me! We have to talk right now, or I’m leaving.”
Ask How You Can Improve
If you didn’t get the role you wanted, don’t tell the director it was a bad decision or that you’re a better dancer. These statements come across as arrogant and rude. Instead, ask what you can do to improve your dancing, and ask what qualities the lead dancer possesses that you can work on emulating. This can be a wonderful opportunity to get one-on-one advice from your teacher.
Ask your director for specific things you can work on; it can be a technical or artistic aspect, or even an issue about classroom etiquette and attendance. Make sure to ask for ways to improve, such as exercises or private lessons. This tells your teacher that you’re genuinely interested in improving, not just in getting a better role.
Don’t Put Others Down
Never put down another dancer who got a role you thought you deserved. This is a serious mistake that tells your teacher you lack the basic etiquette and humility required of a lead dancer. Instead, use the opportunity to ask what the other dancer does well. This isn’t so you can contradict the decision; it’s an opportunity for you to find out what makes the other dancer more suited for that role, and how you can emulate it.
For example, if your teacher explains that another dancer has better extensions, and those are required for the role, ask what makes hers look so pretty and how you can get yours to look more like it. If it’s about stage presence, ask what would make you able to have more of it, and what qualities that role requires. This will help you to better understand what you need to do to get the parts you want.
Show That You Are Listening
After you talk with your teacher, make sure to show in every subsequent class that you heard your teacher’s words and are taking them to heart. What makes a great student is not the ability to do quadruple pirouettes, but the ability to take corrections and apply them quickly and seriously. By demonstrating hard work and consistent improvement in class and rehearsal, you send a message to your teacher that you’re listening and ready to work as hard as you can — a great indicator of your abilities.
Write Thoughts Down
You should always keep a dance journal to take note of your corrections, feelings, and progress. Bring this with you to your meeting and write down everything your teacher says. This will help you remember what you need to work on, and also show your teacher the dedication you have to ballet.
Be Gracious
Even if you didn’t get the role you wanted in the show, be glad to have a role, and make the most of it. You may think that no one cares about the snowflake in the last row, but director will notice your performance, and the hard work you put into your role will show both on stage and in rehearsals. Directors are ambivalent to promote a dancer who resents being in the corps. But if you shine and embrace your role, you’ll demonstrate a good attitude and the ability to work hard in any position, which will get you noticed.
Over 24 million children and adults in the U.S. have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. An additional 57 million are at risk for having diabetes. The trend is growing and becoming an epidemic. If it is not stopped, one in three children born today will become a diabetic at some point in their life. The ADA is asking Americans to confront the disease, fight it and stop it.
Symptoms of Diabetes
At age six and a half, Zippora Karz took her first ballet lesson because her older sister was interested in dancing. In the coming years, Karz would win accolades in such leading roles as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Tchaikovsky's classic The Nutcracker.
She always pushed herself to be able to do the things her older sister was able to do in class. This drive and determination led to many accomplishments. She was given scholarships to attend the school of the San Francisco Ballet and Balanchine's School of American Ballet. Despite these successes, Karz never assumed she had the potential to make this a career. She merely wanted to be noticed by her teachers and directors.
And she was noticed. At the age of fifteen, she was offered entrance into the School of American Ballet full time. At the age of eighteen, Karz was chosen to perform her first role with the New York City Ballet.
It was at this beginning of her career as a ballerina when she began to experience excessive thirst, frequent urination, unexplainable non-healing sores in her underarms, and extreme fatigue and exhaustion. At the suggestion of her dermatologist, she saw an internist and had some blood work done. But then for weeks she ignored the urgent message to call the internist back.
When she finally made the call and went to see the internist, she received news she never expected to hear. She was diagnosed with diabetes. She didn’t have time to learn about the disease and how to care for herself until she was so exhausted she couldn’t carry on. At first she ignored it and lived in denial.
Misdiagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes
As she began her treatment, she was originally thought to be type 2, but was unable to gain adequate control of her blood sugars. Karz did not go willingly into this arena. Like many people who receive the diagnosis of diabetes, she spent a lot of time in denial and yet in intense fear of developing the possible complications she was warned about such as stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and blindness.
When Karz was finally correctly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes because her body fails to produce insulin, she began to gain glycemic control. However, trying to balance her blood sugar, insulin and the demands of her career as a dancer, Karz attempted to adjust her own insulin dose and almost paid for it with her life.
Denial, Shame and Rage
As she finally began to put herself first and learned more about her disease and treatment, she gained control of her disease. To do this, Karz journeyed through her own deep denial and feelings of shame. She raged at the disease for the ways it limited her life and career. When she finally got good information and education, she was able to turn things around and lived the life she always wanted as a soloist with the NYC Ballet despite being insulin-dependent.
After 16 years, Karz retired from the ballet and became a diabetic educator. She also set out to write her own story to share her struggles with others. In The Sugarless Plum A Ballerina’s Triumph Over Diabetes, Karz takes the reader on her journey. The book is easy to read and captures the reader on page one and doesn’t let go until the story is has been told.
Anyone struggling with a diagnosis of diabetes and how to incorporate the strict regimen into their lifestyle will greatly appreciate the passion and intense honesty Karz shares. She takes the reader through her own experiences to be inspired, and gain confidence and understanding that until diabetes is stopped, those who are diagnosed can triumph and adapt.
What kind of shoes should I wear to dance in? is a common question asked by people interested in ballroom dancing. The very best choice are those designed especially for ballroom dancing and even more specifically for the exact dance style you plan to be doing. But until you are experienced enough and dedicated, practicing in street shoes is perfectly acceptable.
Ballroom dancing shoes need to be lightweight (so they don't weigh your feet down) and fit snugly - don't allow any "growing room", but don't have them so tight that they scrunch your toes. Be warned - even some so-called "professional" ballroom shoes are made narrow to look good, and they will not only harm your feet but affect your balance and your stamina on the dance floor.
Shoes need to have a secure fastening - for men, lace-ups; for ladies, lace-ups, a T-bar or ankle strap. For ladies, don't wear a flat shoe. Dancing in heels feels very different from dancing on the flat, and you need to get used to it from the start. Start with a small- to mid-sized heel until you are more experienced and confident with your balance.
The dance floor itself plays a part in the comfort level of your feet. Professional ballroom shoes have suede soles, but they are designed for use on properly-maintained wooden dance floors. At a dance school or community hall, you may be dancing on a range of surfaces, and on some of them, suede can be dangerously slippery.
Some studios have the proper flooring for dancing, which usually includes a cushiony, almost spring-like underflooring. This type floor enables dancers to dance for hours without feeling much effect...IF their shoes are also adequately comfortable. But some dance studios are built on a concrete slab, with only a layer of hardwood over it, and on those floors your poor feet will take a pounding.
The best shoes for ballroom dance are ones with leather soles. Leather soles provide enough traction that you don't slide as though you're on ice, but they pivot and slide smoothly, without placing undue strain on your knees. Many dress shoes still come with smooth leather or composite soles, and companies even sell leather soled "dance shoes" which are specifically designed for the dance floor. These latter can be quite expensive. For people who don't care for dress shoes, there is another option. Most shoe repair stores can attach a new sole to any pair of shoes. The sole you want for dance is "chrome leather". You can even take your most comfortable pair of sneakers to the local shoe repair, and have the leather soles added, either by simply gluing them to the molded rubber of your existing soles, or by replacing the soles. That will depend on the shoe. Either way, your comfy sneakers have then become comfy dancing shoes (with your own style to boot).
When you decide that this is an activity that you'd like to spend a considerable amount of time doing, and you'd like to have a pair of actual dance shoes, you'll see that many of the features of the shoes serve practical purposes. The ankle straps are not just eye-appealing, they actually help your feet stay firmly in your shoes. Some of the pump styles have elasticized rims on the uppers which 'hugs' the shoe to your foot. The heels are different heights and widths, depending on the style of dance they're designed for. The soles are typically suede, which gives you the ability to literally 'glide' as you dance across the floor, and are especially helpful when doing turns and spins. To preserve the life of these suede soles, dance shoes should never be worn outside. Two other accessories that will extend the wear of your dance shoes - a carrying case for transporting them, and a sole brush to lift the nap of the suede every couple of weeks or so.
One thing to really consider when choosing your dance shoes is support. Appearance is nice and sole is necessary, but if you plan to spend several hours moving about the floor, you do need the proper support to protect your joints and muscles. The dance floor is just as good a place to pick up injuries and sore muscles as the gym if you aren't careful. When you try on shoes, check for proper arch support, a little cushioning, and a width that keeps your foot from sliding side to side. Make sure that you spend several minutes going through basic dancing motions in the new shoes. Walking isn't going to tell you how they'll perform on the floor. Put them through the paces; the salesperson will understand.
Shop around a bit. Prices and styles vary and the selection is almost endless. Prices can range from $30-50 on the low end to well over $200 on the high end. Dance shoes are designed not only to be best suited for dancing, but to enhance the overall aesthetics of your dance - you'll simply look better out there on the floor.
One final note - dance shoes (or any other shoe, for that matter) should be tried on in the late afternoon or evening, when your feet are typically at their largest. You'll be requiring a lot of your feet over the span of your dancing experience...treat them right, dress them properly and you'll have a great foundation on which to build a lifetime of ballroom dancing.
The style of dance known as jazz has its roots in the African culture imported by the slaves to America. Africans in their native countries danced to celebrate life, to express their cultural beliefs. On the journey to America, the slave traders wanted them to keep physically fit, so dancing was often allowed.
On the plantations in the South, the original steps were influenced by the European background of the owners. Out of the European jigs, the American culture and the movements of the African slaves came the jazz dance.
One of the first American professional dancers, John Durang, included "shuffles," a movement of slave dancers, in his routine in 1789. Thomas Rice in 1828 did the "Jump Jim Crow," a dance imitating slave dancers. The Minstrel show, popular from 1845 to 1900, was another big influence on the jazz dance.
In the early 1900's, jazz dancing was closely related to tap dancing which was popular in the vaudeville shows of that era. Joe Frisco is called the first American "jazz dancer." His shuffles, turns and camel walks were incorporated into his stand-up comedy act. With his stuttering voice, Derby hat and big cigar, he appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies in 1918.
After World War I a social revolution occurred in the United States. The "flapper" with her short skirts, rolled stockings and dropped waist dresses was scandalizing the older generations by her dancing in the speakeasies and cabarets. Jazz was the kind of music that suited this generation. Different dance types emerged during this time, such as the Fox-trot, Charleston, Shimmy and Black Bottom. Later, the Jitterbug, Boogie Woogie and Swing all owed their development to jazz.
Jazz dance has been constantly evolving since the 1920s along with the changes in popular culture. Jack Cole Cole was one of the first jazz choreographers. He was an inspiration to Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, Gwen Verdon and many other well known dancers today. Jack Cole started evolving jazz dance in his musicals. He evolved jazz “theatre dance” with choreography and director credits in productions or movies such as Some Like it Hot, Man of La Mancha, There’s No Business Like Show Business, Gilda, Kismet and The Merry Widow.
Jack started out a modern dancer. He actually was a student and performer of the Denishawn Dance Company who was created by world renowned modern dancer Ruth St. Dennis and Ted Shawn. Dancers such as Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey came from the same school.
Modern dance shaped the way Cole would later define jazz. He merged the modern dance motivation for movement with popular jazz dance steps to make a more technical and artistic jazz dance. He also took from his modern dance training, the idea of being "low to the ground". He incorporated a very low plie into much of the movement he developed. This redefined his style, which turned into a bonafide technique. This gave jazz movement a sense of power and gravity. Jack was also extremely interested in the aspect of isolation and syncopation, all which are a huge part of jazz today.
Individuality and improvisation, required in jazz dance, are components that made it alluring to all dancers through the years. There are no limits to the creativity available to jazz dancers. It can go from peppy and bright to flowing and soulful. Jazz dance teachers often teach classical ballet first to their students so they can develop the strength and agility to perform properly the leaps, turns and kicks that are prevalent in jazz.
Jazz Styles
There are four main styles of jazz, which are Classical, Latin, Lyrical and Theatrical.
Jack Cole developed the classical jazz technique when he used his modern dance background and put it to jazz music. Along with Jack Cole came Bob Fosse and Jerome Robbins who really sparked it up when they added theatrical arrangements to the technique. They translated it to the stage and into the movie scene as well. Then enter Jose Limon who made a huge mark on the technique as well with his Latin flair. We also saw jazz evolving into a lyrical technique, which embodied fluid movement but was still considered “jazz dancing”. As a result, we see known choreographers, like Mia Michaels, from So You Think You Can Dance, making their mark in lyrical jazz history.
All four of these techniques are now required of the jazz dancer. It isn’t enough to be an expert in just classical jazz. Cross-training is essential: one has to really know their way around all of the jazz styles! It’s a good idea to take Latin dancing on top of jazz dancing and to know how to dazzle it up with a hat and cane. Ballet technique is equally important for the lyrical dancer as tap dancing is for the classical jazz dancer. Each of the following styles is vital to a jazz dancing career.
Classical jazz technique as we know it today is very involved. A dancer has to go beyond the competition “tricks” to really get into the technique. Scissor kicks and axel turns are not all there is. A dancer has to reach into the soul in order to find the primal rhythm and depth of kinetic translation. The most interesting and engaging movements can be the transitions and the accents. The small movement can become larger than life with projected energy. It need not be a talent show of ability, although knowing how to do the big jumps and turns are indeed important to a professional dancer’s career. Classical jazz is sleek, domineering and sensual.
Theatrical jazz creates a whole other dynamic to the world of “jazz”. We now think of hats, canes and staged musicals. An element of theatrical jazz that must be developed is the ability to embody a character. A dancer has to know how to be charming, funny and even outright ridiculous if the choreography calls for it. The use of props also becomes quite important to theatrical jazz dancing for these very reasons. To really be prepared for theatrical dancing, a dancer should know how to do chair and stair work, a great hat grab and to properly twirl a cane on queue. Theatrical jazz oftentimes involves more simple jazz movement in order to accommodate singers and props.
Latin jazz is one of the oldest forms of jazz. Being that jazz began its roots within the Latin realm, it makes this style a very important one. Jazz dancing often calls for a Latin flair that includes hip movement which sometimes calls for the opposite of a classical jazz hip movement. It’s a good bet this style will pop up within an audition or dance number. Learning the salsa, meringue, samba, mambo, is a great way to cross-train. Developing that Latin finesse within the jazz dance framework will ensure more opportunities and more audition placements. Be sure to learn how to dance in heels, this is essential!
Lyrical jazz is one of many new developments in jazz dancing. It stems from contemporary ballet and modern dance. Lyrical jazz dancing involves a great deal of balance, extension and turning. The movement is fluid and powerful. The best thing a lyrical jazz dancer can do is to work on their ballet technique. Consider it a blend of the two. The ability to display emotion is a top priority of the lyrical dancer.
Notable Directors, Dancers, and Choreographers:
Katherine Dunham: Considered the grandmaster of jazz dance technique. She was a key inspiration to most modern jazz dance legends.
Eugene Louis Facciuto:(aka "Luigi"): an accomplished dancer who, after suffering a crippling automobile accident in the 1950s, created a new style of jazz dance based on the warm-up exercises he invented to circumvent his physical handicaps.
Bob Fosse: A noted jazz choreographer who created a new form of jazz dance that was inspired by Fred Astaire and the burlesque and vaudeville styles.
Gus Giordano: An influential jazz dancer, master teacher and choreographer, the creator of the Jazz Dance World Congress, and the author of the Anthology of American Jazz Dance, the first book on jazz dance.
Jerome Robbins: Choreographer for a number of hit musicals, including Peter Pan, The King and I, Fiddler on the Roof, Gypsy, Funny Girl, and West Side Story.
Gwen Verdon: known for her roles in Damn Yankees, Chicago, and Sweet Charity.
Storyville is a new creation for Ballet Black's Christopher Hampson. It will play at the Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, United Kingdom, February 28, 2012 — March 7, 2012 As someone who is familiar with New Orleans, I'd like to add a little history of Storyville and its culture.
Storyville, a 20-block area in the Fauborg Treme, was America's most notorious red-light district where prostitution flourished. A city Ordinance drafted in 1897 created the district to limit prostitution to one area of town and banned prostitution in New Orleans outside Storyville. The New Orleans city government studied the red light districts of German and Dutch ports and set up Storyville in a similar fashion.
The nickname Storyville refers to City Alderman Sidney Story who wrote the legislation setting up the district. Black and white brothels coexisted, however, black men were barred purchasing services in either black or white brothels From 1895 and 1915 guides to prostitution called blue books were published in Storyville. These books were the yellow pages listing the houses, girls, services and prices for many of the 700 women who worked there.
Though not the birthplace of Jazz Storyville was a place where Jazz was coming into its own. Louis Armstrong was raised there. Jelly Roll Morton by the age of 12 was playing piano in the Storyville. Tony Jackson, Clarence Williams, King Oliver and Manuel Perez were a few of the musicians who captivated Storyville audiences nightly. Storyville officially closed on November 12, 1917 and many prostitutes returned to the streets. The District was shut down by the Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels as a bad influence during World War I. The closure was over the strong objections of the New Orleans city government.
Almost all the buildings in Storyville were demolished in the 1930's to clear the land for the building of the Iberville Housing Project. Storyville still lives on in the new Storyville District, a joint effort between Quint Davis of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage and restaurateur Ralph Brennan, featuring restaurants and continuous live entertainment. The District was also lives on in the movie Pretty Baby.
Ballet Black's Ballet
Christopher Hampson desribes Storyville's Characters as Follows:
Lulu White - a real person, a 'madam' that ran Mahogany Hall in Storyville, New Orleans. She is played by Sarah Kundi, and everyday this character becomes more and more controlling.
Mack - not particularly based on a real person, more a mix of the sorts of crooks that would have been plentiful in Storyville around 1915. The name 'Mack' is a reference to the anti-hero of Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera (some of which makes up the score for Storyville). Jazmon Voss is fleshing out this villian, and strangely it seems to come very naturally.
Nola - is the principal character of the story. Like Mack, she is a ficticious person, but once again, her story would have been the story of many like her at that time. Young and impressionable, it is her journey that dancer Cira Robinson has the task of bringing to life.
The Lover - He, like Nola has an innocence and a romantic nature. Damien Johnson is working with Cira to create the love affair between Nola and The Lover. Who knows, he might even have a name by opening night.
Storyville - So, this isn't exactly a person, but the town, Storyville, is a character too. It is the foundation for the whole narrative and was a very real place. Sayaka Ichikawa, Kanika Carr and Joe (what's your surname goddamit) are giving us a strong idea of the rest of the people that hang out at Mahogany Hall, Storyville, New Orleans, Louisiana.
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For more info about Storyville and Christopher Hampson, visit his website
Every holiday season, both the young and young at heart flock to see one of the world's most famous ballets. And some, including myself, have performed in it year after year, playing a snowflake, a flower, being Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Yet, I still enjoy seeing young dancers eagerly rehearsing, anxious to be a part of this iconic ballet.
But where did the story behind The Nutcracker ballet originate, and how did a little wooden novelty become one of the world's most recognizable protagonists?
The Nutcracker Ballet is based on a story called "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" written by an 18th-century German writer, composer, and critic known as E.T.A. Hoffman (E.T.A. Hoffman being his pen-name; his actual name was Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffman).
Hoffman wrote Romanctic stories of horror and fantasy, and "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," written in 1816, incorporates elements of both; indeed, the story combines love, violence, and the grotesque in a way that rivals the works of Byron and even Poe.
Hoffman's Original Story
Those familiar with The Nutcracker ballet will be familiar with the story that frames "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King"; this framing narrative involves a little girl named Marie and her brother Fritz who receive a nutcracker from their godfather, an inventor named Drosselmeyer. Fritz plays too roughly with the toy and breaks some of its teeth, but the gentle Marie bandages it and stays up late to nurse it back to health. After everyone else has fallen asleep, Marie witnesses an extraordinary sight as the house is suddenly filled with mice who threaten Marie and the nutcracker, but the nutcracker and other Christmas toys all inexplicably come to life and fight back.
This is where the story begins to differ from the ballet version. Marie watches the battle between the mice and toys until she eventually faints, and the next morning her parents explain that she must have imagined or dreamed the event. Then Drosselmeyer tells Marie a story about a princess named Pirlipat who, after a bizarre series of events, is turned into a strange creature with a wooden head and white beard by a vengeful mouse queen. Drosselmeyer explains that his own nephew was the one who eventually cured the princess, but in the process, he himself was transformed into a similarly grotesque creature, thus becoming the nutcracker.
That night, the relentless army of mice returns, and for several nights afterward Marie and the nutcracker must fight them off. Eventually the mice are vanquished. Shortly after, Marie proclaims that she will always love the nutcracker in spite of his appearance, and the nutcracker turns back into who he really was all along: Drosselmeyer's nephew, who was cursed to remain in his doll form until he found love. The two are married and depart to reign over the Doll Kingdom.
The Ballet Adaptation
Of course, this all seems quite convoluted when compared with the plot of the ballet. However, Hoffman's version was streamlined by famed French writer Alexander Dumas in the 1844. Dumas called his version "The Story of a Hazlenut-cracker," and in the 19th century, Director of the Imperial Theaters Ivan Alexandrovitch Vsevolojsky came up with the idea of adapting this version into a ballet. He approached choreographer Marius Petipa and composer Peter Tchaikovsky with the idea.
At Right - Photo of Stanislava Belinskaya as Clara (left), an unknown performer (center), & Vassily Stulkolin as Fritz (right) in the Imperial Ballet's original production of "The Nutcracker".Circa December, 1892. Unknown photographer of the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russian Empire.
When The Nutcracker was first performed in Russia in 1892, it was poorly received. It would go though several revisions over the coming decades, and finally be re-imaginged in 1954 by famed choreographer George Balanchine, before becoming the international hit it is today. Diaghilev's Ballets Russes presented a two act version of Swan Lake (1910) in which Nijinski danced a solo as Prince Siegfried to the music of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Ten years later, same company, same music, but this time used for the Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty. This also included the Danse Arabe and Danse Chinoise from The Nutcracker in the last act. Anna Pavlova toured the world with Snowflakes, choreographed by Ivan Clustine to music including Nutcracker's snow scene. This is seemingly the first occasion in which a pas de deux was danced to this music.
In England, the first Nutcracker was mounted by Sergeyev for the Vic-Wells Ballet, a predecessor of the Royal Ballet, in 1934. Sergeyev had left Russia after the October Revolution of 1917 and mounted this version based on Stepanov notation scores of the Maryinsky production that he had brought with him. His untraditional contribution to this version was to cast the actress Elsa Lanchester in the Arabian dance. He had seen her perform Ariel in The Tempest and decided that he must have the "Dramateek lady." Margot Fonteyn made her stage debut in this staging of The Nutcracker, April 21, 1934. She danced as a snowflake. In 1951, Sir Frederick Ashton premiered a one act version of The Nutcracker which countered critics of earlier productions who found the first act story uninteresting. He dispensed with the story altogether and made a plotless dance fantasy. When the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo staged a one act version in New York, the prince and Marie grew up to adults who danced the grand pas de deux in Act 2. At one performance in Hollywood, future President Reagan's daughter Maureen played the role of Clara.
The first complete Nutcracker was staged in London by the Vic-Wells Ballet in 1934, based on choreographic notation by Nicholas Sergeyev. Ten years later saw the first US version by San Francisco Ballet (1944) and another ten years brought George Balanchine’s blockbusting version for NYCB (1954), now staged every year by several US ballet companies. By the 1980s, 300 separate productions were touring the US.
Sir Peter Wright's 1984 version of The Nutcracker for The Royal Ballet, still performed by the Company, stays close to Hoffmann’s original tale. It emphasises Drosselmeyer’s mission to find a young girl – Clara – who can break the curse imposed by the Mouse King on his nephew Hans Peter and thus restore him to human form. References to Nuremberg and German Christmas traditions are present in the settings, with a kingdom of marzipan featured in Act 2. Equally successful is his 1990 version for The Birmingham Royal Ballet, this one closer to the Russian tradition of having Clara double up as the Sugar Plum Fairy, but with a slight twist: it is Clara’s alter ego ballerina doll who turns into the Fairy.
Nureyev’s production for POB has a clear emphasis on symbology and the subconscious: Clara wanders down the stairs at midnight to find her family and friends turned into rats and bats while Drosselmeyer transforms into a handsome prince.
Mikhail Baryshnikov‘s 1976 popular version for ABT turns the Christmas dream into a coming-of-age tale. There is no Sugar Plum Fairy nor Prince Koklush, the focus being Clara’s encounter with the Nutcracker Prince as orchestrated by her Godfather Drosselmeyer. As the ballet ends so does Clara’s fantasy.
In the United States, the Nutcracker was originally presented as a suite of highlights comprising some of the most famous musical selections from the full-length ballet. These include the "March of the Toy Soldiers," the "Waltz of the Flowers," and the various dances representing different cultures and foods, which make up much of the ballet's second act. Led by William Christensen, The San Francisco Ballet performed the first American full length production of The Nutcracker ballet in 1944, and since then, unabridged productions have become a holiday theatre tradition. Here are a few of the most notable U.S. Nutcracker productions.
* The New York City Ballet. Perhaps the classic iconic American production of the full-length Nutcracker ballet belongs to the New York City Ballet, choreographed by the late George Ballanchine, according to the Petipa version from St. Petersburg. Complete with an enormous growing Christmas tree, falling snowflakes, and a sleigh that flies across the stage to take Carla and the Nutcracker Prince away at the end of the Second Act, this version, performed in New York's Lincoln Center, is one of the iconic American Nutcracker productions.
* The San Francisco Ballet. In addition to having bragging rights for being the first U.S. unabridged Nutcracker production, the San Francisco Ballet offers an extravagant stage setting: hundreds of thousands of dollars of scenery and handmade costumes, along with a cast of more than 175 dancers.
* The Pacific Northwest Ballet. Here's a new take on an old theme: The Nutcracker ballet production of the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle has stage sets and costumes that take their inspiration from Maurice Sendak's popular children's books.
* Boston Ballet, The Boston Ballet's version of the Nutcracker features some twists on the traditional production. The stage setting shows Carla dreaming that she is mouse-sized. As the props get bigger, Clara seems to shrink, and she witnesses the battle between the toy soldiers and the mice from the vantage point of a mouse-sized human. A balloon whisks Clara and her prince into the second act, where they are treated to extravagant performances celebrating dance and, of course, candy, at the Palace of Sweets.
* Houston Ballet. Any production of the Nutcracker has its share of humor, what with Drossylmeyer's goofy gifts and the war between the mice and the soldiers. But the Houston Ballet kicks it up a notch, turning the normally staid introductory party scene into a series of mini comedies, and opening Act II with flying chef-angels on hand to concoct the confections.
If the Ballet Russes first merged fashion with dance, Ginger Rogers introduced the idea of fashion being part of a dance, of costumes that stood out in their own right.
By way of explanation for bringing excess luggage to London in 1969 for her year-long stint on stage as Mame, Ginger Rogers said: “I believe in dressing for the occasion. There’s a time for sweater, sneakers and Levis and a time for the full-dress jazz. As for the little touches, well, a year is quite a long time and they make one feel at home.”
But “dressing for the occasion” frequently extended to designing many of the lavish gowns she wore on film. Ginger seemed to sense that the delightful flows and spirals of a dance are just as much a function of the dress as the dancer or the even dance steps. As Jody Sperling, explains: “When you move through space, you displace air and create a wake of spiralling eddies around your body. What the fabric does is render these vortices visible to the eye.”
Right - Ginger's blue Ostrich Feather Dress from "Top Hat" and an inspired blue feather dress on the runway.
This is beautifully demonstrated in one of the most famous gowns in Hollywood history – the ostrich feather dress from Top Hat. Ostrich feathers have properties that make them very desirable in dressmaking. With a remarkable combination of softness, silkiness, durability, and flexibility, they also have a unique ability to remain static free. Ginger also insisted that the dress be blue.(although the film was in black and white,blue gave a softer look.)
When Fred serenades Ginger across a beautiful (if unrealistic) Venetian bridge, we are not asking if her feet are in perfect time, but standing back in amazement at how the dress glides and floats in an almost ethereal manner. The words of Cheek To Cheek are pronouned by the softness of the feathers. Their light, drifting quality imparts an airiness and femininity to the dance beyond the power of dance steps alone.
From being a mere mortal trying to avoid his advances, her character is now in love, and as dreamlike as any goddess. Ostrich dresses are still in fashion, and on the red carpet at this year’s Oscars – “Hilary Swank had her goddess moment in a sequined and feathered strapless Gucci Premiere gown accented with ostrich feathers.
Ginger claimed that: “To be a desirable dancing partner you don't have to do all the intricate fancy steps that happen to be in vogue. All you have to do is be a good average dancer and anybody who spends the time and effort can accomplish this.” If Ginger took dancing seriously, it was behind acting and fashion in her list of priorities.
The Top Hat ostrich dress gave rise to a brief falling out with Fred and the production team. The gown, she had instructed, would be made of figure-hugging shimmering satin, then encircled with ostrich feathers about neck and shoulders, and again from the hips downwards. The only additions would be art-deco style diamante jewels at the neckline, and a satin bow at the bottom of the back. The gown has a very low back in keeping with the fashion of the time (and the censorship that prevented showing cleavage). No bras were worn, and the designs cling to the body provocatively. The bias-cut – a hallmark of the Thirties – allowed dresses to match the fluid curves of the woman dancer’s body by having the material cut on the diagonal.
Fred, however, found that the feathers were getting all over his tuxedo. He was the studio’s heavyweight and it came as no surprise when director Mark Sandrich asked Rogers to wear a dress she had worn before in The Gay Divorcee. Choreographer Hermes Pan would later join Astaire in a parody of the song, altering the lyrics to:
“Feathers. I hate feathers And I hate them so that I can hardly speak And I never find the happiness I seek With those chicken feathers dancing Cheek to cheek.”
Ginger's manager and mother, Lela Rogers, joined the stand-off, saying that Ginger would walk off the movie unless the dress was reinstated. Ginger won, and as soon as the team saw the rushes, everyone agreed it was the right decision. Fred presented Ginger with a gold feather for her charm bracelet afterwards by way of making up and nicknamed her "Feathers."
For the studios, costume – and elaborate ball gowns in particular – had a more financial element in these films over any love of portraying dance. Most of Fred and Ginger’s films coincided with the Great Depression. They promoted an idea of escape to a magical world where the troubles of Wall Street crash poverty could be left behind, and also an American philosophy of consumerism.
The ideas encouraged people to think that goods were within their reach, and that only personal failure would keep anyone from enjoying them. These were the fantasies that kept people coming back to the cinemas through difficult times – and so the studios benefitted by creating them. The publicity material for Top Hat refers to costume not as an expression of character but of consumerist display, of luxury that allows audiences to enjoy momentary vicarious pleasure from contemplating the privileges of wealth.
Right - "Swing Time" White Dress
Shortly after Top Hat, Ginger and Fred would make Swing Time together – featuring once more an iconic dress from film history. Rogers in white, Astaire in black, they dance to The Way You Look Tonight/Never Gonna Dance against a backdrop of curving black staircases climbing the lavish, shimmering white deco of their surroundings. Ginger’s gown is made of silk georgette, cut on the bias and with hand-applied sequins. Small weights in the hem add to its properties on the dance floor. As the number picks up, Ginger holds one of the trailing hems to create swirling patterns through the air as she spins and climbs the stairs. Technically, it is one of their most accomplished dances together, but the effect is created to a great extent by the dress design.
Ginger remained very dress-conscious all her life. She once recalled details of a navy blue satin dress her mother made her as a child and went into great detail when it was messed up during a chiding. In later life, she said that she liked the musicals, “because I could wear pretty dresses."
In accepting her award, Ginger had already, once again, created a fashion trend – the Kitty Foyle look – one which permanently entered the terminology of fashion. Nearly every one of designer Jill Richards’ collections, for instance, included a version of the ‘Kitty Foyle’ look – a dark-colored dress or suit with a white collar, inspired by an outfit Ginger wore in the 1940 movie of the same name.
At Right - Ginger presents her Piccolino dress from Flying Down to Rio to the National Museum of American History in 1984. Photo by Jeff Tinsley.
In the 1970s, Ginger would finally fullfil a costume-designing dream. She would become fashion consultant and spokeswoman for the American chain JC Penney, creating a 20-piece wardrobe for 700 stores across the US. She also had her own clothing factory in Rock Island, Tennessee for her label, Form Fit Rogers. Her influence persists. “Inspired by the iconic film stars Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire”, Vogue Nippon commissioned a special spread in March 2011.
Ginger, through her movies, will always delight viewers with her dresses that seemed to float through the air as much as her dances, a reminder of the glamor of Hollywood that was and still is, a part of our lives.
Semi-retired Ballet/Ballroom dancer/choreographer/part-time instructor and studio owner who finds inspiration in expressing myself through writing poetry and random thoughts about life.
Two students posing in Ballet Hysell School Studio
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