being billed as "the original high school musical"), and the
surprisingly unstoppable "Step Up" series releases its third
installment (in 3-D, no less), it's clear: Films that feature dance
are bigger than ever.
Accordingly, we've compiled a list of some of the best dance scenes
ever shown on-screen.
Grease
Pollyanna-ish Sandy needn't have bothered with her bad-girl makeover:
She'd already won Danny's heart. But we love the way Olivia
Newton-John and John Travolta's tight, black, "greaser" duds contrast
with their super-sunny singing and dancing in this 1978 musical's fun
finale.
Funny Face
In the 1957 musical, Audrey Hepburn played an amateur philosopher
turned reluctant fashion model (opposite dance legend Fred Astaire).
The beatnik black ensemble she wore for a scene in which she broke out
into a Bohemian-style routine is still chic; the sequence was
repurposed by Gap in a 2006 ad for "skinny black pants."
Step Up
Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan worked as professional dancers prior to
being cast in this 2006 sleeper hit; their expert moves (and, as seen
here, ultra-realistic rehearsal gear) were a big reason for the film's
unexpected success. (Their obvious chemistry -- they started dating as
soon filming wrapped and married last summer -- didn't hurt either.)
Chicago
In 2002, Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere
starred in this Hollywood version of the popular musical. The film's
critical and commercial success paved the way for subsequent
stage-to-screen adaptations like Rent, Phantom of the Opera,
Dreamgirls, Hairspray, and even Mamma Mia. (And didn't Renée look
divine as 1920's-era murderess/aspiring showgirl Roxie Hart?)
Flashdance
This 1983 movie about an eighteen-year-old steel worker/aspiring
dancer was responsible for the slashing of a million sweatshirts; the
insouciant off-the-shoulder style worn by actress Jennifer Beals is
still popular. (The scene in which she douses herself, mid-dance, with
a bucketful of water, is just as difficult to forget.)
Saturday Night Fever
John Travolta went from sitcom star to big-screen sensation after this
movie's 1977 release. His white three-piece suit and impossibly smooth
moves combined with a best-selling soundtrack by the Bee Gees made
disco more popular than ever.
Center Stage
Starring a mix of little-known young actors -- like future Avatar star
Zoe Saldana--and professional ballet dancers, this 2000 film followed
students at a fictional New York City dance school. There was a run on
red toe shoes after star Amanda Schull donned them for the high-energy
workshop scene (in which she twirled to a pop soundtrack of Michael
Jackson and Jamiroquai).
Footloose
A much-delayed remake is scheduled to debut in 2011, but we're not
sure it's possible to improve on the 1984 original -- we particularly
like the scene in which small-town transplant Ren McCormack (Kevin
Bacon) dances his troubles away in an empty warehouse. The setting,
along with his super-basic sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers, set off
his transcendent steps.
West Side Story
A New York City-set update of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the 1961
film is beset by tragedy in the second half. But Rita Moreno's
spirited, twirling defense of "America" is -- much like the hot-house
colors of the ladies' dresses -- nothing short of exuberant.
Dirty Dancing
The rolled-up jean shorts that Jennifer Grey wore throughout this
1963-set flick proved almost as popular in 1987 as the film itself.
And who didn't love the final scene, in which Baby and Johnny (Patrick
Swayze) "dirty" danced to (and even lip-synced along with) the
then-contemporary song "I've Had the Time of My Life"?
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