esrosedotblog

A whole bunch of dance videos.

By this guy.

Just Some Motion (JSM).

Soft shoe plus.

He makes me think of Fred Astaire.

Labels: dance, dancing

I am nearly finished with the recent biography of the choreographer and director Bob Fosse, simply named Fosse. He was a fascinating and driven man who provided at least the dancing part of some of the best Broadway shows in the 50s through 70s. A golden era for musical comedies. I cannot resurrect the shows (all of which I saw) but I can see the films he also made of the same shows. Films are never as good as the live version but, in this case, close. Today's film was Fosse's first which he choreographed and had a leading part. The only role he played in any film he made. A rare occasion. My Sister Eileen (1955) had not been a live show but there had been several versions done before. This one is not the most memorable. The songs are weak but the dancing is great. Janet Leigh, Betty Garrett, Jack Lemon, Tommy Rall, Dick York all join Fosse in some great numbers. The film comes alive when these people are dancing. Betty Garrett was a favorite of mine so it is fun to see her here at her best. Fosse's work in the film is immediately recognizable. He was one of the last song and dance men and he brought with him a tradition of singing and dancing right out of the music halls, the strip joints and the last days of vaudeville. Great moves. All the body. Hands, arms, attitude. There is a signature hat routine that he does with Rall as both men tap their challenge dance with the wildest energy. This is a good not great movie well worth seeing for basic Fosse and some delightful dancing. You will not remember even one song from it. All those are in the first version with Rosalind Russell and the second which was named On the Town. Same story. Different takes. A 3 out of Netflix5 as a film, 5 for the dancing. I forget how much pleasure came from these musicals. They are all around on disc.

Labels: books, dancing, films

LIVING PROOF THAT THE WORLD IS NOT GOING TO HELL

Labels: dancing, fun, mu

MIT GANGMAN STYLE (MIT 강남스타일)

Wonderful long video as the latest craze hits the Alma Mater.

There is a lot in here. Wait for some professorial surprises. My boss Stu Schmill, Director of Admissions shows up later on.

This is full of the MIT spirit.

It sure did me good. Class of '13.

Labels: dancing, fun, MIT, music

THE DANCING GUY FINALE

You may remember my fascination with the "dancing guy" Matt Harding.

I have followed him through three around the world dancing videos and now he is done. The last one. And the best.

All of these, or most, are fans over the years that came out to work on the individual dances. What is new, is choreography! He has come a long way.

There is always a point, not the same often, where tears come and I choke up. All those people. So much happiness. Such a great idea brought to fruition.

Very goose pimply.

He finally grows up and has a marriage and a kid.

Now he has to get a job.

Note the one at MIT!

You can see all the previous videos here.

Labels: dance, dancing, fun. music

PARKOUR GOES LEGIT

This has been coming on for awhile. It is now a staple for action films.

Remember when it was a little bit outlaw and scary?

Now it is called Freerunning and I have no idea about what the music or commercial is about.

The studio setting takes a bit of the good frisson out of it and there is some b-boy work going on here but still. It is pretty exciting to watch.

Labels: dancing, fun

MORE DANIEL CLOUD CAMPOS

This is with Shakira. Keep your eye on the guy.

In this one he goes a bit beyond Astaire and Kelly. Nicely.

But the moves are all there plus the gymnastics.

He has also toured with Madonna. A young guy on the cusp of a big career?

Labels: dancing

REBORN

I have bemoaned the fact that there are no dancers today that even begin to capture the magic of Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly.

That bemoaning is over.

Meet Daniel Cloud Campos.

Thanks to Boy Culture

Labels: dancing

SUNDAY STOMP

Labels: dancing

NICE

Lyrics

hey now take your pills and
hey now make your breakfast
hey now comb your hair and off to work
crash land no illusions no collision no intrusion
my imagination run away

i know i know i know what i am chasing
i know i know i know that this is changing me
i am flying on a star into a meteor tonight
i am flying on a star
i will make it through the day and then the day becomes the night
i will make it through the night

hey now take the u-bahn
5 stop change the station
hey now don't forget that change will save you
hey now count a thousand million people
that's astounding chasing
through the city with their stars on bright

i know i know i know what i am chasing
i know i know i know that this is changing me
i am flying on a star into a meteor tonight
i am flying on a star
i will make it through the day and then the day becomes the night
i will make it through the night

i don't mind repeating i am not complete
i have never been the gifted type
hey man tell me something are you off to somewhere?
do you want to go with me tonight?

i know i know i know that this is changing
we'll walk the street to feel the ground i'm chasing
uBerlin
i am flying on a star into a meteor tonight
i am flying on a star
i will make it through the day and then the day becomes the night
i will make it through the night

"Uberlin" from R.E.M.'s upcoming record "Collapse Into Now", out March 7/8th worldwide.

The U-Bahn is the Berlin subway. Other than that you are on your own with Michael Stipe.

Labels: dancing, music

SAM THE MAN

I hope that I have seen all the films that Sam Rockwellhas ever made but I am sure that I have not.

I certainly missed his teevee appearances.

The thing is that he is a dancing fool. Every role he plays if they will let him. Just a bit. Or more.

Here is a montage.

The James Brown influence is sooooo strong. So they put it together with the Godfather himself.

Labels: dancing, films, fun, music

TAYLOR MADE

When we lived in Boston, we never missed the Paul Taylor Dance Company. This gives a nostalgia jolt.

Enigmatic Choreographer Tells an Enigmatic Tale

It is a kind of dumb headline. Dance is enigmatic or, most likely, it is not very good dance.

The thing about Paul Taylor, who is now 81, is that he uses beautiful dancers. Not only in the classical sense but in the sense of having vivid personalities that transmit throughout the work. He choreographs for them. It is a bit like the star system.

And at the same time, the ensemble is perfection.

The other thing that I love is that the gay Mr. Taylor understands his gay audience appreciation of the male form. It is not hidden nor is code used through hetero-hiding. The Taylor men are beautiful and buff and extremely attractive. Not the vapid feminized males that used to inhabit the ballet stage.

And he keeps their shirt off or thin or as afterthoughts.

That is the other thing. Costumes. Modern but arty.

Moving out here is a loss on the ballet side. There isn't any. Period. And tours certainly do not come to Palm Springs.

But there are compensations.

All I have to do is look out the window for color and beauty and just across Ramon Road, in the clothing optional neighborhood, there are attractive men walking the streets any night of the week. But that is something different. But still a dance.

I digress.

Labels: dancing, gay life, urbia

THIS IS GRAPHICS DAY

Genki Sudo and his World Order entourage perform the retired mixed martial artist’s signature faux-slow-motion “entrance dance” to a mesmerizing song off their self-titled debut, aptly titled “Mind Shift.”

I copied this word for word and picture for picture from The Daily What.

Labels: dancing, music

MATT HARDING THE DANCING MAN

This showed up again today on APOD and it was as thrilling to see, now, as it was for the first time a year or more ago.

I have watched this video more than any other, anywhere, even porn clips!

This is the world that I want to live in.

Even if these moments are evanescent.

They are the glue that holds the universe together.

Watch the unalloyed pleasure in Harding's face. Watch the other people. It bears a lot of scrutiny. And rewards in kind.

Labels: culture, dancing, fun

DANCIN' 'ROUND THE WORLD

I have watched Matt Harding do three dancing tapes and now, he has branched out. No longer restricting himself to his own weird signature dance, he has gone to South Africa to do the Diski dance.

The result is as interesting and exciting and fun as the other ones.

Labels: dancing

NEW DANCE

I am working on Jerkin'. I just read about it in the Times.

Hip-Hop’s New Steps

Don't faint. Hip hop is not rap. Hip Hop is Hip Hop.

The article has some neat slides but this might give you an idea of how it is done and how it looks.

No.

I am not kidding.

I am working on the "Reject".

It is really great stuff.

I love the kid in the Times slide show. "it has been around so long" "at least two years". Or something like that.

Labels: culture, dancing

HERO

Merce Cunningham Dies 1919-2009

He is a hero, to me, threefold.

I saw him dance many times. Heart stopping. The last time, he was in his late 70s. Hero.

He made it to 90. Hero again. I collect them, you know.

He and John Cage were both work and life partners openly and triumphantly.

Be sure to see the video and slide show here.

Labels: dancing, heroes

MERCE AT 90

I remember going to a recital by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and being stunned, when in the second act, Cunningham himself performed a solo dance.

Incredible!

Total engagement with the audience.

You felt and even thought the meaning of the movement as he slowly danced across the stage.

Now this:

Merce Cunningham, Turning 90: Meanings Still Pour From Movement

This from the reviewer:

It is not unusual these days to hear Merce Cunningham called the world’s greatest living choreographer. I go further: I have long thought that he is the greatest living artist since the death of Samuel Beckett, almost 20 years ago.

I want to be 90. Merce is a hero.

Look at the slide show and stay until the very last one and see him. Alive and vibrant and still delivering. Joy.

Labels: dancing, heroes

ANNOTATED MATT

It has been awhile since we looked in on Matt Harding, the dancing man.

Here is his 2008 video that someone has annotated with funny and germane observations.

This video still gets to me.

Labels: dancing

PHENOM

I started watching Matt Harding three years ago.

His latest film has now had 10 million hits.

It touches a lot of people in surprising ways. Very emotional in spots. One world and all that.

If you want to read about Matt and read his blog, try this. There is also a bigger higher quality video on his web site.

Labels: culture, dancing