Fred Astaire The turn of the 20th century represented the beginning of a new era that beared a critical influence on the way we entertain. The American culture went through a drastic metamorphosis by pushing conventional ideals to the limit. The style of jazz music emerged, inspiring newer styles of dance including tap dancing. A pivotal moment in the dawning of the age of jazz certainly can be traced to the sheer effervescence and charisma captured in the way Fred Astaire danced in the style of tap, as well as with a partner. Fred Astaire’s groundbreaking and timeless dance style further supports that dance is a beautiful interconnection of expression and pure entertainment. In the early days, Fred was not always in the spotlight, nor did
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Despite their largely growing success, Fred hit a roadblock when Adele announced that she would be marrying Lord Charles Cavendish. She never planned on basing a career on dance as much as Fred did so the pair inevitably split, leaving Fred alone to navigate a solo career (Carrick 41). His hard work and determination landed him highly successful roles in broadway shows such as The Gay Divorcee. However, Fred was looking to showcase his talent through a new medium. Therefore, he set after a career in film and almost immediately signed a contract with the highly reputable RKO film. While working on the film Flying Down to Rio, he was paired with none other than Ginger Rogers, ultimately beginning the partnership of the century. They went on to achieve world renown for their perfect combination of chemistry, star quality, and dance technique, dancing together in ten films and popularizing the growing style of tap. Ginger’s work ethic wonderfully complimented Fred’s desire for perfection in his work, and that is why they worked so well together because they knew exactly what it took to produce a respectable act. Allegedly, Fred would spend roughly six weeks in rehearsal with Ginger perfecting their choreography before even beginning to film. His persistence and diligence …show more content…
While the style of jazz dancing is not as wildly popular in mainstream culture, his style is still frequently imitated in the dance world as well as in current broadway shows. Although Fred had impeccable dance technique as his dancing gave off the illusion that he was gliding on air, he also incorporated the key aspect of storytelling. “Just doing dance steps doesn’t mean anything. To catch the public, dances must have a personality and a pattern. The times my dances have clicked are the times when they had a reason, when they told a part of the story, and when they belonged in the plot.” (Mueller 30) Even when there wasn’t much of a plot to follow, audiences still poured in because Fred was just so easy and fun to watch. Fred Astaire was the epitome of a class act and his lasting contribution to dance was predominantly one of inspiration and ingenuity. He worked long and hard throughout his entire lifetime to build his legacy. His career was critically acclaimed and he was the holder of a myriad of well-deserved awards. He set the bar impossibly high for the performers to follow because of his inspiring persistence, work ethic, and creativity. Fred Astaire’s downright inimitable flair for dance will remain as a cornerstone in entertainment for
Despite their largely growing success, Fred hit a roadblock when Adele announced that she would be marrying Lord Charles Cavendish. She never planned on basing a career on dance as much as Fred did so the pair inevitably split, leaving Fred alone to navigate a solo career (Carrick 41). His hard work and determination landed him highly successful roles in broadway shows such as The Gay Divorcee. However, Fred was looking to showcase his talent through a new medium. Therefore, he set after a career in film and almost immediately signed a contract with the highly reputable RKO film. While working on the film Flying Down to Rio, he was paired with none other than Ginger Rogers, ultimately beginning the partnership of the century. They went on to achieve world renown for their perfect combination of chemistry, star quality, and dance technique, dancing together in ten films and popularizing the growing style of tap. Ginger’s work ethic wonderfully complimented Fred’s desire for perfection in his work, and that is why they worked so well together because they knew exactly what it took to produce a respectable act. Allegedly, Fred would spend roughly six weeks in rehearsal with Ginger perfecting their choreography before even beginning to film. His persistence and diligence …show more content…
While the style of jazz dancing is not as wildly popular in mainstream culture, his style is still frequently imitated in the dance world as well as in current broadway shows. Although Fred had impeccable dance technique as his dancing gave off the illusion that he was gliding on air, he also incorporated the key aspect of storytelling. “Just doing dance steps doesn’t mean anything. To catch the public, dances must have a personality and a pattern. The times my dances have clicked are the times when they had a reason, when they told a part of the story, and when they belonged in the plot.” (Mueller 30) Even when there wasn’t much of a plot to follow, audiences still poured in because Fred was just so easy and fun to watch. Fred Astaire was the epitome of a class act and his lasting contribution to dance was predominantly one of inspiration and ingenuity. He worked long and hard throughout his entire lifetime to build his legacy. His career was critically acclaimed and he was the holder of a myriad of well-deserved awards. He set the bar impossibly high for the performers to follow because of his inspiring persistence, work ethic, and creativity. Fred Astaire’s downright inimitable flair for dance will remain as a cornerstone in entertainment for