Great Dance Videos - Ballet Connections

To see the video, click on the video. After you’ve watched the video, click on your browser’s back button or the x in the corner and come back and see more. It’s worth it. Ballet videos are first but some of the best dance numbers are from movies further down on the list. Check out the dance numbers from Hellzapoppin’ and A Day at the Races, etc. By clicking wherever you see the movie title in gold, you can learn more about the movie on Amazon.

Ballet

Russian Nike “Just Do It” Ad: Ballerina vs Hip Hop

The music is Alexander Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances which was made into a hit song: Stranger in Paradise. The dancers are Mariya Vinogradova (ballet) and Anastsiya Soboleva(Hip Hop). To check out a scene from the actual opera/ballet, as well as a spoof of the opera/ballet, check out Knock on Wood way down below.

Gillian Murphy – Swan Lake – Black Swan

Diana Vishneva in dance from Carmen

This performance was for the 1994 Prix de Lausanne. She was 18 at the time and won the gold medal that year.

Diana Vishneva in Coppelia

This performance was also for the 1994 Prix de Lausanne.

Diana Vishneva in Don Quixoti

Very Funny Ballet Video

“Ice Skating” Erik Bruhn & Zizi Jeanmaire

An excerpt from the ballet “Ice Skating” which occurs in the Danny Kaye movie, Hans Christian Andersen. The ballet stars Erik Bruhn and Zizi Jeanmaire with choreography by Roland Petit. Zizi Jeanmaire also stars in the movie.

“The Little Mermaid” Zizi Jeanmaire & Roland Petit

An excerpt from the ballet “The Little Mermaid” which occurs at the end of the Danny Kaye movie, Hans Christian Andersen. The ballet stars Roland Petit and Zizi Jeanmaire with choreography by Roland Petit. Zizi Jeanmaire also stars in the movie.

Zizi Jeanmaire & Dirk Sanders

La Croqueuse de Diamants with Zizi Jeamaire & Dirk Sanders choreographed by Roalnd Petit. It’s part of a DVD called Zizi Jeanmarie Dances Roland Petit.

Roland Petit & Zizi Jeanmaire

A Pas de deux from Roland Petit’s Carmen. It’s part of a DVD called Zizi Jeanmarie Dances Roland Petit.

Ekaterina Maksimova

Ekaterina Maksimova & Vladimir Vasiliyev perform a pas de deux from Don Quixote.

Ekaterina Maksimova Part 2

Ekaterina Maksimova & Vladimir Vasiliyev perform from Don Quixote.

Super Pirouette

A Korean Dancer

The Making of the Pointe Shoe by Altin Kaftira

Le Corsaire – Pas de Deux with Zakharova and Zelensky

Rudolf Nureyev

Rudolf Nureyev when young in great, rare solo doing the variation from the ballet, Gayne, music by Aram Khachaturian. This clip was taken from a Firestone TV special.

Rudolf Nureyev

Rudolf Nureyev when young in great, rare solo doing the variation from the ballet, Sleeping Beauty, music by Tchaikovsky. This clip was taken from a Firestone TV special.

Nureyev & Fonteyn

The balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet

Friedemann Vogel Sofiane Sylve Swan Lake

Ballet Don Quixote Basil – Daniil Simkin

Les Bourgeois – Daniil Simkin

Nutcracker – Joseph Phillips – Mary Carrmen Catoya

Butterfly Lovers

A blend of ballet and acrobatics. Check it out.

Great Chinese Circus–Swan Lake

More gymnastics than ballet but still cool.

The dying swan

From mad about Mariinsky

In the middle somewhat elevated

From mad about Mariinsky

Polina Seminova

Marlon Was immer Du willst

To read a translation of this song check out http://vergessene.multiply.com/video/item/15

Maya Plisetskaya in Don Quixote by Leon Minkus

Maya Plisetskaya in Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky

Yuan Yuan Tan & Desmond Richardson in Othello

Alessandra Ferri & Wayne Eagling in Romeo and Juliet

An excerpt from the ballet, Romeo and Juliet with Alessandra Ferri and Wayne Eagling. The choreography is Kenneth MacMillan. Great dancing. Great choreography. Great music. The video is from Ballet Favorites

Nina Ananiashvili

Evelyn Hart & David Peregrine

This clip is an excerpt from 40 Years of One Night Stands: the Story of Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, a documentary by Patti Ross Milne. It is the 1980 performance at Varna, Bulgaria of Norbert Vesak’s, Belong. Evelyn Hart won the gold medal and David Peregrine won the bronze. The film is available at: www.meritmotionpictures.com. Click on “Productions” scroll through to find “40 Years”. Scroll down to the Pay Pal option and order.

Katie Williams—Fierce Fouettes

Katie is now a corps dancer with ABT.

Young Russian Dancers

Alys Shee’s Italian Fouettes for Bayadere

Katia Almayeva (Age 11) – Esmeralda Variation

Natalia Osipova at 17, Esmeralda variation

Dance Class

Dance Movies

Hellzapoppin’
Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers

Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers excerpt from the movie Hellzapoppin featuring Frankie Manning (in the Mechanic’s Dungarees) and Ann Johnson. Hellzapoppin’ routine is to the music of Count Basie’s “Jumpin’ At The Woodside.” Two of the musicians are Slim Gaillard and Slam Stewart.

A Day at the Races
Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers

From the movie A Day at the Races. The dancers are Whitey’s Linda Hoppers. Ivie Anderson is the young girl singer who sang with the Duke Ellington band.

The Affairs of Dobie Gillis
Bob Fosse, Bobby Van, Debbie Reynolds &
Barbara Ruick

From the movie Affairs of Dobie Gillis, Bob Fosse, Barbara Ruick, Bobby Van and Debbie Reynolds perform some magic in a 1953 movie. Bob Fosse is wearing a sweater and light socks. Barbara Ruick sings the song. The movie’s only available on VHS.

The Affairs of Dobie Gillis
Bobby Van

From the movie Affairs of Dobie Gillis,Bobby Van does a nice solo in the 1953 movie. The movie’s only available on VHS.

The Affairs of Dobie Gillis
Debbie Reynolds & Bobby Van

From the movie Affairs of Dobie Gillis,OK. No dancing in this number but Debbie Reynolds & Bobby Van do a sweet job singing, All I Do Is Dream of You. If the song sounds familiar, it was also sung by Debbie Reynolds in “Singin’ in the Rain.”

Peter Wolf Video
Peter Wolf

Peter Wolf, former lead singer of the J. Geils Band, does his take on Bobby Van’s famous dance number from Small Town Girl for the song, Come As You Arefrom the album of the same name.

Swing Time
Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers

From the movie Swing Time. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance to Jerome Kern’s Pick Yourself Up.

Top Hat
Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers

From the movie, Top Hat, one of the greatest musical numbers ever put on film. The song is Cheek to Cheek by Irving Berlin. Ginger’s dress is also famous. The story is that the feathers kept on coming off, requiring the scene to be stopped and reshot. The director, Mark Sandrich and Fred Astaire kept yelling at Ginger to put on another dress but she refused. You be the judge of whether she was right. Hermes Pan is the choreographer.

Roberta
Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers

From the movie Roberta is not one of Fred and Ginger’s best movies but it’s a nice dance number to the Jerome Kern tune, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. Hermes Pan is again the choreographer.

Roberta
Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers

Another dance number from Roberta . Too Hot to Handle is the song by Jerome Kern. Hermes Pan is the choreographer.

Ship Ahoy
Eleanor Powell & Buddy Rich

Ship Ahoy [VHS]is the movie. It’s not yet available on DVD, just VHS. Buddy Rich is the drummer. Bert Lahr (from the Wizard of Oz fame) opens the scene with Red Skelton.

Gold Rush
Charlie Chaplin in Table Ballet

Charlie Chaplin doing this famous table ballet dance is part of one of his best movies The Gold Rush (2 Disc Special Edition)

The Nicholas Brothers at an Early Age

Fred Astaire called the Nicholas Brothers’ “Jumpin’ Jive” dance sequence in Stormy Weather (see below) the greatest movie musical number ever filmed. George Balanchine called their acrobatic movement ballet, despite their lack of formal training. Mikhail Baryshnikov once said they were the most amazing dancers he had ever seen. This clip is an extra feature on the DVD The Green Pastures. The Nicholas Brothers are not in the movie.

Stormy Weather
Cab Calloway & the Nicholas Brothers

From the movie Stormy Weather–Cab Calloway and the Nicholas Brothers perform “Jumpin Jive.”

Something in the Wind
Donald O’Connor

From the movie Something In the Wind Donald O’Connor entertains Deanna Durbin with a dance to the song I Love a Mystery. The dance became the basis for the number Make ‘em Laugh in Singin in the Rain a few years later.

Call Me Madam
Vera Ellen & Donald O’Connor

From the movie Call Me MadamDonald O’Connor and Vera Ellen do it as beautifully and as romantically as it can be done. The tune is It’s a Lovely Day Today by Irving Berlin.

Yes Sir That’s My Baby
Donald O’Connor

Donald O’Connor sings and dances in a great tap dance number from the movie Yes Sir That’s My Baby which is very hard to find. The choreographer is Louis Da Pron who did a lot of work with Donald O’Connor in his movies.

Private Buckaroo
Donald O’Connor & Peggy Ryan

Donald O’Connor and Peggy Ryan have small parts in this dance sequence. The main credits are to the Jivin’ Jacks and Jills. Private Buckaroo is one of Donald O’Connor’s first movies. Harry James and his band play the music.

There’s No Business Like Show Business
Donald O’Connor

Donald O’Connor in nice dance number from the movie There’s No Business Like Show Business.The woman’s voice you hear is Marilyn Monroe’s.

Here Come the Co-Eds
Peggy Ryan

Peggy Ryan sings and dances in this rare solo number. The movie is an Abbot and Costello vehicle, Here Come the Co-Eds.

Words and Music
Cyd Charisee & Dee Turnell

Cyd Charisse and Dee Turnell do a fun ballet number from the movie Words And Music. Both are in dark red costumes and for some unknown reason Cyd Charisse is wearing make-up that gives her skin a slightly darker tone. The movie is a Hollywood version of the life of Lorenz Hart who was part of the song writing duo of Rogers and Hart. Words and Music is not a great movie but the musical numbers are plentiful and excellent.

Wonder Man
Vera Ellen

This tap extravaganza, including tap dancing on her toes, is from the Danny Kaye movie, Wonder Man. Vera Ellen is one of the best dancers Hollywood ever showcased and this number proves it. Wonder Man is a very funny movie, one of Danny Kaye’s best, but hard to find. However, it is worth looking for.

Happy Go Lovely
Vera Ellen

Happy Go Lovely was made in England in 1951, so it’s not a big budget Hollywood production but David Niven and Vera Ellen have good chemistry and the plot is charming and Vera Ellen’s dancing is always special. It’s definitely worth watching.

White Christmas
Vera Ellen & Danny Kaye

From the movie White ChristmasDanny Kaye and Vera Ellen dance to the song, The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing.

Knock on Wood
Danny Kaye & Diana Adams

From the movie Knock on Wood. Unfortunately, this movie isn’t available on DVD or VHS, so the video quality is very poor. The beautiful ballerina is Diana Adams who danced for Balanchine in the 1940’s and 50’s. The ballet is a spoof of the ballet sequences in the opera Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin. Here’s a ballet scene from the opera.

If you watched the first ballet video—the Russian Nike ad—this is the music.

Excuse My Dust
Sally Forrest

From the movie Excuse My Dust. Another movie among the missing in terms of DVD and VHS release. However, the movie is NOTHING like this dance number. The movie is a comedy starring Red Skelton. The dance is a fantasy sequence. Sally Forrest, the great dancer in this number, is in the entire movie as an actress but this is her only dance number.

The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
Russ Tamblyn & Yvette Mimieux

The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm was a movie made by George Pal in Cinerama in 1962. The movie consists mainly of three Grimm fairy tales. This clip is from “The Dancing Princess.” It starts with Russ Tamblyn wearing a “cloak of invisibility” long before Harry Potter ever heard of it. The movie’s not yet available on DVD.

Tom Thumb
Russ Tamblyn

From the movie Tom Thumb. You can see that Toy Story owes a lot to Tom Thumb. The dancer is Russ Tamblyn who is also one of the dancers in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Russ is the father of Amber Tamblyn who plays Tibby in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Peggy Lee wrote the song.

The Fastest Gun Alive
Russ Tamblyn

A western with a great, athletic dance sequence by Russ Tamblyn. Athletic dancing was his speciality and you can see he’s very good at it. The movie stars Glenn Ford and it’s a pretty good western. The Fastest Gun Alive is available on Amazon as a Video on Demand download. You may be able to find a copy on VHS at your library. Not yet released on DVD.

Carousel
Jacques D’Amboise and Susan Luckey

From the movie Carousel. The sequence stars Jacques D’Amboise and Susan Luckey. Jacques D’Amboise was a principal dancer with Balanchine. The musical is by Rogers and Hammerstein.

Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn (age 23) in the British film “The Secret People” before she became a star in Hollywood.

Bollywood/Hollwood
Lisa Ray & Rahul Khanna

Bollywood/Hollywoodis another very funny romantic comedy. It was actually made in Canada and it is very Western in nature. The dance/song sequences are also more tightly interwoven with the plot.