Ballroom Dancing Hits TV

[Alexandra]

There's an interesting piece in the Washington Post today about the hit summer shows about dancing (not ballet, of course). And the prognosis is for more. I haven't watched any of these. For those who have, what do you think?

I'm all for a comeback of ballroom dancing. The traditional path for boys to ballet once was through ballroom dancing classes. The teachers would watch for musical, gifted little boys -- 8 and 9, too young to know that ballet was Not Cool in American schools -- and lure them into ballet classes.

The article doesn't touch on this, of course, but it's worth a read.

Might as Well Dance

Part of the show's appeal was John O'Hurley, the silver-haired actor last seen in "Seinfeld" as the catalogue magnate and one-time adventurer J. Peterman. O'Hurley competed skillfully and without taking himself too seriously -- qualities some of the others lacked. But that doesn't explain why the industry expects the forthcoming "So You Think You Can Dance" to do such big numbers.

I think the answer is simple: When the going gets tough, the tough go dancing.

"I would believe only in a God that knows how to dance," said the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who had so many pithy things to say about dance that I've come to think of him as "Twinkletoes." Another of his aphorisms: "I do not know what the spirit of a philosopher could more wish to be than a good dancer."

[bart]

Great link! Great tribute to the spiritual and healing powers of dancing. I love the line, "When things get tough, the tough go dancing." (Think of the boogie craze in World War II.)

The article brought to mind the new award-winning documentary "Red Hot Ballroom," which I missed here in its brief appearance in theaters, but which I've heard great things about. My friends who saw it all calll it inspirational.

Has anyone seen it? What did you think?

Here's a LINK TO A CBS TV report on the New York City public school program that is bringing 30 ballroom instructors into inner city schools.

Kind of reminds me of Jacques d'Amboise's wonderful National Dance Institute programs and performances. Come to think of it, there was a documentary about that, too, in the 80s: "He makes me feel Dancin'"

[Helene]

Great link!  Great tribute to the spiritual and healing powers of dancing. 

Jezebel's feet were spared from the dogs because she danced at weddings, which was considered blessed.

[Petra]

QUOTE(bart @ Jul 19 2005, 12:49 PM)

Great link!  Great tribute to the spiritual and healing powers of dancing. 

Jezebel's feet were spared from the dogs because she danced at weddings, which was considered blessed.

I didn't know that about Jezebel, but dancing at a wedding is a mitzvah. I know observant Jewish girls who have insisted on dancing at weddings even though they have sprained ankles, etc.