1.
Musical film
–
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline. The musical film was a development of the stage musical after the emergence of sound film technology. Typically, the biggest difference between film and stage musicals is the use of background scenery and locations that would be impractical in a theater. Musical films characteristically contain elements reminiscent of theater, performers often treat their song, in a sense, the viewer becomes the diegetic audience, as the performer looks directly into the camera and performs to it. The 1930s through the early 1950s are considered to be the age of the musical film. Musical short films were made by Lee de Forest in 1923–24, beginning in 1926, thousands of Vitaphone shorts were made, many featuring bands, vocalists and dancers. The Jazz Singer, released in 1927 by Warner Brothers, was the first to include a track including non-diegetic music and diegetic music. This feature-length film was also a musical, featuring Al Jolson singing Dirty Hands, Dirty Face, Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Blue Skies and My Mammy. Historian Scott Eyman wrote, As the film ended and applause grew with the houselights and she saw terror in all their faces, she said, as if they knew that the game they had been playing for years was finally over. Still, only isolated sequences featured live sound, most of the film had only a musical score. In 1928, Warner Brothers followed this up with another Jolson part-talkie, The Singing Fool, theaters scrambled to install the new sound equipment and to hire Broadway composers to write musicals for the screen. The first all-talking feature, Lights of New York, included a sequence in a night club. The enthusiasm of audiences was so great that in less than an all the major studios were making sound pictures exclusively. The Broadway Melody had a plot about two sisters competing for a charming song-and-dance man. Advertised by MGM as the first All-Talking, All-Singing, All-Dancing feature film, it was a hit, there was a rush by the studios to hire talent from the stage to star in lavishly filmed versions of Broadway hits. The Love Parade starred Maurice Chevalier and newcomer Jeanette MacDonald, written by Broadway veteran Guy Bolton, Warner Brothers produced the first screen operetta, The Desert Song in 1929. They spared no expense and photographed a large percentage of the film in Technicolor and this was followed by the first all-color, all-talking musical feature which was entitled On with the Show
2.
Fred Astaire
–
Fred Astaire was an American dancer, singer, actor, choreographer and television presenter. His stage and subsequent film and television careers spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films and several television specials, Astaire was ranked by the American Film Institute as the fifth greatest male star of Classic Hollywood cinema in 100 Years. Gene Kelly, another star in filmed dance, said that the history of dance on film begins with Astaire, later, he asserted that Astaire was the only one of todays dancers who will be remembered. Astaire was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of Johanna Ann, Astaires mother was born in the United States to Lutheran German immigrants from East Prussia and Alsace. Astaires father was born in Linz, Austria, to Jewish parents who had converted to Roman Catholicism, Astaires mother dreamed of escaping Omaha by virtue of her childrens talents, after Astaires sister, Adele Astaire, early on revealed herself to be an instinctive dancer and singer. She planned a brother and sister act, which was common in vaudeville at the time, although Astaire refused dance lessons at first, he easily mimicked his older sisters steps and took up piano, accordion, and clarinet. Despite Adele and Freds teasing rivalry, they acknowledged their individual strengths, his durability. Fred and Adeles mother suggested they change their name to Astaire, Family legend attributes the name to an uncle surnamed LAstaire. They were taught dance, speaking, and singing in preparation for developing an act and their first act was called Juvenile Artists Presenting an Electric Musical Toe-Dancing Novelty. Fred wore a top hat and tails in the first half, in an interview, Astaires daughter, Ava Astaire McKenzie, observed that they often put Fred in a top hat to make him look taller. The goofy act debuted in Keyport, New Jersey, in a tryout theater, the local paper wrote, the Astaires are the greatest child act in vaudeville. As a result of their fathers salesmanship, Fred and Adele rapidly landed a contract and played the famed Orpheum Circuit in the Midwest, Western. Soon Adele grew to at least three inches taller than Fred and the pair began to look incongruous. The family decided to take a break from show business to let time take its course and to avoid trouble from the Gerry Society. In 1912, Fred became an Episcopalian, the career of the Astaire siblings resumed with mixed fortunes, though with increasing skill and polish, as they began to incorporate tap dancing into their routines. Astaires dancing was inspired by Bill Bojangles Robinson and John Bubbles Sublett, from vaudeville dancer Aurelio Coccia, they learned the tango, waltz, and other ballroom dances popularized by Vernon and Irene Castle. Some sources state that the Astaire siblings appeared in a 1915 film titled Fanchon, the Cricket, starring Mary Pickford, by age 14, Fred had taken on the musical responsibilities for their act. He first met George Gershwin, who was working as a song plugger for Jerome H. Remicks music publishing company, Fred had already been hunting for new music and dance ideas
3.
Gene Kelly
–
Eugene Curran Gene Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director, producer and choreographer. He was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style, his looks. Best known today for his performances in such as An American in Paris, Anchors Aweigh. He starred in musical films throughout the 1940s, including For Me and My Gal, Du Barry Was a Lady, Thousands Cheer, The Three Musketeers. In his later career, he starred in two films outside the genre, Inherit the Wind and What a Way to Go. Throughout his career, he directed films, most notably the 1969 film Hello. His many innovations transformed the Hollywood musical and he is credited with almost single-handedly making the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences, Kelly received an Academy Honorary Award in 1952 for his career achievements. He later received lifetime achievement awards in the Kennedy Center Honors, in 1999, the American Film Institute also numbered him 15th in their Greatest Male Stars of Classic Hollywood cinema list. Kelly was born in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh and he was the third son of James Patrick Joseph Kelly, a phonograph salesman, and his wife Harriet Catherine Curran. His father was born in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, to an Irish-Canadian family and his maternal grandfather was an immigrant from Derry, Ireland, and his maternal grandmother was of German ancestry. When he was eight, Kellys mother enrolled him and his brother James in dance classes and they both rebelled, as recalled by Kelly, We didnt like it much and were continually involved in fistfights with the neighborhood boys who called us sissies. I didnt dance again until I was fifteen, at one time his childhood dream was to play shortstop for the hometown Pittsburgh Pirates. By the time he decided to dance, he was an accomplished sportsman and he attended St. Raphael Elementary School in the Morningside neighborhood of Pittsburgh and graduated from Peabody High School at age sixteen. He entered Pennsylvania State College as a major, but the 1929 crash forced him to work to help his family. He created dance routines with his younger brother Fred to earn money in local talent contests. They also performed in local nightclubs, in 1931, Kelly enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh to study economics, joining the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity. He became involved in the universitys Cap and Gown Club, which staged original musical productions, after graduating in 1933, he continued to be active with the Cap and Gown Club, serving as the director from 1934 to 1938. Kelly was admitted to the University of Pittsburgh Law School and his family opened a dance studio in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh
4.
The Red Shoes (1948 film)
–
The Red Shoes is a 1948 British drama film written, directed and produced by the team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, known collectively as The Archers. It has original music by Brian Easdale and cinematography by Jack Cardiff, at the 21st Academy Awards, The Red Shoes won awards for Best Original Score and Best Art Direction, as well as nominations for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing. Today it is regarded as one of the best films of Powell and Pressburgers partnership, filmmakers such as Brian De Palma and Martin Scorsese have named it one of their all-time favourite films. Separately present is Victoria Vicky Page, a young, unknown dancer from a background, with her aunt. As Heart of Fire progresses, Julian recognises the music as one of his own compositions, during the performance, Boris Lermontov, the company impresario, receives an invitation to an after-ballet party at Lady Nestons residence. Lermontov initially declines, but Professor Palmer persuades Lermontov to attend, Julian leaves the performance in disillusionment at his professors plagiarism of his music, followed by Terry and Ike. Lady Neston has arranged the party as a surreptitious audition. Lermontov and Vicki meet, and he invites her to a rehearsal of the company, Julian has written to Lermontov to explain the circumstances behind Heart of Fire, but then tries to retrieve the letter. Lermontovs assistant Dimitri thwarts all attempts by Julian to gain entry to Lermontovs suite, Julian says that he wishes to retrieve his letter before Lermontov has seem it, except that Lermontov has already read the letter. Lermontov asks Julian to play one of his own works at the piano, after hearing Julian play, he hires Julian as a repetiteur for the company orchestra and assistant to the companys conductor, Livingstone Montague. Lermontov fully realises that Julian was the composer of Heart of Fire. Julian and Vicky arrive for work at the Ballet Lermontov on the same day, after Lermontov ignores Vickys good morning greeting, the companys production designer, Sergei Ratov, mollifies her disappointment. Later, Vicky dances in a performance of Swan Lake at the Mercury Theatre, Notting Hill Gate. Lermontov is in attendance, which Vicky does not realise until the midst of her performance and he realises her potential and invites Vicky to go with the company to Paris and Monte Carlo, with Grisha Ljubov, the companys chief choreographer, to guide her. When his prima ballerina Irina Boronskaya announces that she is to be married, Lermontov strongly disapproves, Lermontov begins to see Vicky as a possible successor to Irina. Lermontov decides to create a role for her in a new ballet, The Red Shoes. When Julian plays selections from the score for the ballet, Ratov and Ljubov are impressed. As the premiere of the approaches, Vicky and Julian bicker artistically
5.
Michael Powell
–
Michael Latham Powell was an English film director, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger. His later controversial 1960 film Peeping Tom, while considered a classic, was so vilified on first release that his career was seriously damaged. Many film-makers such as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and George A. Romero have cited Powell as an influence, in 1981, he received the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award along with his partner Pressburger, the highest honour the British Film Academy can give a filmmaker. Powell was the son and youngest child of Thomas William Powell, a hop farmer. Powell was born in Bekesbourne, Kent, and educated at The Kings School, Canterbury and he started work at the National Provincial Bank in 1922 but quickly realised he was not cut out to be a banker. Powell entered the industry in 1925 through working with director Rex Ingram at the Victorine Studios in Nice, France. He first started out as a studio hand, the proverbial gofer, sweeping the floor, making coffee. Soon he progressed to work such as stills photography, writing titles and many other jobs including a few acting roles. Powell made his film début as a comic English tourist in The Magician, returning to England in 1928, Powell worked at a diverse series of jobs for various filmmakers including as a stills photographer on Alfred Hitchcocks silent film Champagne. He also signed on in a role on Hitchcocks first talkie. In his autobiography, Powell claims he suggested the ending in the British Museum which was the first of Hitchcocks monumental climaxes to his films, Powell and Hitchcock remained friends for the remainder of Hitchcocks life. After scriptwriting on two productions, Powell entered into a partnership with American producer Jerry Jackson in 1931 to make quota quickies, Powell then began to direct hour-long films needed to satisfy a legal requirement that British cinemas screen a certain quota of British films. During this period, he developed his skills, sometimes making up to seven films a year. Although he had taken on some directing responsibilities in other films and this thriller was considered a modest success at the box office despite its limited budget. From 1931 to 1936, Powell was the director of 23 films, including the critically received Red Ensign, in 1937 Powell completed his first truly personal project, The Edge of the World. Powell gathered together a cast and crew who were willing to part in an expedition to what was then a very isolated part of the UK. They had to stay there for quite a few months and finished up with a film not only told the story he wanted. By 1939, Powell had been hired as a director by Alexander Korda on the strength of The Edge of the World
6.
Emeric Pressburger
–
Emeric Pressburger was a Hungarian British screenwriter, film director, and producer. Imre József Pressburger was born in Miskolc, in the Kingdom of Hungary and he was the only son of Kálmán Pressburger, estate manager, and his second wife, Kätherina. He attended a boarding-school in Temesvár, where he was a pupil, excelling at mathematics, literature. He then studied mathematics and engineering at the Universities of Prague, Pressburger began a career as a journalist. After working in Hungary and Germany he turned to screenwriting in the late 1920s, the rise of the Nazis forced him to flee to Paris, where he again worked as screenwriter, and then to London. He later said, worst things that happened to me were the consequences of events beyond my control. The best things were exactly the same, Pressburger entered Britain in 1935 on a stateless passport, once he decided to settle, he changed his name to Emeric in 1938. In England he found a community of Hungarian film-makers who had fled the Nazis, including the influential Alexander Korda, owner of London Films. There he met film director Michael Powell, and they worked together on The Spy in Black and their partnership would produce some of the finest British films of the period. On 24 June 1938, Pressburger married Ági Donáth, the daughter of Andor Donáth, a general merchant and his daughter Angelas two sons both became successful film-makers, Andrew Macdonald as a producer on films such as Trainspotting, and Kevin Macdonald as an Oscar-winning director. Kevin has written a biography of his grandfather, and a documentary about his life, Pressburger became a British citizen in 1946. He was made a Fellow of BAFTA in 1981, and a Fellow of the BFI in 1983, Pressburger was a diffident and private person who, at times, particularly later on in his life, could be hypersensitive and prone to bouts of melancholia. He loved French cuisine, enjoyed music, and possessed a sense of humour. In appearance he was short, wore glasses, and had a sagacious and he was a keen supporter of Arsenal F. C. a passion he developed soon after arriving in Britain. From 1970 he lived in Aspall, Suffolk and he died in a home in nearby Saxtead on 5 February 1988, due to the complications of old age. He is interred in the cemetery of Our Lady of Grace Church and his is the only grave in that Church of England graveyard with a Star of David. 1943, Oscar winner for 49th Parallel as Best Writing, Original Story 1943, Oscar nominated for 49th Parallel as Best Writing, shared with Rodney Ackland 1943, Oscar nominated for One of Our Aircraft Is Missing for Best Writing, Original Screenplay. Shared with Michael Powell 1948, Won Danish Bodil Award for A Matter of Life, shared with Michael Powell 1948, Nominated for The Red Shoes for Venice Film Festival Golden Lion
7.
Moira Shearer
–
Moira Shearer, Lady Kennedy, was an internationally renowned British ballet dancer and actress. She was born Moira Shearer King at Morton Lodge in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, in 1931 her family moved to Ndola, Northern Rhodesia, where her father worked as a civil engineer and where she received her first dancing training under a former pupil of Enrico Cecchetti. She returned to Britain in 1936 and trained with Flora Fairbairn in London for a few months before she was accepted as a pupil by the Russian teacher Nicholas Legat. At his studio she met Mona Inglesby who gave Shearer a part in her new ballet Endymion, after three years with Legat, she joined the Sadlers Wells Ballet School. After the outbreak of World War II, her parents took her to live in Scotland and she joined Mona Inglesbys International Ballet for its 1941 provincial tour and West End season before moving on to Sadlers Wells in 1942. Her first claim to fame is as Posy Fossil in the advertisements for the Noel Streatfeild book Ballet Shoes while she was training under Flora Fairbairn and she came to international attention for her first film role as Victoria Page in the Powell & Pressburger ballet-themed film The Red Shoes. Shearer retired from ballet in 1953, but she continued to act and she worked again for Powell on The Tales of Hoffmann and on the controversial film Peeping Tom, which damaged Powells own career. In 1972, she was chosen by the BBC to present the Eurovision Song Contest when it was staged at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh and she also wrote for The Daily Telegraph newspaper and gave talks on ballet worldwide. The choreographer Gillian Lynne persuaded her to return to ballet in 1987 to play L. S. Lowrys mother in A Simple Man for the BBC, in 1950, Moira Shearer married journalist and broadcaster Ludovic Kennedy. They were married in the Chapel Royal in Londons Hampton Court Palace and she and Kennedy had a son, Alastair, and three daughters, Ailsa, Rachel, and Fiona. Shearer died at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, England at the age of 80
8.
The Tales of Hoffmann (film)
–
The opera film stars Robert Rounseville, Moira Shearer, Robert Helpmann and Léonide Massine, and features Pamela Brown, Ludmilla Tchérina and Ann Ayars. Only Rounseville and Ayars sang their own roles, the films production team includes cinematographer Christopher Challis and production and costume designer Hein Heckroth, who was nominated for two 1952 Academy Awards for his work. In the prologue, Hoffmann is in the audience at a performance by Stella, Stella sends Hoffmann a note asking him to meet her after the performance, but the note is intercepted by his rival, Councillor Lindorf. In the first story, Olympia is a created by scientist Spalanzani. Hoffmann falls for the doll, ignorant of her artifice and is mocked when he discovers she is automatic. In the second story, Hoffmann in Venice falls for Giulietta, a courtesan, however, certain important changes were made in the process of adapting the story to film, In the prologue of the film, all of Lindorfs music is deleted, making him a silent character. Stellas profession is changed from a singer appearing in Mozarts Don Giovanni to a ballet dancer. The Tale of Antonia is shortened, ending with the trio for Antonia, the Ghost of her mother. The role of Nicklaus is abridged, though Nicklaus still appears, in the later years of their partnership, Powell became interested in what he termed a composed film, a marriage of image to operatic music. The finale of Black Narcissus and the sequence of The Red Shoes were earlier steps toward his goal. The Tales of Hoffmann is an achievement of this ideal, as the opera was pre-recorded to create the soundtrack. The production is completely without dialogue and, with the exception of Robert Rounseville and Ann Ayars, some of the singers had established careers in Britain at the time. The acting is highly stylised and similar to that of the silent film era, each tale is marked by its own individual primary colour, denoting its theme. The Tale of Olympia, set in Paris, has yellow contours highlighting the farcical nature, the Tale of Giulietta is a hellish depiction of Venice, where dark colours, especially red, are used. The final tale, set in Greece, uses different shades of blue, the set design is deliberately made to look artificial with the costumes similarly stylised. The opening scene of the Tale of Giulietta is staged on a gondola which moves through deliberately artificial Venetian canals, and that is because it sates the senses without striking any real dramatic fire. The inevitable question about this picture is how close does it come to matching the beauty, although the two films are basically different, a comparison is fair to this extent, The Red Shoes had warmth and vitality, Tales of Hoffmann is splendid and cold. For the 2002 Sight & Sound poll, George A. Romero called it his film of all time
9.
Jacques Offenbach
–
Jacques Offenbach was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s–1870s and he was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss, Jr. and Arthur Sullivan. His best-known works were revived during the 20th century. The Tales of Hoffman remains part of the opera repertory. Born in Cologne, the son of a cantor, Offenbach showed early musical talent. At the age of 14, he was accepted as a student at the Paris Conservatoire but found academic study unfulfilling, from 1835 to 1855 he earned his living as a cellist, achieving international fame, and as a conductor. His ambition, however, was to compose pieces for the musical theatre. Finding the management of Paris Opéra-Comique company uninterested in staging his works, there he presented a series of his own small-scale pieces, many of which became popular. In 1858, Offenbach produced his first full-length operetta, Orphée aux enfers, during the 1860s, he produced at least 18 full-length operettas, as well as more one-act pieces. His works from this period included La belle Hélène, La Vie parisienne, La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein, Offenbach became associated with the Second French Empire of Napoleon III, the emperor and his court were genially satirised in many of Offenbachs operettas. Napoleon III personally granted him French citizenship and the Légion dHonneur, with the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, Offenbach found himself out of favour in Paris because of his imperial connections and his German birth. He remained successful in Vienna and London, however and he re-established himself in Paris during the 1870s, with revivals of some of his earlier favourites and a series of new works, and undertook a popular U. S. tour. In his last years he strove to finish The Tales of Hoffmann, but died before the premiere of the opera, Offenbach was born Jacob or Jakob Offenbach to a Jewish family, in the German city of Cologne, which was then a part of Prussia. His birthplace in the Großen Griechenmarkt was a distance from the square that is now named after him. He was the son and the seventh of ten children of Isaac Juda Offenbach né Eberst and his wife Marianne. Isaac, who came from a family, had abandoned his original trade as a bookbinder and earned an itinerant living as a cantor in synagogues. He was generally known as der Offenbacher, after his native town, Offenbach am Main, in 1816 he settled in Cologne, where he became established as a teacher, giving lessons in singing, violin, flute and guitar, and composing both religious and secular music. When Jacob was six years old, his father taught him to play the violin, within two years the boy was composing songs and dances, and at the age of nine he took up the cello
10.
An American in Paris (film)
–
An American in Paris is a 1951 American musical film inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition An American in Paris by George Gershwin. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guétary, and Nina Foch, the film is set in Paris, the music is by George Gershwin, with lyrics by his brother Ira, with additional music by Saul Chaplin, the music director. The story of the film is interspersed with dance numbers choreographed by Gene Kelly, songs and music include I Got Rhythm, Ill Build A Stairway to Paradise, S Wonderful, and Love is Here to Stay. The climax of the film is The American in Paris ballet, the ballet alone cost almost half a million dollars. American World War II veteran Jerry Mulligan is now an exuberant expatriate in Paris trying to make a reputation as a painter and his friend and neighbor, Adam Cook, is a struggling concert pianist who is a longtime associate of a French singer, Henri Baurel. At the ground-floor bar, Henri tells Adam about his cultured girlfriend, Jerry joins them later, before going out to sell his art. A lonely society woman and heiress, Milo Roberts, finds Jerry displaying his art on the street and takes an interest in him and she brings him to her apartment to pay for his works, and invites him to a dinner party she is throwing later that night. After singing with French children on the way home, Jerry shows up to Milos apartment and he quickly finds out that the party is actually a one-on-one date, and tells Milo he has no interest in being a paid escort. When he attempts to leave after giving her back, she insists that she is only interested in his art. They go to a bar, and she offers to sponsor an art show for Jerry as a friendly gesture. Some of Milos friends arrive, and while sitting with them, he sees Lise Bouvier, Jerry ignores Milo and her acquaintances, and instead pretends to know Lise already and dances with her. She is standoffish and gives Jerry a wrong number. Heading home, Milo tells Jerry he was very rude cavorting with a girl he does not know while in her presence, the next day, Jerry calls Lise at her work, but she tells him to never call her again. Jerry and Milo meet at a cafe, and she informs him that a collector is interested in his paintings, before going to the showing, he goes to the parfumerie where Lise works and she consents to dinner with him. She does not want to be seen eating with him in public, later, Adam humorously daydreams that he is performing Gershwins Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra for a gala audience in a concert hall. As the scene progresses, Adam is also revealed to be the conductor, other members of the orchestra, Milo gets Jerry an art studio and tells him she has planned an exhibition of his work in three months. He initially refuses the studio because he not have the money for it. Roughly a month later and after courting, Lise abruptly runs off when she
11.
George Gershwin
–
George Jacob Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwins compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known, among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris as well as the opera Porgy and Bess. Gershwin studied piano under Charles Hambitzer and composition with Rubin Goldmark, Henry Cowell and he began his career as a song plugger, but soon started composing Broadway theatre works with his brother Ira Gershwin, and Buddy DeSylva. He moved to Paris intending to study with Nadia Boulanger, who refused him, after returning to New York City, he wrote Porgy and Bess with Ira and the author DuBose Heyward. Initially a commercial failure, Porgy and Bess is now considered one of the most important American operas of the twentieth century, Gershwin moved to Hollywood and composed numerous film scores until his death in 1937 from a malignant brain tumor – glioblastoma multiforme. Gershwins compositions have been adapted for use in films and for television. Many celebrated singers and musicians have covered his songs, Gershwin was of Russian Jewish and Ukrainian Jewish ancestry. His grandfather, Jakov Gershowitz, had served for 25 years as a mechanic for the Imperial Russian Army to earn the right of travel and residence as a Jew. His teenage son, Moishe Gershowitz, worked as a cutter for womens shoes. Moishe Gershowitz met and fell in love with Roza Bruskina, the daughter of a furrier in Vilnius. She and her family moved to New York due to increasing anti-Jewish sentiment in Russia, Moishe, faced with compulsory military service if he remained in Russia, moved to America as soon as he could afford to. Once in New York, he changed his first name to Morris, Gershowitz lived with a maternal uncle in Brooklyn, working as a foreman in a womens shoe factory. When he married Rose on July 21,1895, Gershowitz soon Americanized his name to Gershwine. Their first child was born on December 6,1896, Gershwin then moved his family into a second-floor apartment on Brooklyns Snediker Avenue. Their second son, soon to be renamed George, was born at there on September 26,1898 and his birth certificate identifies him as Jacob Gershwine, with the surname pronounced Gersh-vin in the Russian and Yiddish immigrant community. He was named after his grandfather, the one time Russian army mechanic, American practice by then was to give children a first and a middle name, but had no other. He changed the spelling of his name to Gershwin when he became a professional musician, George and Ira lived in many different residences, as their father changed dwellings with each new enterprise which he became involved in. Mostly, the boys grew up around the Yiddish Theater District and they frequented the local Yiddish theaters, with George occasionally appearing onstage as an extra
12.
Leslie Caron
–
Leslie Claire Margaret Caron is a Franco-American film actress and dancer who has appeared in 45 films between 1951 and 2003. Her autobiography, Thank Heaven, was published in 2010 in the UK and US, veteran documentarian Larry Weinsteins Leslie Caron, The Reluctant Star premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on June 28,2016. Caron is best known for the musical films An American in Paris, Lili, Daddy Long Legs, Gigi, and for the nonmusical films Fanny, The L-Shaped Room and she received two Academy Award nominations for Best Actress. In 2006, her performance in Law & Order, Special Victims Unit won her an Emmy for guest actress in a drama series and she is fluent in French, English, and Italian. She is one of the few dancers or actresses who has danced with Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev. Caron was born in Boulogne-sur-Seine, Seine, the daughter of Margaret, a Franco American dancer on Broadway, and Claude Caron, while her older brother Aimery Caron became a chemist like their father, Leslie was prepared for a performing career from childhood by their mother. Caron started her career as a ballerina and this role led to a long-term MGM contract and a sequence of films which included the musical The Glass Slipper and the drama The Man with a Cloak, with Joseph Cotten and Barbara Stanwyck. Still, Caron has said of herself, Unfortunately, Hollywood considers musical dancers as hoofers and she also starred in the successful musicals Lili, with Mel Ferrer, Daddy Long Legs, with Fred Astaire, and Gigi with Louis Jourdan and Maurice Chevalier. In 1953, Caron was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Lili. For her performance in the British drama The L-Shaped Room, she won the BAFTA and Golden Globe awards, in the 1960s and thereafter, Caron worked in European films, as well. Her later film assignments included Father Goose, with Cary Grant, Ken Russells Valentino, in the role of silent-screen legend Alla Nazimova, and Louis Malles Damage. Sometime in 1970, Caron was one of the actresses considered for the lead role of Eglantine Price in Disneys Bedknobs and Broomsticks. In 1967, she was a member of the jury of the 5th Moscow International Film Festival, in 1989, she was a member of the jury at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival. Caron has continued to act, appearing in the film Chocolat, during the 1980s, she appeared in several episodes of the soap opera Falcon Crest as Nicole Sauguet. She is one of the few actresses from the era of MGM musicals who are still active in film—a group that includes Dean Stockwell, Rita Moreno, Margaret OBrien. In 2007, her guest appearance on Law and Order, Special Victims Unit earned her a 2007 Primetime Emmy Award. On 27 April 2009, Caron traveled to New York as an honored guest at a tribute to Alan Jay Lerner, on 8 December 2009, Caron received the 2, 394th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In February 2010, she played Madame Armfeldt in A Little Night Music at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, in 2016 Caron appeared in the ITV television series The Durrells as the Countess Mavrodaki
13.
Suspiria
–
It is the first Argento horror film to have THX-certified audio and video. The score was composed by rock band Goblin and is the first of the trilogy Argento refers to as The Three Mothers, followed by Inferno. Suspiria has become one of Argentos most successful films, receiving critical acclaim for its visual and stylistic flair, use of vibrant colors. It was nominated for two Saturn Awards, Best Supporting Actress for Bennett in 1978 and Best DVD Classic Film Release in 2002 and it has since become a cult classic. Suzy Bannion, an American ballet student, attempts to enroll in the prestigious Tanz Dance Academy in Freiburg, arriving late at night and during a thunderstorm, Suzy is unable to gain entry to the academy. She witnesses a student, Pat Hingle, flee from the school. As Suzy makes her way to a hotel, Pat finds refuge at an apartment in the nearby town. Explaining that she has uncovered something terrible inside the Academy, Pat tells her friend she is leaving in the morning, after Pat locks herself in the bathroom, she sees a shadowy figure and a pair of eyes outside the window. An arm smashes through, smothering her against the glass, hearing Pats screams, her friend runs from the apartment to find help. In the bathroom, the black-cloaked attacker stabs Pat repeatedly and then slips a noose around her neck, in the room below, Pats friend is running away just as Pats body crashes through a skylight and the rope snaps taut, killing her. On the ground below Pats suspended body lie the remains of her friend. The following morning Suzy arrives at the academy and is introduced to Madame Blanc, the vice-directress and she is escorted to the students locker room, where she meets two fellow students, Sara and Olga, the latter with whom she has arranged to stay with off-campus. After a strange encounter with the custodian, Suzy faints during a lesson. Later that night, she awakens to discover that she has moved into a dormitory room against her wishes. The doctors tell her that she is to be medicated with a glass of wine daily, Suzy befriends Sara after the two are roomed together. As the students prepare for dinner, hundreds of maggots fall from the ceiling, the students are told this was due to spoiled food being stored in the attic and are invited to sleep in the practice hall overnight while the spoiled food and maggots are disposed of. During the night, Sara identifies a distinctive whistling snore as that of the schools director, the next morning, Tanner orders the schools blind piano player, Daniel, to leave the academy after his guide dog bites the custodians son. Later that night, Sara hears the teachers footsteps and counts them whilst Suzy falls asleep, while crossing a plaza Daniel senses a strange presence
14.
The Turning Point (1977 film)
–
The Turning Point is a 1977 American drama film centered on the world of ballet in New York City, written by Arthur Laurents and directed by Herbert Ross. The film stars Shirley MacLaine and Anne Bancroft, along with Leslie Browne, Mikhail Baryshnikov, the film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The script is a version of the real-life Brown family. DeeDee left the company after becoming pregnant by Wayne, another dancer in the company. They marry and later move to Oklahoma City to run a dance studio, Emma stays with the company and eventually becomes a prima ballerina and well-known figure in the ballet community. While the company is on tour and performs a show in Oklahoma City, DeeDee and the go to see the show. The reunion stirs up old memories and things begin to ravel, at the party, DeeDees aspiring dancer/daughter, Emilia, who is also Emmas goddaughter, is invited to take class with the company the following day. After taking class with the company, Emilia is asked to join the company, DeeDee and Wayne decide that DeeDee should go to New York with Emilia, who is rather shy and doesnt make friends as easily as her younger sister. Meanwhile, their son, Ethan gets a scholarship to the summer program while Wayne. Once in New York, they rent several rooms in Carnegie Hall with Madame Dakharova, Emilia soon starts a relationship with a Russian playboy in the company, Yuri. DeeDee runs into the conductor of the company and has an affair with him. Meanwhile, Emma argues with Arnold, the choreographer, about giving her a role in his new ballet. Its also revealed Emma has been seeing a man, Carter. During rehearsal, Emilia has an argument with Arnold and storms out, going to a bar and she then shows up for the performance that night still intoxicated and Emma takes care of her, which angers DeeDee. Emilia suffers when she sees Yuri getting involved with another dancer, Emma and DeeDee eventually enter into major conflict. DeeDee resents that Emma dotes on Emilia, when she has criticized DeeDee for choosing family life over her career while Emma chose not to have children. DeeDee accuses Emma of being glad she got pregnant so Emma could play the lead in Anna Karenina, eventually, misunderstandings are settled, with Emma and DeeDee working things out after a physical altercation. Emilia is announced as the star of the season, and she and Yuri make up and agree to a professional partnership
15.
Shirley MacLaine
–
Shirley MacLaine is an American film, television and theater actress, singer, dancer, activist and author. She is known for her New Age beliefs, and has an interest in spirituality and she has written a series of autobiographical works that describe these beliefs, document her world travels, and describe her Hollywood career. She has also won five competitive Golden Globe Awards and received the Golden Globe Cecil B, deMille Award at the 1998 ceremony. Named after Shirley Temple, Shirley MacLean Beaty was born in Richmond, MacLaines younger brother is the actor, writer and director Warren Beatty, he changed the spelling of his surname when he became an actor. Their parents raised them as Baptists and her uncle was A. A. MacLeod, a Communist member of the Ontario legislature in the 1940s. MacLaine played baseball in a team, holding the record for most home runs which earned her the nickname Powerhouse. During the 1950s, the family resided in the Dominion Hills section of Arlington. As a toddler she had weak ankles and would fall over with the slightest misstep and this was the beginning of her interest in performing. Strongly motivated by ballet, she never missed a class, in classical romantic pieces like Romeo and Juliet and The Sleeping Beauty, she always played the boys roles due to being the tallest in the group and the absence of males in the class. Ultimately she decided against making a career of professional ballet because she had grown too tall and was unable to acquire perfect technique and she explained that she didnt have the ideal body type, lacking the requisite beautifully constructed feet of high arches, high insteps and a flexible ankle. Also slowly realizing ballets propensity to be too all-consuming, and ultimately limiting, she moved on to forms of dancing, acting. She attended Washington-Lee High School, where she was on the cheerleading squad, the summer before her senior year, she went to New York City to try acting on Broadway, and had some success. After she graduated, she returned and within a year became an understudy to actress Carol Haney in The Pajama Game, Haney broke her ankle, a few months after, with Haney still injured, film producer Hal B. Wallis saw MacLaines performance, and signed her to work for Paramount Pictures and she later sued Wallis over a contractual dispute, a suit that has been credited with ending the old-style studio star system of actor management. MacLaine made her debut in Alfred Hitchcocks The Trouble with Harry. This was quickly followed by her role in the Martin and Lewis film Artists, soon afterwards, she had a role in Around the World in 80 Days. This was followed by Hot Spell and a role in Some Came Running, for the latter film she gained her first Academy Award nomination. Her second Oscar nomination came two years later for The Apartment, starring with Jack Lemmon, the film won five Oscars, including Best Director for Billy Wilder
16.
White Nights (1985 film)
–
It was shot in Finland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and Austria. Taylor Hackford met his wife, Academy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren. Nikolai Kolya Rodchenko is a Soviet ballet dancer who had defected from the Soviet Union, the plane carrying him to a next performance in Tokyo has engine trouble and crashes in Siberia. He is hurt and is recognized by KGB officer Colonel Chaiko. Chaiko then contacts African-American tap dancer, Raymond Greenwood, who has defected to the Soviet Union, Chaiko wants Rodchenko to dance at the seasons opening night at the Kirov, and Greenwood to babysit Rodchenko. To convince Rodchenko, Chaiko uses Galina Ivanova, a ballerina who never left the Soviet Union and is an old flame of Rodchenko. After an initial period of racial and artistic friction, the two dancers become strong friends, while the escape plan is going on, Raymond chooses to stay behind to delay Chaiko, gaining time for Nikolai and Darya to get to the American Consulate at Leningrad. Even though Raymond is incarcerated when the plan is revealed, he is finally traded by the Soviets for a political prisoner from Latin America. The opening ballet sequence, Le Jeune Homme et La Mort, originally choreographed by Roland Petit in 1946 and performed anew by Baryshnikov, the gentleman paging the curtain for Baryshnikov is John Randall, the theatres technical director at the time. The following backstage scenes were filmed at the Albery Theatre in London, for the crash sequence at the start of the movie, a rebadged Aer Lingus Boeing 747 performed a touch-and-go landing at RAF Machrihanish. The plane crash sequence was filmed at Campbeltown Airport on the south-west coast of Scotland, mainly due to its remoteness and that the runway is around 1.7 miles long. Usually, at a time when movies would use models to crash-land an aircraft as expensive as a Boeing 747, the aircraft was built as ZS-CKC for South African Airways in July 1960 and retired with SAA in 1977. Its final registration was N90651, operated by PWA, Panama World Airways, due to the size differences, forced perspective was used to give the impression of a larger aircraft and short actors used in a brief sequence where a vehicle is almost hit. The film contains a performance by Maryam dAbo, later to star as a Bond girl in the James Bond film The Living Daylights. In 1985, many western Cold War movies supposedly set in Russia would use locations in the Finnish capital Helsinki with a style resembling Leningrad. These scenes were inserted into the movie, some being in-car scenes. A part of the movie was filmed at the Finnish island of Reposaari, asher Florence Faure as Ballerina White Nights received mixed reviews from critics, as it currently holds a 42% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the film was a success at the box office
17.
Billy Elliot
–
Billy Elliot is a 2000 British dance drama film about a boy becoming a professional ballet dancer, set in north-eastern England during the 1984–85 coal miners strike. The film was released on 29 September 2000 by Universal Pictures. The film received reviews from critics and it earned £72,853,509 on a £3 million budget. In 2001, author Melvin Burgess was commissioned to write the novelisation of the based on Lee Halls screenplay. The story was adapted for the West End stage as Billy Elliot the Musical in 2005, it opened in Australia in 2007 and on Broadway in 2008. In 1984, Billy Elliot, an 11-year-old from the fictional Everington Village in County Durham, England, Billys father sends him to the gym to learn boxing, but Billy dislikes the sport. He happens upon a class that is using the gym while their usual basement studio is temporarily being used as a soup kitchen for the striking miners. Unknown to Jackie, Billy joins the ballet class, when Jackie discovers this, he forbids Billy to take any more ballet. But, passionate about dancing, Billy secretly continues lessons with the help of his dance teacher, Sandra Wilkinson. Mrs. Wilkinson believes Billy is talented enough to study at the Royal Ballet School in London, over Christmas, Billy learns his best friend, Michael, is gay. Although Billy is not, he is supportive of his friend, later, Jackie catches Billy dancing in the gym and realises his son is truly gifted, he resolves to do whatever it takes to help Billy attain his dream. Mrs. Wilkinson tries to persuade Jackie to let her pay for the audition, Jackie attempts to cross the picket line to pay for the trip to London, but Tony stops him. Instead, his fellow miners and the neighbourhood raise some money and Jackie pawns Billys mothers jewelry to cover the cost, and Jackie takes him to London to audition. Although very nervous, Billy performs well, but he punches another boy in frustration at the audition and he is sternly rebuked by the review board, but when asked what it feels like when he is dancing, he describes it as being like electricity. Seemingly rejected, Billy returns home with his father, sometime later, the Royal Ballet School sends him a letter telling him he has been accepted, and he leaves home to attend. Fourteen years later, Billy takes the stage to perform the Swan in Matthew Bournes Swan Lake, as Jackie, Tony and he was heavily influenced by photographer Sirkka-Liisa Konttinens book Step by Step, about a dancing school in nearby North Shields. Writing in 2009, Hall said that almost every frame of Billy Elliot was influenced by Step by Step. as every member of the team carried around their own copy. Due to Easington Collierys pit closure in 1993, the scenes were filmed at the Ellington and Lynemouth Colliery in Northumberland, with some filming in Dawdon
18.
Center Stage (2000 film)
–
The film explores the issues and difficulties in the world of professional dance, and how each individual copes with the stresses. After a series of auditions, twelve young dancers gain entry to the American Ballet Academy. The workshop will also provide an opportunity for the students to showcase their talent to other companies across the country. Gaining a leading part in the workshop is therefore essential, tensions mount between Jonathan Reeves, the companys aging choreographer and director, and Cooper Nielson, his best dancer, who also wants to choreograph. They also have issues because Kathleen Donahue, Coopers ex-girlfriend and fellow dancer, Jody refuses to give up on her dream of being a professional dancer. Talented but smart-mouthed Eva Rodriguez from Boston loves to dance but seems destined to be stuck in the back of the corps because of her attitude, despite Jonathans objections, Cooper choreographs a rock/pop music-based ballet for the workshop. Three ballets are presented, Jonathan and another choreographer create the other two respectively—the two more traditional ballets are not danced to actual music, however. The first is to Mendelssohns Italian Symphony, while Jonathans ballet is set to Rachmaninovs 2nd Piano Concerto, Coopers ballet mirrors the relationship between himself, Jonathan, and Kathleen. Jody, Charlie, and their gay friend Erik are set to dance the three lead roles when Erik sprains his ankle in a final rehearsal. To Jonathans protests and Jodys apprehension, Cooper steps in to fill the role, Cooper asks Jody to be a principal dancer, as her dancing style, though technically deficient, is perfect for his company. He also asks to date her, but Jody turns him down in favor of Charlie, Maureen decides to give up ballet because she finally realizes that ballet is just something she does well and not what she wants in life. She decides to attend university and also seek help for her eating disorder. Eva is picked by Jonathan to join ABC after proving her worth in the workshop, there is a subplot in which Cooper attracts the financial support of a flirtatious wealthy female philanthropist. An August 15,2004 New York Times article entitled How Much Is That Dancer in the Program, revealed that Stiefel has a very similar real-life sponsorship relationship with a philanthropist named Anka Palitz. Body doubles were used for many of the dance sequences. Center Stage received moderate to negative reviews, the New York Times critic A. O. Scott wrote for the film, Contactmusic. com gave the film just two stars, commenting that, The film currently holds a 43% Rotten score, on Rotten Tomatoes. The film opened at #6 at the box office making $4,604,621 USD in its opening weekend, the film has grossed a total of $26,385,941 worldwide. I Wanna Be with You – Mandy Moore First Kiss – i5 Dont Get Lost in the Crowd – Ashley Ballard Were Dancing – P. Y. T, friends Forever – Thunderbugs Get Used to This – Cyrena A Girl Can Dream – P. Y. T
19.
Save the Last Dance
–
Save the Last Dance is a 2001 American dance film produced by MTV Films, directed by Thomas Carter and released by Paramount Pictures on January 12,2001. The film stars Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas as an interracial couple in Chicago who work together to help the main character, played by Stiles. A direct-to-video sequel, Save the Last Dance 2, was released in 2006, Sara Johnson, a promising dancer in high school, hopes to be admitted to study at Juilliard School and invites her mother to attend the audition. She fails the audition and soon learns that her mother was involved in a car accident in her haste to get to the audition. Sara is wracked by guilt and gives up on ballet and she moves in with her father and transfers to an urban Chicago school. Her father is a musician who plays the trumpet and usually plays in nightclubs. At her new school, Sara is one of a handful of students but quickly befriends Chenille. Chenille invites Sara to a club called STEPPS, where she has her first experience of dancing to hip hop rhythms. At STEPPS, Sara dances with Derek, Chenilles brother and a student with dreams of ultimately attending Georgetown Medical School and he decides to help Sara develop her dancing skills by incorporating more hip hop into her style. Derek takes a reluctant Sara to the Joffrey Ballet and, afterwards, later, they return to the club and amaze others with their dancing. Having achieved his dream of being accepted at Georgetown University, Derek convinces her to follow her dreams of Juilliard, eventually, Sara and Derek begin a relationship. At school, Nikki, Dereks jealous ex-girlfriend, picks a fight with Sara, Chenille tells Sara that she didnt approve of the fight but can understand the bitterness since Sara, a white girl, is seen as stealing one of the few decent black men in the school. Because of this, Sara breaks up with Derek, meanwhile, Derek deals with his friend Malakai, who is heavily into the gang lifestyle that Derek is trying to leave. Derek accepts Malakais plea for support in a drive-by for the time as Saras audition. Saras father has a talk with her and encourages her to audition for Juilliard again. After hearing what Chenille told Sara, Derek confronts her and admitted his true reasons for dumping Nikki and she admits what she did was wrong and encourages him to be with Sara. Chenille also warns Derek not to support Malakai knowing the consequences, Derek turns his back on Malakai to attend Saras audition. He arrives at a point to offer her encouragement and moral support
20.
Julia Stiles
–
Julia OHara Stiles is an American actress. Born and raised in New York City, Stiles began acting at age 11 and she became known to a wider audience for her supporting role alongside Matt Damon as Nicky Parsons in the Bourne film series. As a member of the cast of Silver Linings Playbook, Stiles was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, Stiles appears in the Blue web series also broadcast on television. Stiles was born in New York City, to parents Judith Newcomb Stiles, a potter, and John OHara and she is the eldest of three children with a brother, Johnny, and a sister, Jane. Stiles is of English, Irish, and Italian descent and she started acting at the age of 11, performing with New Yorks La MaMa Theatre Company. Stiles first film role was in I Love You, I Love You Not, with Claire Danes and she also had small roles as Harrison Fords characters daughter in Alan J. Pakulas The Devils Own and in M. Night Shyamalans Wide Awake. Her first lead was in Wicked, playing a girl who might have murdered her mother so she could have her father all to herself. Critic Joe Balthai wrote she was the darling of the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. In 1999, she portrayed Kat Stratford, opposite Heath Ledger, in Gil Jungers 10 Things I Hate About You and she won an MTV Movie Award for Breakthrough Female Performance for the role. The Chicago Film Critics voted her the most promising new actress of the year and her next starring role was in Down to You, which was panned by critics, but earned her co-star Freddie Prinze, Jr. and her a Teen Choice Award nomination for their on-screen chemistry. She subsequently appeared in two more Shakespearean adaptations, the first was as Ophelia in Michael Almereydas Hamlet, with Ethan Hawke in the lead. The second was in the Desdemona role, opposite Mekhi Phifer, in Tim Blake Nelsons O, neither film was a great success, O was subject to many delays and a change of distributors, and Hamlet was an art house film shot on a minimal budget. At her new, nearly all-black school, she falls in love with the character played by Sean Patrick Thomas, who teaches her hip-hop dance steps that get her into the Juilliard School. The role won her two more MTV awards for Best Kiss and Best Female Performance, and a Teen Choice Award for best fight scene for her battle with Bianca Lawson. Rolling Stone pronounced her the coolest co-ed, putting her on the cover of its April 12,2001 and she told Rolling Stone that she performed all her own dancing in the film, though the way the film was shot and edited might have made it appear otherwise. In David Mamets State and Main, about a shooting on location in a small town in Vermont. Stiles also appeared opposite Stockard Channing in the art house film The Business of Strangers as a conniving. Channing was impressed by her co-star, In addition to her talent, she has a quality that is almost feral and she has an effect on people
21.
Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary
–
Maddin elected to shoot the dance film in a fashion uncommon for such films, through close-ups and using jump cuts. Maddin also stayed close to the material of Stokers novel. Work on the film deepened but also ended Maddins collaboration with Deco Dawson, Maddin and Dawson had a falling out in the wake of the production and have not worked together again (Dawson nevertheless spoke kindly of Maddins following feature, The Saddest Music in the World. The film is not entirely monochromatic, since computer-generated special effects add bright, acidic colours to tint golden coins, green bank notes, in 1897, a visitor from the East, Count Dracula, arrives in London and is inadvertently invited into the home of Lucy Westenra. She is bitten by Dracula, and taken by his curse, Lucys behavior becomes more erratic leading her to bite her fiancé. Lucy is immediately put under the care of Dr. Van Helsing, Van Helsing does blood tests on Lucy and declares Vampyre. as the source of the problem, and puts Lucy to bed adorned with garlic. That night, Renfield, a patient who lives in the asylum next to Lucys home, escapes from confinement. Lucys mother awakens in the commotion, panicked by the demons, Lucys mother opens the door and inadvertently re-invites Dracula into the house. Both Lucy and her mother are killed in this incident and a procession takes place. The next day, Renfield is recaptured and placed back into the mental hospital, bizarre incidents begin to occur around the city with newspapers headlines proclaiming a Bloofer Lady who has been murdering infants. Renfield is interrogated and confesses that Dracula has brought Lucy back from the dead committing these deeds, Van Helsing and Lucys suitors go there and spy Dracula and the undead Lucy in a full romantic embrace. After Dracula leaves, Van Helsing declares, We must destroy the false Lucy so the one may live forever. When Van Helsing opens the Lucys coffin, Lucy rises out, Lucy is eventually subdued by a piercing stab from Jonathans long wooden stakes and a decapitation with a shovel by Van Helsing who then declares they must find and defeat the vampyre. Van Helsing and his men go to interrogate Renfield finding out that Draculas next plan is to attack Lucys best friend Mina, Mina, who is in a convent, aids her injured fiancé, Jonathon Harker. Harker had journeyed to Castle Dracula, where he had intended to finalize a land sale, upon arriving, Harker was ravaged by three Brides of Dracula, who overpowered him. Harker eventually finalized the deal for Dracula, and was imprisoned in the Castle. In the convent, Mina finds Jonathons diary and learns of his pleasures with the Brides of Dracula, with what she has discovered about Harker, Mina becomes progressively more sexually aggressive, which makes Harker nervous. Mina attempts to follow Harker but comes face to face with Dracula, in Castle Dracula, Dracula woos Mina, tempting her with offers of riches and eventually biting her on the neck, solidifying his curse
22.
The Company (film)
–
The Company is a 2003 drama film directed by Robert Altman and starring Neve Campbell, who co-wrote and co-produced the film. The film also stars Malcolm McDowell and James Franco and is set in the company of the Joffrey Ballet, the Company is composed of stories gathered from the dancers, choreographers, and staff of the Joffrey Ballet. Most of the roles are played by company members, the many company stories woven together express the dedication and hard work that dancers must put in to their art, although they are seldom rewarded with fame or fortune. The Company was an idea of Campbells for a long time — she began her career as a ballet dancer, Altman was initially reluctant to direct the film, reportedly remarking, Barbara, I read your script and I dont get it. Im just the guy for this. The director eventually relented, however, and The Company turned out to be his penultimate film, Neve Campbell and James Franco prepared for their roles as restaurant workers by training under Mickaël Blais, the chef of Marche, an upscale bistro in Chicago. Dance lighting for the Joffrey Ballet portions was composed by the lighting designer Kevin Dreyer. The film ultimately grossed $2,283,914 in North America and $4,117,776 in foreign markets, bringing its worldwide box office total to $6,401, the Company received a mostly positive response from critics. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times praised the film, awarding it 3 1⁄2 stars out of four, ed Gonzalez of Slant Magazine similarly declared it the best movie of 2003. The Company at the Internet Movie Database
23.
Joffrey Ballet
–
The Joffrey Ballet is a professional dance company resident in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The company regularly performs classical ballets, including Romeo & Juliet and The Nutcracker, and modern dance pieces. Many choreographers have worked with the Joffrey including Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, George Balanchine, founded as a touring company in 1956, it was based in New York City until 1995 when it moved to Chicago. The companys headquarters and dance academy are in Joffrey Tower, while Joffrey stayed in New York City to teach ballet classes and earn money to pay the dancers salaries, Arpino led the troupe. The ensemble first performed in a city in Chicago in 1957. The Joffrey Ballet originally settled down in New York City, under the name the Robert Joffrey Theatre Ballet, in 1962 modern choreographer Alvin Ailey was invited to make a work for the company. Rebekah Harkness was an important early benefactor and she made international touring possible, but in 1964 she and Joffrey parted ways. Joffrey started again, building up a new company made its debut in 1965 as the Joffrey Ballet. Following a successful season at the New York City Center in 1966, it was invited to become City Centers resident ballet company with Joffrey as artistic director, in 1973 Joffrey asked Twyla Tharp to create her first commissioned ballet, Deuce Coupe. The company continued as City Center Joffrey Ballet until 1977, from 1977, it performed as the Joffrey Ballet, with a second home established in Los Angeles from. In 1995, the company left New York City for Chicago to establish a permanent residence there, the first few years in Chicago were financially arduous for the company, nearly causing it to close several times, but audiences later became larger and younger. The Joffrey Ballet appeared in the motion picture Save the Last Dance and it was also the subject of Robert Altmans penultimate film, The Company. Malcolm McDowell played the companys artistic director, a character based on Gerald Arpino. The film is composed of stories gathered from the dancers, choreographers. Most of the roles are played by company members. In the Glee, character Mike Chang is given a scholarship to attend the Joffrey Academy of Dance in Chicago, in fall 1987 the Joffrey Ballet premiered a reconstructed version of Igor Stravinskys seminal ballet The Rite of Spring in the city of Los Angeles. The original ballet debuted in 1913 in Paris, France and was choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky, Dance experts Millicent Hodson and Kenneth Archer spent eighteen years gathering research on the original ballet in order to properly reconstruct it. Its repertoire consists of classical and contemporary pieces, as well as annual December performances of The Nutcracker, presented in conjunction with the Chicago Philharmonic
24.
Neve Campbell
–
Neve Adrianne Campbell is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her role as Sidney Prescott in the film series Scream. She got her start appearing in the Canadian television series Catwalk and she has starred in films such as The Craft, Wild Things, Panic, and The Company. Campbell was born in Guelph, Ontario and her mother, Marnie, is a yoga instructor and psychologist from Amsterdam. On her mothers side, Campbell descends from Sephardi Jews who immigrated to the Netherlands and she has stated, I am a practising Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if Im Jewish, I say yes. Campbell has three brothers, Christian, Alex, and Damian and her parents divorced when she was two years old. At age six, she saw a performance of The Nutcracker and decided she wanted to take ballet and she and her brother Christian lived mostly with their father, with regular periods at their mothers home until Campbell was nine years old. At that time, she moved into residence at the National Ballet School of Canada, training there and appearing in performances of The Nutcracker, ross Collegiate Vocational Institute in Guelph. Campbell appeared in a 1991 Coca-Cola commercial and promoted its sponsorship on Bryan Adams Waking Up the Nation Tour and her first starring role was as Daisy in the Canadian youth series Catwalk. She made several guest appearances on such as The Kids In The Hall, Are You Afraid of the Dark. and Kung Fu. Described as televisions most believable teenager, Campbell rose to fame in United States outside Canada after playing Julia Salinger in the American drama series Party of Five, the show won the Golden Globe Award for Best Drama in 1996. Campbells first widely released film was The Craft and she starred as Sidney Prescott in Scream, which was a huge success, earning over $173 million at the worldwide box office and winning critical acclaim. Her role has received significant critical praise throughout the Scream series, the film was followed by three sequels, all of which were also successful, with Scream 2 earning over $170 million, Scream 3 over $160 million, and Scream 4 over $97 million. Campbell won the MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance for Scream 2, in his review of Scream 3, Roger Ebert wrote, The camera loves her. She could become a big star and then giggle at clips from this film at her AFI tribute. Campbell appeared in Wild Things and 54, both of which were moderately successful and she also voiced Kiara in the Disney animated direct-to-video musical film sequel, The Lion King II, Simbas Pride. In 2002, she starred in Last Call with Sissy Spacek and Jeremy Irons, in Leonard Maltins Movie Guide, the film critic describes it as an Unlikable film. Crammed with coldhearted characters who are obsessed with big bucks, sleazy sex, in March 2006, Campbell made her West End theatre debut, in a version of Arthur Millers Resurrection Blues at the Old Vic theatre
25.
James Franco
–
James Edward Franco is an American actor and filmmaker known for his work in both comedic and dramatic films and TV shows. For his role in 127 Hours, Franco was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor and he also portrayed the title character in the TV biographical film James Dean, for which he won a Golden Globe Award. He had recurring roles on the soap opera General Hospital and sitcom Angie Tribeca and he will star in the David Simon-created HBO drama The Deuce in 2017. Franco volunteers for the Art of Elysium charity, and has taught film classes at New York University, the University of Southern California, UCLA, Studio 4. Franco was born in Palo Alto, California and his mother, Betsy Lou, is a writer and occasional actress, and his father, Douglas Eugene Doug Franco, ran a Silicon Valley business. The two met as students at Stanford University, Francos father was of Portuguese and Swedish descent. Francos mother is Jewish, from a family of Russian Jewish ancestry and his maternal grandfather, Daniel, had changed the family surname from Verovitz to Verne some time after 1940. Francos paternal grandmother, Marjorie Franco, is an author of young adult books. Francos maternal grandmother, Mitzie Verne, owned the Verne Art Gallery, a prominent art gallery in Cleveland, Francos family upbringing was academic, liberal, and largely secular. He grew up in California with his two brothers, Tom and Dave, a math whiz, Franco interned at Lockheed Martin. He was often encouraged by his father to get good grades and he graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1996, where he acted in plays. This led to him attending CSSSA in 1998 for theatre, in his high school years, Franco was arrested for underage drinking, graffiti, and for being a part of a group that stole designer fragrances from department stores and sold them to classmates. These arrests led to his becoming a ward of the state. Facing the possibility of juvenile hall, Franco was given a chance by the judge. I was uncomfortable in my own skin, I changed my ways just in time to get good grades, he recalled of his troubles with the law. Although the idea of becoming a marine zoologist interested him, Franco had always wanted to become an actor. Franco instead chose to take acting lessons with Robert Carnegie at the Playhouse West, around this time, Franco took up a late-night job at McDonalds to support himself because his parents refused to do so. He was a vegetarian until working there, while working at the establishment, he would practice accents on customers, an experience he remembered nostalgically in a 2015 Washington Post editorial
26.
Wishing Stairs
–
Wishing Stairs is a 2003 South Korean horror film. Yun Jin-sung and Kim So-hees life are best friends studying ballet at an art school. However, their friendship turns sour when they find themselves competing for a single spot in a Russian ballet school. Curious, Jin-sung does climb the stairs and comes across the twenty ninth, to her surprise and anger later on, So-hee is selected instead. When So-hee confronts her on this, Jin-sung declares her hatred towards her best friend, So-hee is left unconsciousness and hospitalized. Jin-sung visits So-hee in the hospital and learns indirectly that she is no longer able to study ballet during an argument with her due to her injuries from the fall. Jin-sung tries to apologize towards her friend for what happened, but receives no reply, during the next day, she learns from another student in class that So-hee had committed suicide by jumping out of her hospital room to her death, causing her to faint as a result. Later on, she climbs the steps outside the dormitory too, as Yun-ji has finished up a sculpting project in a storage room within the schools basement, she is soon confronted by the possessed Hye-ju and is made fun of by smelling weird. The possessed Hye-ju questions as to why she must be always be bullied by her, as Jin-Sung enters the room to gather supplies, she is encountered by Hye-ju as well, who tries to convince her that she is So-hee. After coming across Yun-jis corpse, Jin-sung is convinced that Hye-ju is insane and tries to get away from her, after hearing So-hees voice in Hye-ju stating that their friendship will end, Jin-sung is able to leave. The spirit of So-hee then apparently makes Hye-ju light a match and toss it over the spilled oil, while Jin-sung is preparing to leave for the ballet school, she is again haunted by So-hee within her dorm room and throughout the school several times. Unable to endure the spirits presence any further, she tries to climb the stairs again in order to wish her away. Before she could reach the top, So-hee calls out to her, then holds her arms around her stomach as Jin-sung confesses that she didnt hate her, after letting her friends now-lifeless body fall to the bottom of the stairs, the spirit vanishes. Some time later, a new girl moves into the dorm room that Jin-sung once occupied. As she moves her stuff around, a picture with Jin-sung, within it, So-hees irises on her eyes disappear, implying that she still remains. When So-hees spirit is wished back, Jin-sung is haunted by So-hees ghost, as in the two previous movies, this film has strong themes of friendship, betrayal, and the taboo of lesbian affairs in an all-girls school. Whispering Corridors 3, Wishing Stairs at the Internet Movie Database Wishing Stairs at HanCinema
27.
Flying Boys
–
Flying Boys is a 2004 South Korean film, written and directed by Byun Young-joo, and starring Yoon Kye-sang and Kim Min-jung. The film had 114,478 admissions in South Korea, min-jae is a high school senior who lives with his father, an airline pilot, and is struggling with his studies. For some time he has had a crush on Su-jin, a girl his own age who lives in the apartment building. Su-jin, meanwhile, is frustrated with her life and keen to get away. She plans to become a veterinarian, even though she is no good with animals, min-jae and Su-jin are unexpectedly thrown together when they are both pressured into joining a local ballet class. As time passes they get to each other, as well as the other oddball characters who make up the rest of the class. org
28.
Dancing with Time
–
Dancing with Time is a film by Trevor Peters about the autobiography Dance Theater Zeit – tanzen seit 1927 by Heike Hennig. Four dancers, nearing their eighties, take up the challenge of Heike Hennig to return to the stage in Leipzig’s opera house, ursula Cain, Christa Franze, Siegfried Prölß and Horst Dittmann have been leading members of the Ballet of the Oper Leipzig. A performance of emotional richness combined with the stories of their lives, from Mary Wigman, nothing about them is old, except their age. Dancing with Time was produced as film for TV and movie-theaters, as DVD and as book by Marion Appelt, with a preface of Renate Schmidt. Jureks Zeit, Kalumbo, Something in the Park, Give me that old Time Religion, Darek Lee Ragin & The New World Ensemble-Chamber Choir Brandenburgische Konzerte, G-dur, Allegro Symphony No. ja
29.
Heike Hennig
–
Heike Hennig is a German dancer, choreographer and director of the opera and dance ensemble Heike Hennig & Co. Heike Hennig had her first dance lessons at the age of 5 years in Leipzig, following that, Heike Hennig worked in Brazil and Portugal. In 1995, Heike Hennig came back to Germany, from 1998 onwards, she worked as a freelance choreographer and teacher. In 2000, Heike Hennig founded the FZTM in Leipzig, together with Friedrich U, minkus, and her ensemble Heike Hennig & Co. As director she developed numerous pieces and interdisciplinary art projects at many different stages and art institutions in Leipzig, Berlin, Dresden and Weimar. Her team consists of more than 50 artists working in different genres from architects to video artists, at the Leipzig opera, Heike Hennig developed the dance piece Zeit – tanzen seit 1927 in 2005. This autobiographical dance theater was produced in 2007 as the documentary Tanz mit der Zeit Dancing with Time by the film director Trevor Peters from New Zealand, the film was co-produced with the national German TV-channel ZDF and the French-German TV-channel ARTE. In 2008, the piece was shown in German movie theaters, on TV, Heike Hennig arranged for the former dancers of the Leipzig opera to return on stage. During the shooting, the dance piece Zeitsprünge was created. Here, the meet up with their younger colleagues in the ensemble Heike Hennig & Co. The different generations might be recognized from the various dance-styles from Expressionist dance via Street dance, in spring 2008, Dancing with Time came out as DVD and a book by the author Marion Appelt with a preface by Renate Schmidt. For the 2007/08 season, Heike Hennig developed the cross-genre series oper unplugged with music, dance, theater, at the season 2008/09 the cooperation with the baroque ensemble Lautten Compagney Berlin started. The highlight in 2010 was “Maria” by Heike Hennig, an oratorio for three singers, seven dancers, twelve musicians and one DJ on the stage. All artists are part of the choreography with music by George Frideric Handel, Alessandro Scarlatti, Heike Hennig & Co went on tour through Europe with her cross-genre pieces. On juries and artistic advisory councils, Heike Hennig makes efforts to support contemporary performing art, since 2010, Heike Hennig has taught at the Zurich University of the Arts
30.
Leipzig Opera
–
The Leipzig Opera is an opera house and opera company located at the Augustusplatz in Leipzig, Germany. The Leipzig Opera traces its establishment to the year 1693, making it the third oldest opera venue in Europe after La Fenice, the director of many of those early operas at the original Opernhaus auf dem Brühl was Telemann. The Leipzig Opera does not have its own opera orchestra – the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra performs as its orchestra and this relationship began in 1766 with performances of the Singspiel Die verwandelten Weiber, oder Der Teufel ist los by Johann Adam Hiller. The previous theater was inaugurated on 28 January 1868 with Jubilee Overture by Carl Maria von Weber, from 1886 to 1888, Gustav Mahler was the second conductor, Arthur Nikisch was his superior. During an air raid in the night of 3 December 1943, part of the bombing of Leipzig in World War II, construction of the modern opera house began in 1956. The theater was inaugurated on 8 October 1960 with a performance of Wagners Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, since 2009, Ulf Schirmer is the Generalmusikdirektor, he was elected artistic director in 2011 for a five-year term. Oper Leipzigs website Interview with Damien Diaz, Principal Dancer under Uwe Scholz
31.
Ballet Shoes (film)
–
Ballet Shoes is a 2007 British television film, adapted by Heidi Thomas from Noel Streatfeilds 1936 novel Ballet Shoes. It was produced by Granada Productions and premiered on BBC One on 26 December 2007 and it is directed by Sandra Goldbacher. A previous adaptation of Ballet Shoes was produced in serial format by the BBC in 1975, Ballet Shoes co-stars former Harry Potter stars Emma Watson as Pauline Fossil, Gemma Jones as Dr. Jakes, and the late Richard Griffiths as Gum. A practical young orphan, Sylvia Brown, and her stern nurse Nana come to live at her uncle Gums house in London, Gum is a paleontologist and is reluctant to take his niece in, but relents when he learns that he is her only living relative. Gum is away a lot on travels collecting fossils, but he sends Sylvia letters and presents, years later Sylvia is now grown up and still living with Gum and Nana. Gum brings her back a baby girl, who has been rescued from RMS Titanic after her parents drown when the ship hit an iceberg. When Pauline is two years old, Gum adopts another orphan that he found, a Russian baby girl called Petrova, Petrovas biological parents are tragically killed. In 1923, Gum adopts a baby, Posy, with ballet shoes that her mother owned. In a letter Gum explains that Posys father died and her mother doesnt have time to care for her daughter and he also left some money in the bank for Sylvia, enough to last five years. That is the last the family hears of him, during The Great Depression Pauline and Petrova go to school at Cromwell House, but Sylvia cant afford to send Posy. As Gums money runs out, Sylvia has to take out Pauline, Pauline, Petrova and Posy are inspired by the professors to put their names in the history books giving service to their country. They vow to do that, and repeat the vow every Christmas, Theo tells Sylvia to let the girls train at The Childrens Academy of Dancing and Stage Training, a stage school. Sylvia and Nana refuse, but after talking with Theo, Dr. Smith, meanwhile, Dr. Smith and Dr. Jakes start to teach Pauline, Petrova, and Posy. Soon Pauline is old enough to act on stage and audition for the role of Alice in Alice in Wonderland and she loans Gums necklaces to Mr. Simpson for money for a frock to wear, and will pay him back with her wages. Pauline gets the part, and does well as Alice. She gives thirty shillings to Sylvia for housekeeping money, but the role goes to Paulines head and shes rude to Winifred, her understudy. Pauline ends up losing her temper at Mr. French, the director, and since shes been rude Pauline is kicked out of the play, Posy, noticed by Madame Fidolia, the owner of the school, is very talented at ballet. Madame Fidolia now teaches her classical ballet only, however Petrova hates dancing and would much rather work with cars and fly planes
32.
Mao's Last Dancer (film)
–
Maos Last Dancer is a 2009 Australian film based on professional dancer Li Cunxins autobiography of the same name. Li Cunxin is portrayed by Birmingham Royal Ballet Principal Dancer Chi Cao, Australian Ballet dancer Chengwu Guo, the film also stars Bruce Greenwood, Kyle MacLachlan, Joan Chen, Wang Shuangbao and Amanda Schull. The film premiered on 13 September 2009, at the Toronto International Film Festival, general release in Australia and New Zealand began on 1 October 2009. It began screening in the United States on 33 screens in August 2010, in the era of Maos Cultural Revolution, 11-year-old Chinese boy Li Cunxin resides in a rural village commune in Shandong Province, destined to labour in the fields. As often occurred in times, government officials fanning out across the nation seeking young candidates for centralized training arrive at this school. Forwarded to a Beijing audition for a place in Madame Maos Dance Academy, he is admitted for ballet training based on a series of physique, years of arduous training follow, Li surpassing his initial lukewarm interest and mediocre performance after inspiration from senior teacher Chan. Lis determined courage garners a formerly disparaging teacher to influence the Academy to allow him the opportunity for a stay in the United States. Lis encounters with US life cause questioning of the Chinese Communist Party dictates upon which he has been raised, quickly attracting the attention of the local ballet scene, Li together with Stevenson requests a time extension in America, but the Chinese government refuses. Overwhelmed by the opportunities offered in America and in love with Mackey, with legal advice that the Chinese government would recognize certain residence rights arising from an international marriage, Li and Mackey rush into a marriage. To declare personal responsibility for his decision and hopefully avoid consequences for his family and Stevenson, the Chinese resident diplomat forcibly detains Li in an attempt to coerce his return to China. Unknown to Li, the situation quickly evolves when the media, when Li perseveres in his refusal to repatriate, the Chinese Government agrees to release him but revokes his citizenship and declares he can never return to the land of his birth. Li and Elizabeth are set to depart for Florida but Li is persuaded to stay by Stevenson for his ballet company, dooming Elizabeths prospects of dancing success. Burdened by this, plus concerned for and unable to communicate with his family, Cunxin continues to excel as a dancer, Li is eventually granted permission to visit China. Li and McKendry give an impromptu outdoor ballet performance to the villages uproarious cheer, closing credits announce that, Li Cunxin danced in China with the Houston Ballet in 1995, a performance broadcast to an audience of over 500 million people. He and Mary McKendry now live in Australia with their three children, ben Stevenson left the Houston Ballet after 27 years as Artistic Director. Acclaimed as one of the world’s leading choreographers, he is now Artistic Director of the Texas Ballet Theater, charles C. Foster still practices law in Houston. He is recognized internationally as an authority on Immigration Law, Elizabeth Mackey danced with the Oklahoma Ballet for some years. She is now a speech therapist, working mainly with children, the score utilises a standard Western orchestra, with the addition of a number of Chinese instruments
33.
Black Swan (film)
–
The plot revolves around a production of Tchaikovskys Swan Lake ballet by a prestigious New York City company. Nina is overwhelmed by a feeling of pressure when she finds herself competing for the part, causing her to lose her tenuous grip on reality. Aronofsky cites Fyodor Dostoyevskys The Double as another inspiration for the film, the director also considered Black Swan a companion piece to his 2008 film The Wrestler, with both films involving demanding performances for different kinds of art. He and Portman first discussed the project in 2000, and after an attachment to Universal Studios. Portman and Kunis trained in ballet for several months prior to filming, the film premiered as the opening film for the 67th Venice International Film Festival on September 1,2010. It had a release in the United States starting December 3,2010. Black Swan received critical praise upon its release, particularly for Portmans performance and Aronofskys direction, the film received five Academy Award nominations and Portman won Best Actress for the film, as well as many other Best Actress awards in several guilds and festivals. In addition, Aronofsky was nominated for Best Director and the film was nominated for Best Picture. It is the horror film to be nominated in the Best Picture category, following The Exorcist in 1973, Jaws in 1975, The Silence of the Lambs in 1991. Nina Sayers is a dancer in a New York ballet company. Nina lives in New York City with her mother, Erica. The company is preparing to open the season with Swan Lake, the director, Thomas Leroy, is looking for a new principal dancer after forcing Beth Macintyre into retirement. Thomas wants the ballerina to portray the innocent, fragile White Swan as well as her mysterious, sensual twin. Nina auditions for the part, performing flawlessly as the White Swan, upset, Nina approaches Thomas and asks him to reconsider her as the lead role. Thomas forcibly kisses Nina, and she displays a change of character and bites him, Nina begins to witness strange happenings, and her mother finds scratches on Ninas back. An intoxicated Beth angrily confronts Thomas and Nina, Nina is worried that Beths fate will eventually befall her, too, but she stays quiet. Thomas tells Nina she needs to give herself to the sensuality of the Black Swan and he tells her to go home and masturbate, which she does. The next day, Nina finds out that Beth was seriously injured in a car accident, Nina realizes Beth will never dance again, and tearfully unpacks her belongings in Beths former dressing room
34.
Tutu Much
–
Tutu Much, stylised as TuTuMUCH, is a 2010 Canadian documentary film that focuses on the 9- to 12-year-old entering class of the Royal Winnipeg Ballets Summer School Program. It is produced by Ballet Girls Inc, a co-production between Merit Motion Pictures and Vonnie VON HELMOLT Films and it is directed by Elise Swerhone. The Royal Winnipeg Ballets Summer School Program is the first step to beginning a career as a ballet dancer. But that doesnt mean that its easy,9 young girls come from all over the world to enter the program, knowing that if they dont get in by a certain age, it will be far too late to become a ballerina. A dancer can try her hardest but not make it into the stage just based on her physical musculature. Those that do make it face a difficult decision - spend their childhood and teen years away from their families and focusing on the strains of ballet training. Official website Tutu Much at the Internet Movie Database Winnipeg Sun review The Star review Cineplex synopsis Hoyts synopsis
35.
Dance Academy
–
Dance Academy is an Australian teen-oriented television drama produced by Werner Film Productions in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and ZDF. Series one premiered on 31 May 2010, and series two began airing on 12 March 2012, series three premiered on ABC3 on 8 July 2013 in Australia. A film sequel to the series, Dance Academy, The Movie. Throughout the series, she learns to better her ballet technique, as well as contemporary ballet and hip-hop dance, while creating lifelong friendships. In the first series, Tara soon befriends fellow students Kat and Ethan Karamakov, Sammy Lieberman, Abigail Armstrong and Christian Reed, as well as eventually getting to know her teacher Ms. Raine. Series two saw Tara return to the Academy for her year with the hope of representing Australia in an international ballet competition. This series introduced characters Grace Whitney, Ben Tickle, Ollie Lloyd, and Saskia Duncan, series three followed the characters as third years at the Academy, competing for a contract with the dance company to become principal dancers. After the temporary contracts have been established, the years go on tour for Romeo. As of August 2012, airing rights to Dance Academy have been sold to 180 territories, casting for series one began in early 2009 in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. All cast members had to be skilled in drama and dancing and had to cope with Australias best choreographers, filming began on 13 July 2009 and wrapped up in early November. The series premiere was planned for a mid-2010 premiere on ABC3, however, like Dead Gorgeous. The first series premiered on Germanys ZDF on 26 September 2010, production of series two was officially green-lit by ABC and ZDF on 2 July 2010. Casting calls were issued on 14 September 2010, and principal photography in Sydney took place between 31 January and 4 August 2011, series two premiered on ABC3 on 12 March 2012 and ran for 26 episodes, airing each week from Monday through Thursday, ending on 24 April. Screen Australia approved investment funding for a series of 13 episodes on 5 December 2011. Filming began 27 August 2012, ended filming 27 November 2012, on 5 June 2013, Alicia Banit and Thomas Lacey appeared on ABC3s Studio 3 to announce the series 3 premiere on 8 July 2013. On 22 April 2015 a feature film adaption of Dance Academy was announced along with feature film projects to have received funding from Screen Australia. The film is a sequel to the series, set 18 months after the events of series three, and follows Taras journey as she pursues her dream to become a ballerina star. Pre-production for the film, then titled Dance Academy, The Comeback, shooting for the film began on 29 May 2016, and wrapped on 22 July
36.
Bunheads
–
Bunheads is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and Lamar Damon, that aired on ABC Family from June 11,2012 to February 25,2013. Starring Sutton Foster, the show centers on a Las Vegas showgirl who gets married on a whim, on July 22,2013, ABC Family canceled the series after one season. Bunheads is the tale of Michelle Simms, a former ballerina bunhead who wound up as a Las Vegas showgirl, Alex Borstein, who played Drella the harpist and Miss Celine, as Michelles landlord in episode 1 and as Carls Mother in episode 12. Alex Ko, who played Alex, a dancer in episode 3, michael DeLuise, who played TJ, as the magician Jo Jo Deline in episode 11. Sean Gunn, who played Kirk Gleason, as the over-zealous barista Bash in episodes 9 and 17, chris Eigeman, who played Jason Stiles, as actor/director Conor in episode 8. Todd Lowe, who played Zach van Gerbig, as the one-eyed plumber Davis in episode 7, biff Yeager, who played Tom the contractor, as Bob the hardware store owner in episodes 4 and 15. Linda Porter, who played Fran Westin, as Sashas neighbor Mrs. Weidemeyer in episode 15, jon Polito, who played Pete, owner of Petes Pizza, as Sal Russano in episodes 5,9, and 16. Bunheads first appeared on the development slate at ABC Family in September 2010, under the title Strut, Lamar Damon wrote the script, and production was originally expected to begin in fall 2010. In September 2011, it was reported that the series was being retooled by Amy Sherman-Palladino, the series was given a pilot order under the new name Bunheads. On September 28,2011, it was announced that Broadway star Sutton Foster was set to star in the role as Michelle. Filming took place in November with creator Amy Sherman-Palladino writing and directing, on February 11,2012, ABC Family ordered the pilot to series with a ten episode order. Following shortly, on February 15,2012, it was announced that Kelly Bishop would join the playing the recurring role of Fanny Flowers. It was announced on June 9,2012, that singer-songwriter, on August 17,2012, Bunheads received a renewal for the back end of the first season. Bunheads returned on January 7,2013, after Switched at Birth, on June 4,2013, it was announced that Bunheads was one of 31 selected productions to receive California’s Film and Television Tax Credit. Earning $5.82 million, the money would help fund a second season should the show be renewed, on July 4,2013, it was announced that the sets were torn down, leading some reporters to speculate that the show would be canceled. ABC Family later confirmed that it was cancelled on July 22,2013. Critics have given a positive reception to the show, specifically praising Amy Sherman-Palladinos distinct writing. Robert Lloyd of Los Angeles Times thinks ABC Familys Bunheads a cute summer treat, Amy Sherman-Palladino strikes again with that Gilmore Girls charm in Bunheads, with Tony-winning Sutton Foster as a former showgirl mentoring budding ballerinas
37.
First Position
–
First Position is a 2011 American documentary film. It follows six young dancers preparing for the Youth America Grand Prix in New York City, the title First Position is taken from one of the five standard placements of the feet in classical ballet. Kargman was a director who had studied dance herself. The film garnered acclaim, receiving a rating of 93% on the website Rotten Tomatoes. Manohla Dargis of The New York Times praised the film as creating portraits of children whose dedication to their art is by turns inspiring, daunting and, at times. The films takings were $48,024 on its opening weekend in the first weekend of May, as of 24 June 2012, the film has grossed $894,471 in the United States. Official website First Position at the Internet Movie Database
38.
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
–
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is an American biographical musical comedy, released in 1939 and directed by H. C. The film stars Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edna May Oliver, the movie is based on the stories My Husband and My Memories of Vernon Castle, by Irene Castle. The movie was adapted by Oscar Hammerstein II, Dorothy Yost, the film tells of novice American dancer Irene Foote who convinces New York-based British vaudeville comic Vernon Castle to give up slapstick comedy in favor of sophisticated ballroom dancing. Their big break comes when they are stranded in Paris, along with their friend Walter Ashe and they catch the eye of influential agent Maggie Sutton, who arranges a tryout for them at the prestigious Café de Paris, where they become an overnight sensation. After taking Europe by storm, the Castles return to the United States and their fame and fortune rises to unprecedented heights in the immediate pre-World War I years. When World War I starts, Vernon returns to Britain and joins the Royal Flying Corps, however, Vernon is killed in a training accident, leaving Irene to carry on alone. Irene Castle acted as advisor to this film, and constantly disagreed with the director as to details of costuming, when informed that white actor Walter Brennan was to play the part of faithful servant Walter, she was dumbfounded, the real Walter was black. The film was popular in the US, making $1,120,000, however, due to high costs RKO accounts recorded the movie as losing $50,000
39.
Vernon and Irene Castle
–
Vernon and Irene Castle were a husband-and-wife team of ballroom dancers and dance teachers who appeared on Broadway and in silent films early in the early 20th century. They are credited with reviving the popularity of modern dancing, Castle was a stage name, Vernon was born William Vernon Blyth in Norwich, Norfolk, England. Irene was born Irene Foote in New Rochelle, New York, the couple reached the peak of their popularity in Irving Berlins first Broadway show, Watch Your Step, in which they refined and popularized the Foxtrot. They also helped to promote ragtime, jazz rhythms and African-American music for dance, Irene became a fashion icon through her appearances on stage and in early movies, and both Castles were in demand as teachers and writers on dance. After serving with distinction as a pilot in the British Royal Flying Corps during World War I, Irene continued to perform solo in Broadway, vaudeville and motion picture productions over the next decade. She remarried three times, had children and became an animal-rights activist, in 1939, her life with Vernon was dramatized in The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle. Vernon, the son of a pub owner, was raised in Norwich and he moved to New York in 1906 with his sister, Coralie Blythe, and her husband Lawrence Grossmith, both established actors. There he was given a part on stage by Lew Fields, which led to further acting work. Irene was born on 17 April 1893 in New Rochelle, New York and she studied dancing and performed in several amateur theatricals before meeting Vernon Castle at the New Rochelle Rowing Club in 1910. With his help, she was hired for her first professional job, on May 28,1911 in New Rochelle, New York, over her father’s objections, the two were married. The English-born Vernon had already established himself as a dancer in comedic roles and his specialty was playing a gentleman drunk, who elegantly fell about the stage while trying to hide his condition. After their marriage, Irene joined Vernon in The Hen-Pecks, a production in which he was a featured player, the two then traveled together to Paris to perform in a dance revue. The show closed quickly, but the couple was hired as a dance act by the Café de Paris. They performed the latest American ragtime dances, such as the Turkey Trot, the Castles were soon the rage of Parisian society, their success was widely reported in the United States, preparing their way for a triumphant return to New York in 1912. When they returned to the U. S. their success was repeated on a far wider scale and they also became staples of Broadway. Among their shows were The Sunshine Girl and Watch Your Step, in this extravaganza, the couple refined and popularized the Foxtrot. After its New York run, Watch Your Step toured through 1916. In 1914, the opened a dancing school in New York called Castle House, a nightclub called Castles by the Sea on the Boardwalk in Long Beach, New York
40.
Roseland (film)
–
Roseland is a 1977 Merchant Ivory Productions anthology film with a screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. It was directed by James Ivory and produced by Ismail Merchant, the film is made up of three connected short features, The Waltz, The Hustle and The Peabody. All three stories share a theme of the protagonists trying to find the dance partner. At Roseland, a lady, May, with a light step. Stan, an older man steers May to brandy alexanders. Pauline is a widow with the means to pay for the services of a younger gigolo, Russell and share champagne with her Roseland friends, the dance teacher Cleo. Both Marilyn and Cleo fail to break Russells attachment to the lifestyle that Pauline provides, rosa, a former Schraffts cook and wannabe dance superstar makes it her mission to win the peabody prize with her older partner, Arthur who is desperate to marry her. The vignettes are also based on true stories. Filming took place almost entirely in the Roseland Ballroom, the Washington Post explained that the film shows what is mostly the sadness and faded dreams of dancers who look like they were around the day the doors first opened. The review praised how Ivory effectively uses three romantic vignettes as well as the realistic dialogue, Merchant Ivory Roseland at the Internet Movie Database
41.
Waltz
–
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple time, performed primarily in closed position. There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the waltz that date from 16th century Europe, the French philosopher Montaigne wrote of a dance he saw in 1580 in Augsburg, where the dancers held each other so closely that their faces touched. Kunz Haas wrote, Now they are dancing the godless Weller or Spinner, the peasants of Bavaria, Tyrol, and Styria began dancing a dance called Walzer, a dance for couples, around 1750. The Ländler, also known as the Schleifer, a dance in 34 time, was popular in Bohemia, Austria, and Bavaria. While the eighteenth century upper classes continued to dance the minuet, describing life in Vienna, Don Curzio wrote, The people were dancing mad. The ladies of Vienna are particularly celebrated for their grace and movements of waltzing of which they never tire, there is a waltz in the second act finale of the opera Una Cosa Rara written by Martin y Soler in 1786. Solers waltz was marked Andante con moto, or at a pace with motion, but the flow of the dance was sped-up in Vienna leading to the Geschwindwalzer. In the transition from country to town, the hopping of the Ländler, a known as Langaus, became a sliding step. In the 19th century, the word primarily indicated that the dance was a one, one would waltz in the polka to indicate rotating rather than going straight forward without turning. The Viennese custom is to anticipate the second beat of each measure, making it sound as if the third is late. The metronome speed for a full bar varies between 60 and 70, with the waltzes of the first Strauss often played faster than those of his sons. Shocking many when it was first introduced, the waltz became fashionable in Vienna around the 1780s, according to contemporary singer Michael Kelly, it reached England in 1791. During the Napoleonic Wars, infantry soldiers of the Kings German Legion introduced the dance to the people of Bexhill and it became fashionable in Britain during the Regency period, having been made respectable by the endorsement of Dorothea Lieven, wife of the Russian ambassador. Diarist Thomas Raikes later recounted that No event ever produced so great a sensation in English society as the introduction of the waltz in 1813, in the same year, a sardonic tribute to the dance by Lord Byron was anonymously published. Influential dance master and author of manuals, Thomas Wilson published A Description of the Correct Method of Waltzing in 1816. Come, its time to be going home, the waltz, and especially its closed position, became the example for the creation of many other ballroom dances. Subsequently, new types of waltz have developed, including many folk and it incorporated hesitations and was danced to fast music. A hesitation is basically a halt on the foot during the full waltz measure
42.
Roseland Ballroom
–
The Roseland Ballroom was a multipurpose hall, in a converted ice skating rink, with a colorful ballroom dancing pedigree, in New York Citys theater district, on West 52nd Street in Manhattan. It was also known as the place American singer Fiona Apple broke down during a concert in 2000, the rear of the venue faced West 53rd Street and the Ed Sullivan Theater. On October 18,2013, it was announced that the venue would close on April 7,2014, Lady Gaga completed a short residency as the last performer before the Roseland Ballroom closed. Roseland was founded initially in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1917 by Louis Brecker with financing by Frank Yuengling of the D. G. Yuengling & Son beer family. It was a whites only dance club called the home of refined dancing, famed for the society orchestra groups that there, starting with Sam Lanin. The all-white, ballroom-dancing atmosphere of the club gradually changed with the ascendance in popularity of hot jazz, pirons New Orleans Jazz Orchestra played the ballroom in 1924. The Fletcher Henderson band played at Roseland in the 1920s and 1930s, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, and Chick Webb followed with their orchestras. Other major-name bandleaders who played the venue included Vincent Lopez, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, many big-band performances were broadcast live from Roseland by radio networks, recordings survive of several NBC broadcasts of 1940, featuring the young Ella Fitzgerald fronting the Chick Webb band. As the club grew older, Brecker attempted to formalize the dancing more by having hostesses dance for 11¢ a dance or $1.50 a half-hour, with tuxedoed bouncers keeping order. It was to work its way into stories by Ring Lardner, Sherwood Anderson, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and John OHara, as well as a Doonesbury storyline featuring Alice Schwarzman and Phil Slackmeyer. The original New York Roseland was torn down in 1956 and it moved to its new venue on West 52nd and it had been built in 1922 at a cost of $800,000 by the Iceland ice-skating franchise. A thousand skaters showed up on opening night at the 80-by-200-foot rink on November 29,1922, Iceland went bankrupt in 1932 and the rink opened as the Gay Blades Ice Rink. Brecker took it over in the 1950s and converted it to roller-skating, time magazine described the new Roselands opening interior as a purple-and-cerise tentlike décor that creates a definite harem effect. Brecker attempted to maintain its ballroom dancing style, banning rock and roll, in 1974 Brecker told The New York Times, Cheek-to-cheek dancing, thats what this place is all about. Brecker sold the building in 1981 to Albert Ginsberg, under the new owners the Roseland began regularly scheduled disco nights, which gave rise to a period when it was considered a dangerous venue and neighborhood menace. In 1984, a teenager was shot to death on the dance floor, in 1990, after Utah tourist Brian Watkins was killed in the subway, four of the eight suspects were found partying at Roseland. As a result, Roseland discontinued the disco nights and its low-rise three-story structure on top of the quarter-acre dance floor in the middle of midtown Manhattan has stirred concerns over its being torn down for redevelopment. In 1996, a new owner, Laurence Ginsberg, filed plans to tear down the venue and replace it with a 42-story, a spokesman for Ginsberg said the filing was to beat a deadline for new, more stringent earthquake codes, which went into effect earlier in 1996
43.
New York City
–
The City of New York, often called New York City or simply New York, is the most populous city in the United States. With an estimated 2015 population of 8,550,405 distributed over an area of about 302.6 square miles. Located at the tip of the state of New York. Home to the headquarters of the United Nations, New York is an important center for international diplomacy and has described as the cultural and financial capital of the world. Situated on one of the worlds largest natural harbors, New York City consists of five boroughs, the five boroughs – Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, The Bronx, and Staten Island – were consolidated into a single city in 1898. In 2013, the MSA produced a gross metropolitan product of nearly US$1.39 trillion, in 2012, the CSA generated a GMP of over US$1.55 trillion. NYCs MSA and CSA GDP are higher than all but 11 and 12 countries, New York City traces its origin to its 1624 founding in Lower Manhattan as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic and was named New Amsterdam in 1626. The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother, New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790. It has been the countrys largest city since 1790, the Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to the Americas by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a symbol of the United States and its democracy. In the 21st century, New York has emerged as a node of creativity and entrepreneurship, social tolerance. Several sources have ranked New York the most photographed city in the world, the names of many of the citys bridges, tapered skyscrapers, and parks are known around the world. Manhattans real estate market is among the most expensive in the world, Manhattans Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere, with multiple signature Chinatowns developing across the city. Providing continuous 24/7 service, the New York City Subway is one of the most extensive metro systems worldwide, with 472 stations in operation. Over 120 colleges and universities are located in New York City, including Columbia University, New York University, and Rockefeller University, during the Wisconsinan glaciation, the New York City region was situated at the edge of a large ice sheet over 1,000 feet in depth. The ice sheet scraped away large amounts of soil, leaving the bedrock that serves as the foundation for much of New York City today. Later on, movement of the ice sheet would contribute to the separation of what are now Long Island and Staten Island. The first documented visit by a European was in 1524 by Giovanni da Verrazzano, a Florentine explorer in the service of the French crown and he claimed the area for France and named it Nouvelle Angoulême. Heavy ice kept him from further exploration, and he returned to Spain in August and he proceeded to sail up what the Dutch would name the North River, named first by Hudson as the Mauritius after Maurice, Prince of Orange
44.
Strictly Ballroom
–
Strictly Ballroom is a 1992 Australian romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. The film, which was Luhrmanns first, is the first in his The Red Curtain Trilogy of theatre-motif-related films, it was followed by Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge. Strictly Ballroom is based on an acclaimed stage play originally set up in 1984 by Luhrmann. He agreed on the condition that he would also get to direct it, Scotts steps are not strictly ballroom. Scott comes from a family with a history of dancing and has been training since childhood. Scotts mother Shirley teaches ballroom dancing, and his father Doug meekly handles maintenance chores at the dance studio, Scott is initially sceptical, but when Fran introduces pasodoble steps into their routine, Scott realises her potential. He walks her home one night and finds her Spanish family living in a home next to the railway tracks. As their rehearsals progress, Fran grows more attractive and self-confident, a few days before the Pan-Pacifics, Frans family decide they are ready to dance pasodoble. Scott and Fran are walking together and talking until they kiss, according to Barry losing the contest left Doug a broken man, sustained by the hope that one day his son would learn from his fathers mistakes and win the Grand Prix. Scott is convinced to dance with Liz instead of Fran so he can win for his fathers sake, however, this is later revealed as a lie, part of Barrys plot to fix the competition so Scott and Liz will lose. Scott starts training with Liz, while a heart-broken Fran goes back to the beginners class, at the Pan-Pacific Grand Prix, Scotts friend Wayne Burns and his partner Vanessa Cronin overhear Fife talking to Ken and his partner Tina Sparkle saying that they will win no matter what. Wayne tells Les Kendall who then confronts Fife about it, after hearing his fathers revelation, Scott finds Fran and asks her to dance with him. Fife tries to cut the music and stop them from dancing but Scotts sister Kylie and her partner Luke interfere until Fifes loyal companion Charm Leachman cuts the music. Fife then disqualifies them, but Doug, along with Frans family, claps out a beat which encourages Scott and Fran to dance from the heart, drawing cheers from the crowd and tears of joy from Doug. Finally, Liz, having had a change of heart, turns on Barry and Leachman, the couples spirited dancing brings down the house. Doug asks Shirley to dance with him and the audience joins them on the floor. As the performance finishes, Scott and Fran kiss, the competition forgotten, the film plays with clichés and stereotypes, mocking and embracing them at the same time. Luhrmann has also commented that the film revolves around stories similar to David and Goliath, Cinderella, the film version of Strictly Ballroom was developed from an original short play of the same name
