Fred Astaire by Rachel Bellenger

Fred Astaire once said, “I don’t know where dance came from, I don’t know where its going, and I don’t care" (Ries 379). This attitude about his passion highlights Astaire's sheer natural ability to dance and choreograph. Although much more famous for his dancing than his singing, Fred Astaire was an influential figure in the Big Band and Swing movement of music. Astaire, a man of many talents, was incredibly well known for his contributions in the integration of 

film and dance. 

Astaire spent 27 years as a vaudeville performer before he stepped foot into Hollywood, Broadway, and London's West End. "Integrated Musicals" are musicals in which dance is incorporated to further the plot. These were Astaire's forte. The dances that Astaire choreographed were meant to add meaning to the musicals, explain an individual character further, or explain situations in more detail. Many experts say that it is "difficult to find an Astaire number that doesn't somehow contribute to the film's general spirit or theme" (Mueller 37).  These musical films with integrated dance numbers were a large and influential part of the Big Band and Swing musical movement of the 1930s and 1940s. 

Below is a video of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers performing one of their many dances.

Pictured below is an advertisement for "Swing Time", a show choreographed by Fred Astaire.

Rachel Bellenger

Works Cited:

Mueller, John. "Fred Astaire and the Integrated Musical." Cinema Journal 24.1 

     (1984): 28-40. JSTOR. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.      <http://www.jstor.org.lib-ezproxy.tamu.edu:2048/stable/1225307>. 

Ries, Frank W.D. "The Artistry of Astaire." Dance Chronicle: 378-87. JSTOR. Web. 
     19 Nov. 2012. <http://www.jstor.org.lib-ezproxy.tamu.edu:2048/stable/1567767>.