# Best dance routine in a music video **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2015, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380 "2015-01-09T09:27:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ashtayk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@ashtayk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ashtayk)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380/21 "2015-01-13T23:06:24Z")
May not be the best, but I was quite loved [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-qUMzMVzdw) of Bob Fosse, who seemed to have inspired a lot of Michael Jackson’s trademark moves. But Fosse looked a bit more elegant doing it - not that MJ was any slouch. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380/22 "2015-01-14T00:58:55Z")
Weird Al Yankovich’s _ **Fat.** _ ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380/23 "2015-01-14T01:48:01Z")
Allow me to step beyond the typical fare and nominate The Correspondents. This (distressingly straight!) gent knows how to move. The only question is whether to go with the dancing at the end of [What’s Happened to Soho](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZukiRrYROA), or the whole video of [Fear and Delight](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABS-mlep5rY). I think I’m gonna go with Soho–the video itself is more what impresses in Fear and Delight. ---
**Author:** ![Krav\_Manga](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krav_manga/32/3153_2.png) [@Krav\_Manga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krav_Manga)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380/24 "2015-01-14T01:55:56Z")
I’ma gonna let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time. Of all time! ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380/25 "2015-01-14T04:14:11Z")
From “Yolanda and the Thief”, a Technicolor 1945 movie starring Fred Astaire, there is a zippy dance number called “Coffee Time”, with an op-art wavy black and white floor. The dancers are dancing a 5 count dance phrase to a 4 count music phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380/26 "2015-01-14T04:15:14Z")
Doesn’t quite meet the OP’s criteria but I just gotta share this sexy smooth Cuban dance number. What is it they say in Spanish?\* Suave\*? [Son cubano par Carlos Rafael Gonzalez et Marie Line au festivla Caribedanza - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsKQalDu4VU) ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380/27 "2015-01-14T12:09:22Z")
If we’re willing to stretch the definition of “dance routine” to include choreography in general, then OK GO has to rank at least “honorable mention” with several of their videos, including: [I Won’t Let You Down](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ZB_rGFyeU), which brings to mind the old Esther Williams synchronized swimming scenes. Their well-known, award-winning (the music video won the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video and the 2006 YouTube awards for Most Creative Video) video for [Here It Goes Again](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAAsCNK7RA). [White Knuckles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHlJODYBLKs), which had to difficult to choreograph, considering their co-stars. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380/28 "2015-01-14T12:12:19Z")
> [@Krav\_Manga](#): > > I’ma gonna let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time. Of all time! So did [The Dan Band](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cooTKM_Qnx4). ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380/29 "2015-01-14T14:02:05Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > From “Yolanda and the Thief”, a Technicolor 1945 movie starring Fred Astaire, there is a zippy dance number called “Coffee Time”, with an op-art wavy black and white floor. The dancers are dancing a 5 count dance phrase to a 4 count music phrase. [Here’s an even better one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pYOOErZ_xM). He makes it look so easy! Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380/30 "2015-01-14T14:56:08Z")
> [@Cara\_mel](#): > > According to the patent, the bolts rise out of the stage platform, which is then retracted to become flush with the stage floor. Ahh, that makes sense and that’s what I figured. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380/31 "2015-01-14T19:36:41Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > My absolute favorite is [“Miss You Much”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVF0zcqr9Dg) by Janet Jackson. “That’s the end?!” No! NO, dammit, it’s not at ALL the end! It never ceases to rankle me whenever I watch this most excellent clip on YouTube, only to remember that they cut the damn thing short and leave off the best freaking _part_. Grr! ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380/32 "2015-01-14T19:51:46Z")
I sort of really love the [barn raising sequence](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TygmMPbwfjA) from _Seven Brides for Seven Brothers_, even if it doesn’t strictly fit the criteria laid out in the OP. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-dance-routine-in-a-music-video/709380.md?page=1)