# Did Ginger Rogers really do everything Fred Astaire did but backwards and in high heels? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 19, 2010, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-ginger-rogers-really-do-everything-fred-astaire-did-but-backwards-and-in-high-heels/561165 "2010-11-19T00:21:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-ginger-rogers-really-do-everything-fred-astaire-did-but-backwards-and-in-high-heels/561165/41 "2010-11-20T23:31:21Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Linked to that–[Gene Kelly tap dancing on roller skates](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aus1PA5-SyI&feature=related). 🙂 > [@jjimm](#): > > Holy shit. Except, of course, [Astaire did it first.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb-G07i35eE) With Rogers. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-ginger-rogers-really-do-everything-fred-astaire-did-but-backwards-and-in-high-heels/561165/42 "2010-11-22T01:35:31Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Linked to that–[Gene Kelly tap dancing on roller skates](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aus1PA5-SyI&feature=related). 🙂 Thank you. That made my night. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-ginger-rogers-really-do-everything-fred-astaire-did-but-backwards-and-in-high-heels/561165/43 "2010-11-22T02:23:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And of course, [sometimes he danced without any partner at all](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8n7WQIXQDs#t=0m51s). > [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Linked to that–[Gene Kelly tap dancing on roller skates](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aus1PA5-SyI&feature=related). 🙂 [Here’s Gene with Jerry.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRMGRpDCW6k) ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-ginger-rogers-really-do-everything-fred-astaire-did-but-backwards-and-in-high-heels/561165/44 "2010-11-22T21:55:31Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > You and the others who are arguing this keep getting hung up in the literalness of the words rather than looking at intent and meaning. > > Dance is more than saying “women are equal.” It is - ironically - a literal example of men leading and women following. Note what that means. The man, the leader, selects the motion, the direction, the speed, the force, all the aspects that go into a dance step. The women has to respond to these, instantly, perfectly, gracefully, and seemingly effortlessly. Rehearsal helps but there will inevitably in human actions be subtle differences from time to time and take to take. Yet the woman must keep up even when though she has no control over the variations. As a casual dancers who has been in many dance classes, this is bull. A good lead can take someone who barely knows the basics and spin them around the floor all night. You can’t reverse that. There are many complex routines and patterns that require the two to move in sync without touching but that isn’t the same. I used to get very frustrated with my wife because she expected me to remember all the routines and moves we learned in class even if we hadn’t practiced in months. When I pressed her, she admitted she couldn’t remember either, she just knew how to follow. Before we met she would go to salsa clubs and the better dancers would have her doing maneuvers she never knew without even thinking about it. I am not trying to imply that women can’t be great dancers, just point out that leading is not easier than following. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-ginger-rogers-really-do-everything-fred-astaire-did-but-backwards-and-in-high-heels/561165/45 "2010-11-23T04:39:23Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Except, of course, [Astaire did it first.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb-G07i35eE) With Rogers. 😉 But Gene did it better. 😛 It’s really amazing what a beautiful skater Gene is. Though I have to give Fred and Ginger props for the face-plant at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-ginger-rogers-really-do-everything-fred-astaire-did-but-backwards-and-in-high-heels/561165/46 "2010-11-24T21:44:49Z")
Bless you, Exapno. I admire your patience. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-ginger-rogers-really-do-everything-fred-astaire-did-but-backwards-and-in-high-heels/561165.md?page=2)