# What are the most difficult dance sequences in film history? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2008, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-dance-sequences-in-film-history/478770 "2008-12-26T20:10:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-dance-sequences-in-film-history/478770/21 "2008-12-27T10:34:04Z")
Not the most difficult to perform, but I’ve no doubt that the [Knights of the Round Table](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNqMi0TuL6o) number was brutal to shoot and edit. All those different angles, and guys dancing in armor – even fake armor can’t have been easy – and it all had to synch to the music. And after all that, Arthur and his knights didn’t even show up. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-dance-sequences-in-film-history/478770/22 "2008-12-28T10:51:16Z")
Fred Astaire [Dancing on the Ceiling](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzdYsxfIJLQ&feature=related). The room set was built to rotate along with the camera, but Fred’s perfect execution is what provided the magic to the scene. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-dance-sequences-in-film-history/478770/23 "2008-12-28T11:38:28Z")
> [@Monstera\_deliciosa](#): > > I’ve always been impressed by the [Nicholas Brothers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBb9hTyLjfM) in _Stormy Weather_. I’ve never seen the movie itself, but I remember being seriously blown away by this clip. Damn. What’s really incredible is that the vast majority of that is in one continuous scene- no cutaways. All of the really difficult stuff at least was done in one take. They kept touring until they were very old (the younger only died a year or two ago). I wonder how long “they still had it”. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-dance-sequences-in-film-history/478770/24 "2008-12-28T12:13:57Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > Fred Astaire [Dancing on the Ceiling](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzdYsxfIJLQ&feature=related). The room set was built to rotate along with the camera, but Fred’s perfect execution is what provided the magic to the scene. I love how he places the chair, and his jacket and hat, to cement the illusion. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-dance-sequences-in-film-history/478770/25 "2008-12-28T14:45:10Z")
From the movie All that Jazz the Air Erotica dance almways makes, ohhhhh, different kind of hard. In the movie Oliver! there are a coupld of HUGE production numbers “Consider Yourself” and “Who will Buy”. The dancing isn’t that tough but I’ve watched these scenes carefully and when there is a cut to a new angle, part of the old shot is always there and it always matches. When this involves a few HUNDRED people, it’s pretty amazing. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-dance-sequences-in-film-history/478770/26 "2008-12-28T16:56:32Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > They kept touring until they were very old (the younger only died a year or two ago). I wonder how long “they still had it”. Just a nit-pick, but the younger one died in 2000, at the age of 79. The elder died in 2006, at the age of 92. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-dance-sequences-in-film-history/478770/27 "2008-12-28T19:05:48Z")
There is this clip of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, dancing while roller skating: [ShallWeDance?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0ce1agpBVM) The dancing starts at about 3:56. I have always preferred Astaire to Kelly, but like them both. I can’t think of any other difficult dance sequences, really. There is a bit with Fred Astaire dancing in slowmotion while the background dancers keep real time, but that is more film stuff than technical dance difficulties (and I can’t remember the film it’s in-maybe Easter Parade?) ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-dance-sequences-in-film-history/478770/28 "2008-12-28T20:04:23Z")
Also from Singing in the Rain - Moses Supposes with Donald O’Connor and Gene Kelly. The chimney sweeps from Mary Poppins are pretty amazing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-dance-sequences-in-film-history/478770.md?page=1)