Anita Dancing 'America'- Page 4

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 3:44pm

The Debbie Allen video is incredible (and makes me wish I had seen Chita- I can only imagine how brilliant she was), I still enjoyed Karen's performance (America included). It is disappointing to know the choreography was lessened for her, but I still found her to be excellent.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 3:47pm

I am still stunned that there is no footage ANYWHERE of Chita doing ANYTHING from THE VISIT.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 3:49pm

I always marveled at how so many lyrics and lines were changed in order to clean up the content, but how brazen the lyrics of "America" are in their critique of the US, particularly for their time.

And the dance sequences are thrilling. Absolutely thrilling.

It's probably one of my all-time favorite scenes from a movie.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 5:38pm

I THINK that is one aspect of the movie I agree being better than the show. I do prefer the movie lyrics. The show lyrics focuses more on what they don't have in Puerto Rico, while the movie lyrics focuses more on the current situation they're facing in America. And I love the last move the girls make up into the arms of the Sharks.

(I'm still not positive how I feel about the Cool/Krupke switch...I totally get the reasoning behind it, but musically, everything in the first act keeps building toward the climax, "The Rumble." And Cool is such an important part of that build-up. I know you can say the same about it being in act 2...oh well, that's another topic).

[logan0215]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 5:58pm

25 years after the fact, but still fierce as balls:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2E30HG5QNs

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 7:45pm

LOL...obviously not the original choreography buy those legs can make your heart leap.

[logan0215]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 8:12pm

I literally started screaming with my hands on the side of my face like Home Alone when she started kicking at 1:08.

Anyone watch the Broadway Beat piece? Carol Lawrence more or less lists all of the grievances stated by posters on this board (Karen, Matt C, Missing dream ballet).

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 8:56pm

another amazing find, logan. this is why i love youtube! incredible chita!!! star.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 9:02pm

Just watched the BroadwayBeat piece. That look on Carol Lawrence's face face when she says "It's gone! The entire ballet is gone!"...

Like she just witnessed a bank robbery.

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 9:03pm

I wonder what Chita thinks of Karen's dancing...hmm.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 9:32pm

If you have spent anytime with Cheets, you would know that she would be nothing but gracious and supportive of any other actress.
At a dinner or drinks is another story.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 10:44am

Well, I wish I could remember the exact words, but in one of the NY papers, Daily News or Post I think, there was a brief interview with Chita about the revival. Of course, they asked her about Karen, she thought she was great, etc.

But then they asked what she thought of the revival. She said something to the extent of...she doesn't like to comment on revivals, and gave a whole positive spin, which I can't remember, but I laughed when I saw that because I was like somebody's avoiding the question...

[hmpeterson]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 12:41pm

I think all the original cast members are just trying to be polite and gracious. They are class acts. But it would be interesting to see what they REALLY thought.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 12:46pm

My God! Debbie Allen is a god!!

J*

[Marquise]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 2:28pm

No j* she's a GodDESS and a true dance DIVA.

[Kalimba]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 2:57pm

"she's a GodDESS and a true dance DIVA."

- until the incarnation of the Debbie Allen dancers on the Academy Awards.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 3:02pm

She's a dancing goddess, and a true testament that a brilliant dancer does not a brilliant choreographer/director makes.
I wish I could have seen her as Charity, I love her on the cast recording of that show. I can't imagine what seeing her and Bebe Neuwirth dance together in "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" must have been like.

[Marquise]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 3:09pm

I saw her in CHARITY at the Minskoff. Top notch revival all the way. There was none of this business about trying to make the show "relevant" or any of that nonsense. They actually were bold enough to cast performers who could not only sing and act but also DANCE the parts, how ingenious was that! Definitely up there as one of my Top 10 All Time Favorite Theater Experiences!!!!

Updated On: 3/27/09 at 03:09 PM

[Hest882]

Posted: 3/28/09 at 3:53pm

Bumping this up because I just watched the clip of "America" from the current WSS that's featured on BWW TV. I went into it determined to have an open mind and, gosh, um, how...lackluster it is compared to the Debbie Allen version that started this thread.
Stage Tube: West Side Story

[LadyDramaturg2]

Posted: 3/28/09 at 4:16pm

I'm little late with this, but as logan pointed out, that kick-backbend at 1:08 is something a lot of 'movers' half her age can't even do.

Thank you, all of you guys, who are digging up these videos and posting links.

It's the choreography that's lackluster in this new one, remember -- about the level of dancing we see in our really good high school productions.

[Hest882]

Posted: 3/28/09 at 5:40pm

It's the choreography that's lackluster in this new one, remember
Yes, but I also think--at least in that clip--the acting is inferior too. In the 1980 clip, they all really sing the lyrics with much more emotion.