Tap dancing was at a peak during the 30s and 40s.
Most of the classic tap dancing movies were released between the 1930s to the end of the 20th century. Tap dancing doesn’t exist in modern films anymore.
While watching movies, actors suddenly into tap dance routines. In the last few years, some great dancing moments have been seen. Tap dances in films are much more about enthusiasm instead of skill.
Most of the time, when dancers were performing live, sound production wasn’t enough to capture the tapping sound, so performers tend to record sounds in the studio. Still, the audience didn’t lose interest.
9 Best Tap Dancing Movies
This list is all about those films, in which you can see astonishing tap dancing performances.
This movie has shown tap-dancing stuff along with the funny and charming script. The performances of the performers were engaging. The music used in this film is as light and quick as the footwork of Ginger Roger.
This movie is considered to be the most precious gift to Hollywood. In this movie, Fred and Ginger were perfect dance partners because of their flawless footwork and rhythm. Moreover, both of these actors have charming personalities.
In Broadway Melody Of 1940, you will see the finest combination of song and dance entertainment. In this movie, Cole Porter was the music composer, and Powell and Astaire showcase their supreme talent.
Powell started their career in Broadway, and in no time, she became the world’s greatest tap dancer. This movie is special because of tap dance performances. This movie has provided us the opportunity to watch the exceptional performance of Astaire and Powell.
Fred Astaire is considered as the most graceful screen dancer. James Cagney was the most enthusiastic, and Gene Kelly was the most energetic one. All these persons are the best tap dance performers. The story of the film is dreamlike, and you can get involved in a better world. You can watch the amazing tap dance at the end of the movie.
Cagney performs hell-ball moves with precision and has shown the proper weight shifting. You can’t perform these moves if you don’t have years of practice. He has shown these moves effortlessly while walking downstairs.
In this movie, Kelly and Garland dance and sing together beautifully. In this movie, both of them look a complementary pair. Garland is not the best tap dancer, but she had a unique charm, and she uses it to her advantage in this movie. This film was telecasted raise patriotic feelings during World War 2. If in 1942, you were sitting in the cinema you would also have waved your flag. So, for a tap dance lover, it is the best tap dancing movie.
If you want to see Mr. Bojangles performing tap dancing moves, then watch this movie. Most of the performers never got a chance to appear on the silver skin because of the color of their skin. You can watch the duo of Nicholas Brothers dancing in this movie. Both of them are still considered as the best tap dancers. They have sheer strength and many tap dance moves so that they can easily defeat others. The greatest performer of tap dance, Fred Astaire, called this dance performance as the best musical dance number ever filmed.
Gene Kelly is known as a silent movie star, and millions of fans adore him. The strength of this movie is that it is ironic and nostalgic at a time. It offers the best tap dance performance of Gene Kelly and his co-star Jean Hagen. The title song of the movie is from the 1920s, and many artists have offered it in different versions. They danced to the song good Morning, and it is a perfect piece of tapping. The dance performed in this movie was fast, fabulous, and fun. Whether you are a dance lover or not, at least watch this masterpiece once. This movie was recently ranked in the list of “50 greatest films of all the time.”
This movie was the first 3D musical that was choreographed by Hermes Pan. The real star of the movie was Ann Miller. Carol Haney and Bob Fossey performed brilliant dancing in this movie. Ann Miller was one of the best tap dancers, but she always plays second-fiddle in Hollywood. Most of the time, she was given a supporting role. She was the main cast in many movies, and in the movie “It’s Too Darn Hot” she taps dance on a sofa, living room, and on the tables. She steals the show with her magnificent performance.
Tap dancing saw a boost in the 80s when Gregory Hines took charge. Hines was known as the rhythmical, fast, and funky dancer. He introduced a new style of tap dance for a wider audience. He worked very hard to keep the dance heritage alive. As a result, the tap was the film that gave him a chance to bring both sides of his life together. The success of the film Tap lies in the representation of the older generation. He ties the old and new ones very well. So, if you are a tap dance lover, watch this masterpiece. It is one of the best tap dancing movies.
All the above-listed films are about tap dancing performed by experts, but this film is different. In this movie you can see when you are rubbish at tap dancing; still, you can have fun. This movie was not a failure by any means. It has some senior actors. Liza Minnelli was a tap dance instructor and wants to dream of making big. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do that. Overall, it was a good movie. So, if you want to watch tap dancing as fun then watch this movie. It will fully entertain you.
So these are the best tap dancing movies. Some of them are masterpieces, so at least watch them once.