Classic Dance Performances

A collection of vintage black-and-white images depicting couples dancing, showcasing various styles and moods from the 1930s to the 1950s.

San Francisco, California: c. 1945. The Billy and Beverly Bemis dance team.

Borovansky Ballet Members Arrive -- The only 3 Americans in the Borovansky Ballet . . Photographed at J.C.W.'s Today after arriving from Perth last night.. They will play in the Ballet, "Les Presages which will be the first time the ballet has played "Les Presages" in Australia.Jocelyn Vollmar, Prime ballerina who plays the part of "Action" rehearses with Royes Fernandez, 1st Dancer who plays Hero (Centre) and Charles Dicks on, principal dancer & Ballet master who plays Volatility. November 02, 1955. (Photo by George Lipman/Fairfax Media).

You Were Never Lovelier is a 1942 Hollywood musical romantic comedy film set in Buenos Aires. It stars Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth and features Adolphe Menjou and Xavier Cugat. The film was directed by William A. Seiter.

Couple dancing lightly while others are watching (EV006786_H)

Dancing in the 1930s. A dance couple where he looks surprised when his dance partner faints in his arms, perhaps totally exhausted by the dancing. 1930s

LESLIE NIELSEN and COLLEEN MILLER in HOT SUMMER NIGHT (1957), directed by DAVID FRIEDKIN.

San Francisco, California: c. 1945. The Billy and Beverly Bemis dance team.

GINGER ROGERS and FRED ASTAIRE in THE STORY OF VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE (1939), directed by H. C. POTTER.

GINGER ROGERS and FRED ASTAIRE in CAREFREE (1938), directed by MARK SANDRICH.

GLENN FORD and INGRID THULIN in FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE (1962), directed by VINCENTE MINNELLI.

Charleston dance. A Dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina and was popularized in the United States by a 1923 tune called The Charleston. The peak for the Charleston as a dance by the public was mid 1926 to 1927. Pictured Sonja Stjernquist and John Ivar Deckner dancing the Charleston 1950. Photo Kristoffersson ref BA67-9

GINGER ROGERS and FRED ASTAIRE in THE STORY OF VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE (1939), directed by H. C. POTTER.

Jump and jive (OV2019_148)

MARILYN MONROE and ZACHARY SCOTT in LET'S MAKE IT LEGAL (1951).

GINGER ROGERS and FRED ASTAIRE in TOP HAT (1935), directed by MARK SANDRICH.

Anefo photo collection. Premiere of the Viennese ice revue in the Hoky in The Hague. 18 February 1959. The Hague, South Holland

PHIL SILVERS, GENE KELLY and RITA HAYWORTH in COVER GIRL (1944), directed by CHARLES VIDOR.

RED SKELTON and CARA WILLIAMS in THE GREAT DIAMOND ROBBERY (1953), directed by ROBERT Z. LEONARD.

An American in Paris is a 1951 American musical film inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition by George Gershwin. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron and Nina Foch, the film is set in Paris, and was directed by Vincente Minnelli. The story of the film is interspersed with dance numbers choreographed by Gene Kelly.

Susan Hayward, on-set of the Film, "Back Street", Universal Pictures, 1961

Kate Friedlich and Johnatan Lucas performing dance from Small Wonders

Anefo photo collection. Circus Mikkenie. Clowns. October 27, 1948

Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, Top Hat, 1935

SHIRLEY TEMPLE and JAMES DUNN in STAND UP AND CHEER (1934), directed by HAMILTON MACFADDEN.

JANE POWELL in A DATE WITH JUDY (1948), directed by RICHARD THORPE.

Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, Swing Time, 1936

Ben Blue, Martha Raye (both center), on-set of the Film, "College Swing", Paramount Pictures, 1938

Johnny Downs, Carol Bruce, on-set of the Film, "Behind the Eight Ball", Universal Pictures, 1942

MAURICE CHEVALIER and JEANETTE MACDONALD in THE MERRY WIDOW (1934), directed by ERNST LUBITSCH.

Kate Friedlich and Johnatan Lucas performing dance from Small Wonders

American ballerina Nora Kaye dancing in the world premiere of Anthony Tudor's ballerina "Can Can Bar" given in Tokyo. November 03, 1954.

Dancing in the 1940s. Young couples at a dance event holding each other close moving to the music. In the foreground recordholding high-jumper ˜ke ÷dmark pictured at Grˆna Lund tivoli. Photo Kristoffersson Ref 153-11. Sweden July 1940.

DEBBIE REYNOLDS in THREE LITTLE WORDS (1950), directed by RICHARD THORPE.

CYD CHARISSE and FRED ASTAIRE in SILK STOCKINGS (1957), directed by ROUBEN MAMOULIAN.

Anefo photo collection. Premiere of the Viennese ice revue in the Hoky in The Hague, the few Eva Pavelik and Rudi Seelig in action. 18 February 1959. The Hague, South Holland

Radio star, Dinah Shore, making her first movie appearance in "Thank You Lucky Stars". October 27, 1947.

Couple Dancing. Paul Wolff, photographer (German, 1887 - 1951) 1940s The history of dance encompasses social and popular dance as well as modern and artistic dance. In the same way, the photography of dance is not purely limited to the carefully controlled arena of the photographer's studio. Here, rather than reconstructing a performance in a studio, Paul Wolff captured the spontaneous exuberance of dance as it happened at a lively party. (Verso, print) upper left, pencil: "K 208/21"; lower right, pencil: "A";

GINGER ROGERS and FRED ASTAIRE in ROBERTA (1935), directed by WILLIAM A. SEITER.

ELIZABETH TAYLOR, KATHARINE HEPBURN, JOSEPH L. MANKIEWICZ and MONTGOMERY CLIFT in SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER (1959), directed by JOSEPH L. MANKIEWICZ.

How to dance the Rumba. September 28, 1948.

Anefo photo collection. Television broadcast of the AVRO, in which prominent hair pms are proposed to the public. October 26, 1957

Anefo photo collection. Premiere of the Viennese ice revue in the Hoky in The Hague, the few Eva Pavelik and Rudi Seelig in action. 18 February 1959. The Hague, South Holland

Elena Verdugo, Rian Valente (both dancing), on-set of the western film, "The Big Sombrero", Columbia Pictures, 1949

ETHEL MERMAN and BING CROSBY in ANYTHING GOES (1936), directed by LEWIS MILESTONE.

CYD CHARISSE and FRED ASTAIRE in THE BAND WAGON (1953), directed by VINCENTE MINNELLI.

AUDREY HEPBURN in WAR AND PEACE (1955), directed by KING VIDOR.

OSCAR HOMOLKA and BARBARA STANWYCK in BALL OF FIRE (1941), directed by HOWARD HAWKS.

Vera Fokina and Michel Fokine in the ballet Carnaval by R. Schumann, Anonymous

Margaret Truman, daughter of the President, and Maj. William Zimmerman of Roanoke, Virginia, dance at Inaugural Ball here tonight. February 18, 1949. (Photo by AP Photo).

TOM EWELL and MARILYN MONROE in THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH (1955), directed by BILLY WILDER.

"Lovely to look at". September 26, 1953.

SUSAN HAYWARD in I WANT TO LIVE! (1958), directed by ROBERT WISE.

Anefo photo collection. West Side Dance Couple J. Rogers and Y. Othon. July 13, 1961

Zachary Scott and Marilyn Monroe , Let's Make It Legal , 1951 directed by Richard Sale 20th Century Fox

Malcolm McGregor, Marceline Day (both standing center), on-set of the Silent Film, "The Gay Deceiver", MGM, 1926

Twice Blessed, 1945

GINGER ROGERS and CYD CHARISSE in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952), directed by GENE KELLY and STANLEY DONEN.

President Richard Nixon dances with the First Lady at Tricia's wedding reception. For this occasion, he broke a personal Quaker rule against dancing in public. June 12, 1971.

Anna Neagle (1904-1986) - popular British stage and film actress and singer dancing the twist with 19-year-old guest Grenville Collins (1943-) !! They are celebrating the opening of the new Anna Neagle / Fred Astaire Dancing Studios in Mayfair, with Anna as Guest of honour. 1962

DORIS DAY in LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME (1955), directed by CHARLES VIDOR.

Sydney, Australia. February 1948 competion for Jitterbugs at Trocadero. Couple dancing in centre stage.

A man filming a woman using an old camera.

Suzanne Farrell and George Balanchine dancing in a segment of 'Don Quixote' at New York State Theater 1965

ANN RUTHERFORD, LANA TURNER and ARTIE SHAW in DANCING CO-ED (1939), directed by S. SYLAN SIMON.

CYD CHARISSE and DAN DAILEY in MEET ME IN LAS VEGAS (1956).

Mrs. Cornelius V. Whitney dances in black petal bodice, white skirt. December 03, 1951.

Madrid, August 1993. Representation of the work "Mariana Pineda" by the National Ballet of Cuba.

Low angle view of a young couple dancing in a nightclub

Paramount Junior Stars learning methods of kissing for the movies

Dane Clark, Helen Pender, on-set of the Film, "That Way With Women", Warner Bros., 1947

GINGER ROGERS and FRED ASTAIRE in SHALL WE DANCE (1937), directed by MARK SANDRICH.

JACK OAKIE and JOAN DAVIS in SHE WROTE THE BOOK (1946), directed by CHARLES LAMONT.

Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers

Dancing. October 01, 1943.

Vintage Photograph. A group of young people having a dance party. Frame 1

Cars On Her Gown - Sir Bernard Docker toasts his wife at the ball.This white satin gown embroidered with sequins depicting Daimler cars and accessories, was a sensation at the Poble Harbour Yacht Club's New Year's Eve Ball. January 1, 1954. (Photo by Daily Mail Contract Picture)

Blanche and Elliot, featured dance team at Cocoanut Scene Roof garden at Palm Central Hotel

STEWART GRANGER in SCARAMOUCHE (1952), directed by GEORGE SIDNEY.

DEBBIE REYNOLDS and BOBBY VAN in THE AFFAIRS OF DOBIE GILLIS (1953), directed by DON WEIS.

Anefo photo collection. Musical "Sweet Charity" Jasperina de Jong and Jacco van Renesse with in background All other players (everyone in Costuum). November 28, 1968

Anefo photo collection. Rock and Roll party Kras Amsterdam. February 3, 1957. Amsterdam, Noord-Holland

Luciano Salce, Franca Valeri and Vittorio Caprioli during the performance of the comedy L'Arcisopolo.

Couple ballroom dancing. Ballroom dance is a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world, mostly because of its performance and entertainment aspects. Ballroom dancing is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television.

Couple at the dance, 1910s, Vienna, Germany, Europe

LAUREN BACALL and HUMPHREY BOGART in TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944), directed by HOWARD HAWKS.

JERRY LEWIS and DEAN MARTIN in THE STOOGE (1952), directed by NORMAN TAUROG and DARRYL F. ZANUCK.

Hollywood, California: September 3, 1925 Old soldiers from the Home near Hollywood claim that the new Charleston dance originated right after the Civil War, and here they are teaching actresses Dorothy McKaill and Joyce Compton the steps.

Anefo photo collection. TV Music Hall in Treslong. December 12, 1962

Sydney, Australia. February 1948 competion for Jitterbugs at Trocadero. Male dancer throwing female partner in the air.

1950s TEEN BOY AND GIRL JITTERBUG DANCING TO ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC IN LIVING ROOM

Uncaptioned. Photographs of Marshall Plan Programs, Exhibits, and Personnel

Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. DLC Party evening in harmony. Dance party. November 1946. Batavia, Indonesia, Jakarta, Dutch East Indies

MARIA FELIX and PHILIPPE CLAY in FRENCH CANCAN (1954), directed by JEAN RENOIR.

SAMMY DAVIS JR in PORGY AND BESS (1959), directed by OTTO PREMINGER.

Photo collection Government information service. Series Print Anefo RVD Own Without Caption. Collection Photo Collection National Information Service Private, Photo number 156-0899. 1956

Frank Albertson and Dixie Lee in Fox Movie tone the ""Big Party""

GENE KELLY and JUDY GARLAND in THE PIRATE (1948), directed by VINCENTE MINNELLI.

MAURICE CHEVALIER and MARIO MORENO "CANTINFLAS" in PEPE (1960), directed by GEORGE SIDNEY.

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