Dancing, A Man's Game

Gene Kelly was still at the top of his game when he produced the documentary Dancing, A Man’s Game in 1958 for NBC. But more than being a master of his form, he aspired to be an advocate for its place in society with his first television production.

Kelly assembled a group of America's greatest sportsmen of that time – Mickey Mantle, Sugar Ray Robinson, Johnny Unitas, e.a. – and re-interpreted their moves choreographically, as part of his lifelong quest to remove the effeminate stereotype of dance. 

He attempted to persuade the ‘50s-era viewer that the lines of continuity between dance and sport were many. And that "aesthetic" and "athletic" were certainly not polar opposites. “Many men make the mistake of confusing beauty of movement with the feminacy of movement." Kelly states in the documentary. "I believe that’s the prime reason for making the American man afraid of the words grace and beauty, and that’s nonsense.” 

Get the Dancing, A Man’s Game DVD here!

Published on 15 January 2014