Bliss; or, Some things that make me Happy

I've recently taken to watching clips from old movie-musicals on Youtube. My favorite is Gene Kelly doing "Singin' in the Rain". It is simply one of the happiest video clips ever recorded (I asked for the full film for Christmas). No matter what kind of mood I'm in, Gene Kelly can make me smile. I love watching him dance, the perfect grace with which his feet move, the way his body twists and bends, the broad smile always across his face. Kelly is so carefree that you can believe that there is nothing in the world--not even perhaps a hail storm--that could bring him down while he's singin' and dancin' in the rain. Amazing, isn't it, what love can do? I'm determined to learn every step to that dance before I die. I should probably start a little more basic, though, with, say, basic tap dancing lessons. Kelly has also made my time in England more enjoyable, because I can sing that song to myself as I walk back from class in the freezing Norwich rain and feel better! 

My friend Emma Healey and I were watching "Singin' in the Rain" this evening on Youtube, and she called my attention to another clip called "Make Them Laugh". I'm not sure who the performer is, but he is, as Emma pointed out, incredibly athletic. His talents go far beyond dancing into pure athleticism (watch the clip and you'll understand). She also showed me the clip of "Good Mornin', Good Mornin'". Again, I'm unsure of the performers, but they are FANTASTIC and so much fun to watch. It's incredible how perfectly choreographed and rehearsed the numbers are. What a joy. Emma and I were talking about how we wished that people still made movies like these, and how purely wonderful they make us feel. I plan on renting a bunch of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire movies when I come home and watching them with Cassidy. It will be a grand ol' time.

Here are the clips:

"Singin' in the Rain" 

"Make Them Laugh"

"Good Mornin', Good Mornin'"

And, one more that I stumbled across (Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire together...AMAZING):

"The Babbitt and the Bromide"

Enjoy! Anyone who knows who the performers are in the ones I didn't, feel free to leave a comment, or just let me know!

-ZMG