Here Are Some Life-Affirming Dance Videos for When You Need a Break from Politics Today
Ohhh boy. It is a weird day, to put it mildly.
Since the political conversation is dominating every news and social media network in the world, we wanted to give you somewhere to escape, if you need to. And the best way to escape is to watch a bunch of beautiful, life-affirming, soul-soothing dance videos.
This isn’t a scientific or comprehensive selection. It’s just the clips we tend to turn to when we need more happy in our lives.
Alessandra Ferri and Julio Bocca in the balcony pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet
Their chemistry is otherworldly. This is one of the most difficult pas in all of ballet, but they make it look natural as…well, being in love.
The ReQuest and Royal Family dance crews in
Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” video
Delicious, candy-coated happy. And so much of it.
The Nicholas Brothers in Stormy Weather
Fred Astaire called this the greatest dance number ever filmed. That wasn’t really hyperbole.
Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines in “Duo Dance” from White Nights
Two greats (three, if you count choreographer Twyla Tharp). One beautiful studio. One super-cheesy 80s song. Pure magic.
Lacey Schwimmer and Danny Tidwell in “Hip Hip Chin Chin” from “So You Think You Can Dance” Season 3
An A-list Latin dancer and an A-list ballet dancer who could convince us he might be an A-list Latin dancer. That’s what “SYT” is all about, Charlie Brown.
Natalia Osipova in Kitri’s Act I variation from Don Quixote
Here’s Osipova back in 2008—one of her early performances as Kitri, a role that she now definitively owns—showing us what it means to LIVE onstage.
Beyoncé, Ebony Williams and Ashley Everett in the “Single Ladies” video
It’s hard to choose just one Beyoncé video. But if you have to choose, you choose this one. Seven years later, it’s still—yes, Kanye—one of the best videos of all time.
Tricia Miranda‘s choreo to Sharaya J’s “Banji”—specifically, tiny Gabe De Guzman doing said choreo
We know this is a less conventional choice, but JUST WATCH GABE. He’s in the front of the first group, a wee dude (this is from 2013) absolutely, unequivocally dominating Miranda’s inspired choreography. If this doesn’t give you hope for the future, nothing will.
The finale of
Center Stage
‘s closing ballet
I’ve got canned heat in my heels, and magical color-changing pointe shoes, and two world-class ballet dudes who want me, and I am NAILING MY FOUETTÉS. Life is good.
Breathe, everyone. And don’t skip class today. Dance helps everything.
