5 Singin’ in the Rain Dances

This iconic film, tap dance, and piece of music has been the source of jaw-dropping dance entertainment since 1952. The original score by Arthur Freed came years before the film Singin’ in the Rain around 1929, which means the film version came to associate it with tap dancing. How has one of the most memorable dance scenes in film history evolved and been adapted to suit current audiences? From Gene Kelly to Adam Garcia, we’re exploring who danced it best, to how the dance has modernised. We’ve been listening to the “singing in the rain” Spotify playlist to set the mood...

What secrets do we know about Singin’ in the Rain? Let's go behind the scenes...#bts

• Debbie Reynolds, the female part cast with Kelly and O’Connor, had years of performing experience, but barely any dancing experience! She learnt how to dance in 3 months for the film, and danced so much that she proclaims her “feet bled”! Reynolds was actually a gymnast, and she beat stars like Judy Garland to secure her part in the film.

• Gene Kelly was practically deliriously dancing throughout the filming of his famous tap number Singin’ in the Rain because he had a constant fever from being continuously drenched.
• The rain - the producers of the film DID NOT mix milk with the fake rain to make it show up better on camera as is commonly rumoured.

• The tap sounds were dubbed by Kelly with metal taps and a sound engineer then put a water effect over the top.
• The film cost $2.5 million to make!

Gene Kelly

Starting from the top, Kelly is the original Singin’ in the Rain tapper. He was 37 at the time of his performance, with years of dancing experience. His tap solo truly is one of the most memorable in dance history, with other dance scenes from the likes of Dirty Dancing, Grease and West Side Story coming in the same legendary category.

Adam Garcia

Garcia is arguably a close second to Kelly’s talent, as you’ll see here in this video of him performing the tap number on tour in the Australian 2016 musical production of the film.

If you love Garcia, find out a little more about him on the blog!

George Sampson

The most reworked version of Kelly’s Singin’ in the Rain tap dance is by Britain’s Got Talent’s 2008 winner. In fact, Sampson’s video starts with a high-energy street style of tap, but this style remixes the original routine and soundtrack for the duration of the track into less tap and more hip-hop.

Robbie Williams

Williams performs alongside the cast of the West End production. It’s mostly a singing number, although we love comparing the set and costumes to the 1952 film version.

Joanne Clifton & Ore Oduba

Their American Smooth dance to Singin’ in the Rain evokes Gene Kelly with a modern twist of having a pair dance to this famous number.