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Thread started 05/28/16 6:09pm

anangellooksdo
wn

Prince and his Fast Advancement (dance & stage presence) '79 - '80

Watching Purple Rain again right now!

In between Prince's 1979 performance on Dick Clark (I Wanna Be Your Lover) and the movie Purple Rain (1984), (ages 21-26), he grew SO MUCH especially in his DANCE/moves and overall stage presence/accuracy with throwing around the microphone stand and basically executing such groovy moves.

Did he have dance lessons or some sort of instruction in this manner or was this simply a result of tons of practice and getting more comfortable/confident?

I've noticed many times that he seemed to have a dancer's physique (I really admire him for not getting into the drugs/drinking of the '80s and for taking care of himself). It seems he easily came to hold his own with his many dancers, even Mayte and Misty later on!
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Reply #1 posted 05/28/16 6:22pm

TrivialPursuit

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The cast did take acting & dance lessons before shooting.

However, Prince's versatility with dance, and his microphone tricks vastly improved by the Controversy and 1999 tours. I think they continued to do so by the time 1986's Hit N Run tour happened. For me, I believe he was most confident by the late 80s, for SOTT & Lovesexy, and beyond. He really started doing tricks w/ Tony, Damon, & Kirk from 1990-1992/3, which only shows a gain in athleticism and strength.

"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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Reply #2 posted 05/28/16 9:50pm

PeteSilas

i wonder how he came up with all those moves on the PR tour, I seriously doubt he had a choreographer, prince was the ultimate diy'er.

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Reply #3 posted 05/29/16 1:54am

Aerogram

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Prince was almost supernaturally gifted at so many things, and this apparently includes dancing.

There are stories of him walking into a rehearsal space where dancers had been rehearsing a routine for hours and saying "show me". Then, as if he had been rehearsing for hours himself, he was able to do the whole choreography perfectly on his first try.

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Reply #4 posted 05/29/16 2:39am

bigbrother

What strikes me is the change in his dancing style between 1984-1990. Apart from the splits (which he'd done since Dirty Mind), his moves during Graffiti Bridge era are so different from the Purple Rain tour (think 'Baby I'm a Star')perhaps due to the fact the music had changed.
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Reply #5 posted 05/29/16 3:25am

ladycat

There's so much evidence that he was watching, and being inspired by, other dancers - the fact he took on Misty, falling in love with Mayte for her dancing, the tribute to the Nicholas Brothers in Musicology.

I've no idea if he was taught, but he was definitely watching. I really wish he'd come across the Syncopated Ladies before his death, I think he would have loved it!
I'm looking out for a purple dolphin.
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Reply #6 posted 05/29/16 3:43am

BillieBalloon

Aerogram said:

Prince was almost supernaturally gifted at so many things, and this apparently includes dancing.



There are stories of him walking into a rehearsal space where dancers had been rehearsing a routine for hours and saying "show me". Then, as if he had been rehearsing for hours himself, he was able to do the whole choreography perfectly on his first try.











I read that too, it seems had a very good memory and a high IQ.
Baby, you're a star.

Meet me in another world, space and joy
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Reply #7 posted 05/29/16 4:37am

ufoclub

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ladycat said:

There's so much evidence that he was watching, and being inspired by, other dancers - the fact he took on Misty, falling in love with Mayte for her dancing, the tribute to the Nicholas Brothers in Musicology. I've no idea if he was taught, but he was definitely watching. I really wish he'd come across the Syncopated Ladies before his death, I think he would have loved it!

That troupe is fierce!

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Reply #8 posted 05/29/16 6:36am

anangellooksdo
wn

I was just watching some video of James Brown and Prince's splits were better. P could get up from a split better and faster, actually bouncing back up. Of course P was lighter. He was also more agile.
In fact P's balance and footwork was better all-round.
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