Was Ray Bolger's Famous 'Loose-Limbed' Dance Style More a Result of Anatomical Traits or Thorough Training?
Ray Bolger, the beloved performer and dancer best known for his role as the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, possessed a dance style that captivated audiences with its grace, elegance, and unique comic flare. But was Bolger's 'loose-limbed' and limber dance style primarily due to his anatomical traits, or was it the result of rigorous training and hard work?
Anatomical Traits vs. Rigorous Training
It's true that Bolger, just like Fred Astaire, was very thin and tall, with a nose that was certainly prominent. These anatomical attributes were often the reason why he was cast in comedic roles. However, there's no denying that Bolger exhibited a remarkable level of flexibility and ease in his movements that set him apart from other great tap dancers of his era, such as Charles “Honi” Coles, Bill “Mr. Bojangles” Robinson, Fayard, Harold Nicholas, Astaire, and Gene Kelly.
By the very definition of tap dance, it is a low-centered dance in which a dancer's hips and knees remain loose and mobile. This genre allowed Bolger to perform moves that included placing his hips forward or backward to achieve various effects, such as in a ronde jambe or a monotonous monkey-style move. These moves are well-exhibited in clips like those of Gregory Hines and Baryshnikov in White Nights, showcasing the difference between high-centered ballet and low-centered tap dance.
The Anatomical and Theatrical Dance Manifestation
Looking at the dance clips of The Ray Bolger Show from 1954-1955, Bolger's dance style is as graceful and disciplined as it gets. In the Tango sequence, his moves are executed with such elegance and restraint that even the slightest extraneous action would have been out of place. The only thing that gives away the humorous nature of the performance is his face, which he carries with a haughty, serious expression even as he dances, an almost Hemingway-like prose-without-a-vein way of dancing.
Tap Dance and the Bolger Style
In the 1946 film The Harvey Girls, Bolger's 'loose-limbed' dance style is fully on display. His height is utilized effectively as he 'gets down' into a dance position, with his 'loose-limbed' moves serving as punctuation to the more structured movements, much like Gene Kelly's more compact and muscular body allowed for a different but equally impactful style.
Bolger's relative light weight enabled him to execute complex moves safely, such as those seen in the finale of the dance scene. One notable move is an extended isolation where Bolger aligns his head and torso at about a ten-degree angle from vertical, all while maintaining the flow and elegance of the dance. The ending of the 'Acheson Topeka' theme mirrors the dynamic finale described, closing with windmill arms characteristic of the Nicholas Brothers.
Beyond his technical ability, Bolger's performance in The Harvey Girls showcases a more playful side. In the next 16 measures, he allows himself to fully play the role of the clown, demonstrating a range of moves inspired by both ballet and comedy, such as the little tramp waddle, the organ grinder's monkey, and the pedestrian in traffic steps leading to a fall down a set of stairs. His use of layered and awkward movements, coupled with the subtle return to ballet first position, highlights the conscious performance artistry behind his moves.
The Art of Gifting
Ray Bolger's loose-limbed dance style emerges as a fusion of both his anatomical boon and rigorous training. It's a testament to his unique ability to combine elegance, humor, and technical prowess. His performances were not just a display of physical ability but a masterful art form, a slow buildup leading to a finale that pulls out all the stops.
Perhaps no one else could end a performance like Bolger with a long run of balletic leaps, landing gracefully into a bystander's arms, much like a bride carried over a threshold. This style of dance is not just a physicality but an art that Ray Bolger brought to the stage, blending humor and grace to create a remembered legacy in the world of tap dance.