Beyond his own talent, Fred Astaire’s success as a professional dancer wouldn’t have been possible if not for his numerous, talented dance partners. Our co-founder and namesake was fortunate to have starred with numerous dancers, on both stage and screen. This post celebrates three of his dancing co-stars with October birthdays: Claire Luce, Rita Hayworth and Barrie Chase.
Born on October 15, 1903: American stage & screen actress, dancer and singer Claire Luce. She co-starred with Fred Astaire in the original Broadway musical “Gay Divorce” (1932), and was his first dance partner after he’d ended his 25-year partnership with sister, Adele Astaire. She was also his last partner on Broadway, as he soon after moved on to Hollywood. Astaire tried to get Luce for the 1934 film version of the play, but was overruled by RKO Radio Pictures which instead chose their contract player, Ginger Rogers. Critic Brooks Atkinson wrote, of Luce’s performance, “Fred Astaire has found a partner who can match him step for step and who flies over the furniture in his company without missing a beat.” In his autobiography, Astaire credits Luce as the inspiration for his revolutionary “Night and Day” dance routine: “Claire was a beautiful dancer and it was her style that suggested to me the whole pattern of the “Night and Day” dance. This was something entirely different from anything Adele and I had done together. That was what I wanted, an entirely new dancing approach.”
We think these stories provide wonderful insight into the man, his talents and his exceptional career. Enjoy this entry, and browse the FADS Dance Blog for more profiles of Fred Astaire’s dance partners. Then, contact us at Fred Astaire Dance Studios, & start dancing!