@@susantjfl3147 about a year ago I heard he was still alive and living somewhere in Hollywood. I hope it's true! Seems like there's many of his former students keeping tabs on him
Eden thanks for these great videos. And Mister Banas, if you're reading this, may you be blessed with every bit of joy and delight you've brought to others through the years.
I just discovered him not long ago. Nitty Gritty!! From what I've been told, the regular choreographer for the Judy Garland show was on vacation that week. Bobby made the most of his chance! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P2v8IgJdsm4.html
There are dozens and dozens of youtube videos of dancers of today doing the Nitty Gritty as it was choreographed by Bobby in '64. Quite a tribute. I wonder how many of them even know it was him who did it first on TV all those years ago.
Mr. Banas to me is a cross between Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. Sort of the best of both with a modern spin. If it weren't for Hollywood getting away from musicals I'm sure Bobby Banas would have been in all of them through the 70s and beyond...great post!
I too just 😮became a fan of Bobby Banas as I happened to stumble upon a nitty gritty dance he performed in and I believe he choreographed and I am in love with his dancing…he just has that “it factor” that I believe is God given. I’ve gone back and viewed old movies I have watched in the past and saw him dancing in quite a few of them. He’s special!
I only for the first time saw his name on another video in comments. The nitty gritty video came up. I know his face though. He was always in the chorus and dancing on musical movies. I didnt know he choreographed a lot of them. He seemed to never age then. Looked no different over the years. My father loved old movies and musicals. My mother would get mad wen he was watching tv with us as kids and throw us out to play. But i loved it. I’m 65 now but know more of the actors from the beginning of movies than I do a whole lot through my 70s which includes music. Yep, I’m only learning how they were! From my more recent new partner i met 6 years ago. I wasnt a rock n roller.
I should say this dance is a cha cha by its beat, but Banas and his partner take cha cha to a whole new level. Al Jarvis, head of "Make Believe Ballroom" had three of his sons at Berkeley Hall School in Beverly Hills when I also went there, and his wife used to drive a bunch of us kids to our nearby homes. She BTW made a bargain with Al that she would learn chess if he would give up smoking. She learned chess alright, but he kept on smoking, lol! Banas, the super dancer in this cha cha was also the lead male dancer in the glorious "Let's get down to the Real Nitty Gritty a decade later in 1963 and wowwwwwwwww is he ever magnificent.
I noticed him for many years but only recently know his name. He is wonderful. I had a very dear friend that danced in the 50s and 60s on stage and film. His name was Doria Avila and I'm certain he knew Robert Banas. Doria had so many stories from his days. He was great buddies of James Mitchell who was in the soaps. I miss Doria greatly.
His fellow dancers in WSS became choreographers, too. Eliot Feld, Tony Mordente & David Winters also got into directing productions as well as choreography. Feld was with a large ballet co. Not sure if it was NY Ballet or American. Tommy Abbott was the assistant choreographer in WSS. Sadly, some of the dancers died early in life. George Chakiris (Bernardo) passed away in the 70s. If it's still available, the WSS website has info.
Are there any other MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM tv shows available? I was on one of these shows in the early '50s. Won first place on the weed day show then was featured on the Saturday night finale where my partner and I won second place. The prize was twenty dollars worth of groceries.
Bobby Banas dances in a way that every single muscle in his body is completely involved as though every body part was competing with every other body part for the spotlight. Even his hair seems to be involved in the movement. His talent was obvious enough to the Hollywood machine, that he was cast in so many musicals and usually front row. It’s a shame he never reached the level of gene Kelly, but that was likely due to the retreat of musicals from the big screen. He was a singular talent.
The lighting & dark suit didn't work to advantage for him. Too bad. It is hard to take your eyes off of him. I'm usually following the females but he really is special though Ms Jiminez(?) is quite good herself. It just would have been so much more enjoyable if he could be seen better.
