Did anyone else notice the heel height of Debbie's character shoes? Debbie is shorter than the other girls and to compensate, they gave her those height character shoes. Surely, they are way more difficult to execute dance moves in, especially turns. Notice how she rises high on the balls of her feet to do her pirouettes? A TRULY TRAINED TECHNICIAN!
I posted on your comments on the movie clip and I watched both of the Debbie Allen clips and She is Fantastic.. I still say Rita owned it, that being said, it was a movie and it was on a huge lot unlike a small stage, and the camera on film captures her Sexiness with Bernardo..this doesn't display that, and that's not Ms. Allen's fault , but no one has mentioned how good her back up dancers are ..They were Very Much In Sync and WERE INCREDIBLE
@@editcentral251 OMG. You and @Jeff Harris are right! I thought about it, and then I rewatched the movie version with Rita Moreno: the choreography in the movie does not compare to Debbie Allen and Company's rendition of this musical number. The energy is there, but the dancing of Debbie Allen is out of this world. I love the instrumental version of Karen Olivo's rendition as well as her singing; however, the choreography could have been more intricate. I understand that Karen Olivo isn't a strong dancer and she had an injury, but the energy just wasn't the same. I saw a clip of this song for the new 2021 remake.......idk. We'll see. Now I gotta watch this amazing video again.
Debbie is the best!! I am a big fan. She is so talented. Debbie is an amazing performer. She is doing her thing. Magnificent!!!! In 2018 she is still going strong doing different projects. Love Her!!
my god how amazing the lead dancer (who plays anita) I read her name is debbie allen is AMAZING look how she dances with pure fire and energy Im mesmerized really amazing.. I couldnt stop noticing the interviewer/reporter at the end he didnt even say how amazing they where really weird he was like right to the point how many puerto ricans are playing and other things but other then that this was pure delight i love it
is it just me or did the reporter kind of push Debbie to the side and she got smart and said I'm standing right here he spoke directly to the white guy and she made him pay attention to her
To be fair, this video is part 2. The people who played Tony and Maria performed first, but didn’t get interviewed immediately afterwards. It would be natural to interview Tony and Maria first before Anita.
Tom Brokaw is well known to be as fair, balanced and as non-racist as they come. The "white guy" was either the director, choreographer or both. It was NOT racially dismissive. I saw this on Broadway. Debbie Allen was an extraordinary Anita. Relax.
YESSS!!!!! How did Debbie not win the Tony award for this? Recount. No disrespect to Chita, Rita or Karen but Debbie Allen owned this role. By far the best Anita to inhabit the role.
I also saw Debbie Allen’s Supporting performance in the 1980 Broadway Revival of “Westside Story” and her Lead performance in the 1986 Broadway Revival of “Sweet Charity”, so that’s 2 Tony wins she deserved.
@@kdohertygizbur Yes, I was her understudy. No I didn't see Chita in the original production and your point is well made. It was an overstatement on my part to include Chita in the troika. But having seen Rita on screen and both Debbie and Karen Olivo on stage in the role, it's no contest, Allen was in a league of her own. A phenom as Anita.
this is RIDICULOUS! Debbie makes the punchlines all make sense...and the direction is right on - the dynamic between Rosalia and the other girls is much more clear. Sure Debbie's voice isn't the best - but she serves her purpose and has the STAR quality to boot. THIS is an Anita. Brava! I'm so glad she was cast - actors need to see today. "IT" factor isn't seen as much these days...this is a great example of it. This clip is fuel for performers! People take note! haha.
wow that was a wonderfull time, i looked manny times to musicals like this on tv just like singing in the rain. they came always on tv at christmastime
I have been a fan of DA since I was a child in the 1970’s and was introduced to her as THE BREAK OUT STAR IN the Broadway show RAISIN in 1973/1974. She was only 5’2 like myself, I was told and a woman of color and most dancer I saw coming up in the 70’s when I was watching on stage and television were white and average to tall height. She is amazing and incredible dancer with a tremendous amount speed and grace. Love the performance!
This is the stage show "America"--they cleaned it up and did it with men vs. women in the movie. I love both but you can tell that the all-women version is nastier, cattier, even the dancing is nastier and I LOVE it. Love to see the women using their female advantages, the wiggles and kicks and shoulder shakes. So expressive and all are so beautiful.
alright, i see your point... thats a good way to look at it too. She is definitely very character driven, thats for sure... i still think its amazing :)
@sweetamazinggrace You are really someone who did their homework. I went to this opening night and got to witness Chita Rivera with her mouth hanging open as she watched Debbie Allen! Lopez also had a role which commanded so much talent...to play one of the Marx Brothers, sing, dance and play an instument. All four women in that category were wonderful.
This is amazing ! Debbie allen is wonderful ! She is an amazing dancer and actress ! Her facial expressions are great and hilarious !!!! Unofrtunatly the quality of the video isn't so good ! Hope someone can improve the video in HD ! :D
I don't understand why the film version was nominated AND won the Oscar for Best Costume Design. All the costumes in the movie were duplicates of the originals worn on Broadway.
It is unfortunate that the 2009 revival cast lacked the dancing skills required to execute the jerome robbins choreography. This I found to be disappointing ... Especially after being able to see Chita Rivera and Debbie Allen perform it as intended with this high level of difficulty and energy .
i mean similar to this one, the 2009 production was a REVIVAL. it wasn’t going to be the same choreography we were seeing up to that point. prolly why debbie allen didn’t win the tony, cause rita and chita already did it. karen olivo’s fresh take on anita set her apart winning her the tony. revival means to he bigger and better, that’s why the 2020 revival is so much more different. breaking tradition allows for art to bloom. okay boomer.
@@joseffpaz9753 The original Broadway cast was 1957. Which means that everything other than the 1961 movie (that Rita marino was in) is a REVIVAL. WSS features the great music and iconic choreography. The creators wished for great dancers who can carry a tune. Therefore the great Chita Rivera (the original Anita) was not even nominated 1957-1958. Debbie Allen -who won rave reviews and a Tony nomination did not win. Rita, who could not hope to do the dancing (which is why the movie version has the women and the men together) did many retakes and emphasized George Chikaris- who had a great movie and theater resume and was known to be an amazing dancer. The 2009 WSS REVIVAL allowed Spanish language to be spoken and ANITA with increased singing parts in AMERICA hus allowing Karen to shine in a part that suffered badly from her lack of dancing skills. Furthermore the category " In A Revival" was created so it was easy for Karen to win as opposed to 1980-1981 when Debbies WSS was in put in with all other musical. Do research before responding in the future.
Rita Morena was the ONLY Boricua in the movie version of West Side Story. Why did he start with that question?! That was an awesome performance! They left it all on the stage! This was my favorite version of Debbie's interpretation!
Debbie set it on fire!! Olivo vocals are better....But Debbie went for the platinum! I would love to see an Anita with Debbie's dancing and Karen's singing! I think I could happily die after seeing that lol
Dance Debbie!!! I know this was well over 25 years ago, but Lord have mercy. Debbie ate that!! I like Karen Olivo as the most recent B'way 'Anita' and all, but she isn't touchin that @ all. Debbie's a beast. HU All day!
Exactly! Anita having short hair fits a more sassy, firey, and more wanting to be an Americanized but true to her ethnicity Anita. Don't care for Karen's own long beautiful hair for Anita's character but it was what it is. Technically, these dancers and the choreography is amazing but this clip was done early in the morning and filmed in the Today Show's studio; people please know this. Listen to the old out of tuned piano in there. All to say, Debbie's portrayal and perfromance, PRICELESS!!!
i haven't seen the new show yet live, only videos. i saw 1980 performance-seems to be directed better, only from what i've seen. i remember the1980 show received an ovation from the audience just from a scene change alone, going from the streets to the dance at the gym. it was wild. a guy a grew up with who went to emerson, had the honor of directed a harvard production with leonard bernstein when he was still alive. what an honor. he was obsessed with West Side Story his whole childhood.
No doubt Debbie Allen is an amazing dancer but to me this cast and production was a bit over the top in the acting and the accents. The 2009 crowd brought a new look into these characters and made the Puerto Rican go from caricatures to characters.
Pridley100, I thought I was the only one who remembers Debbie Allen's introduction to us and the world on 3 Girls 3. I cannot even remember the other girls names on the short lived "Variety Show." that played in 1977. Debbie Allen was showcased on night dancing to Natalie Cole's "Sophisticated Lady" and I knew then she was something Incredible and Special.....The other girls were Ellen Foley and Mimi Kennedy. Mimi was on Dharma and Greg but clearly Debbie was the became the biggest name.
Elphaboy that’s the accent of some dialects in Spanish. We roll the “r”. Not in every word or always but sometimes. And their emphasizing what their saying. It’s on purpose to emphasize the accent or point out their point. (i could be wrong but that’s what i picked up)
I don't know if it's because she is so skinny or just her style but it's like each limb is a separate entity. I've always been jealous of it and tried to recreate it!
this is so cool, why did she ever stop dancing?? God that woman could move!!!! But if you really want to see her at her best, if anyone can find videos from the mid summer show, 3 girls 3, thats where I saw this star being born. please post it
I wouldn't say trying too hard. I just think she's really selling to the back row. But Karen and Rita are both very good. I think Debbie is exceptional as well. Got the best reviews in the production.
Spastic? I would say comedic. On stage, this number takes place only amongst the women. Anita is clowning here. There are no guys around, like in the film version, so the women are relaxed. There was no reason for Anita to be flirtatiously teasing and overtly sensual in this number. Who was she supposed to be impressing? That's my take, anyway.
