Rachael's Ramblings

I'm hanging in there. I feel a lot better than I did at the start of the week. I'll be completely back to normal next week.

A long time ago I read a story about the genesis of this scene. Something about he was visiting at the home of the director or producer or writer or something of the movie before it was made and was out roller skating with a kid (I think it was Kelly's daughter or the daughter of the director/producer/whatever) on the tennis court in the back yard. The director/producer/whatever was blown away by how graceful Kelly was on roller skates and how even there he was like poetry in motion and insisted on putting him on skates for a dance number in the movie. Like I said, I read it a long time ago so I'm beyond vague on the details, but it is still a cool story, I think.

I'm doing much better now and was thinking I might go up to campus this weekend and watch a Gene Kelly movie or two on the big screen because I don't think I've ever watched him on anything bigger than a regular TV. But it seems wrong to watch Singin' in the Rain on a big screen without you. Maybe I'll watch something else and we'll have to figure out a way to watch Singin' in the Rain on a big screen together sometime. Maybe next time you come visit me?

Moses supposes his toeses are roses...

Singin' in the Rain especially blows me away when I'm sick because I know he was sick when he recorded the iconic dance number. He had a fever and everything and there he is dancing and singing in "rain" with the biggest smile. I haven't seriously danced in years and was of course never anywhere near as good as Gene Kelly, but I always catch myself tapping and shuffling around a little after watching any of his musicals. I used to be able to do some of his simpler all tap and shuffle routines (can't do any of the more ballet stuff) but I've forgotten all the choreography. Maybe relearning one should be my new work out routine when I'm feeling better...