Top 10 Most Dynamic Dance Duos

#10: John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John

When these two superstars matched their moves for the musical film “Grease”, they made cinematic history. With their electric chemistry, they had fans swooning left and right. Olivia’s irresistible charm during “You're the One That I Want” even gave Travolta heart palpitations, in his own words. However, did you know we almost didn’t get this iconic duo? Newton-John joined the cast after being promised that she wouldn’t have to dance much. As she got into the groove, she was the one who requested choreographer Patricia Birch to teach her more steps. Thanks to the change of heart, we get to see her and John set the dance floor on fire during the Hand Jive contest, albeit briefly.

#9: Patrick Swayze & Jennifer Grey

There will never be another Johnny and Baby. Those two gave us the most classic enemies-to-lovers transition in “Dirty Dancing” and it just so happens that Swayze and Grey had been clashing IRL too since working on “Red Dawn.” The tension was amplified because he grew up dancing and was serious about it, like Johnny, whereas Jennifer was a newbie, like her character. So in essence, their off-screen relationship was following their on-screen arc. Their dynamic translated into a deeply immersive performance, where their dance spoke louder than a thousand words. We needed no dialogue to convince us that the two were head over heels in love. When she jumped into his arms – which, by the way, was never rehearsed – we just knew.

#8: Les Twins[a]

These French brothers have been in sync since the day they were born. Laurent and Larry Nicolas Bourgeois, the youngest of nine siblings, discovered dance together. Their shared passion pushed them to explore the art form by themselves. As they absorbed techniques from different styles, like locking and popping, breakdance, hip-hop, and even ballet, they started creating their own signature infusion. As pre-teens, they were already choreographing moves and performing on stage. Competitions were the obvious next step and they nailed every attempt, garnering global attention for winning “World of Dance.” Today, you’ll see the twins dancing with the greats, like Beyoncé and Jason Derulo. In fact, they are celebrities in their own right.

#7: Michael Malitowski[b] & Joanna Leunis

Widely regarded as two of the top names in the history of professional Latin dance, this duo embodies the very essence of musicality. Although they’ve both had other collaborators in their careers, the equation they shared with each other was inimitable. When they moved, they appeared flawlessly intertwined, almost as if they were reading each other’s minds. No wonder they swept titles like championships were cakewalk. This partnership extended beyond the stage and they welcomed a lovely daughter together. However, the two have since parted ways, both professionally and personally. Nevertheless, their legacy lives on.

#6: George Balanchine[c] & Suzanne Farrell

The father of American ballet and his teenage prodigy reportedly had a problematic relationship. After Suzanne fell in love with and married Paul Mejia, she was apparently all but forced to leave the New York City Ballet. Yet some of her most dazzling moments professionally were when she danced to Balanchine’s choreography or better yet, shared the stage with him. Balanchine himself was a master of his craft but he also had a way of putting Farrell in her element, allowing her strengths to truly shine. Together, they were a vision to behold.

#5: Mikhail Baryshnikov[d] & Gelsey Kirkland

These two ballet artists created a most ethereal blend of technical perfection and emotional nuance. They joined forces during their time at the American Ballet Theatre in the seventies and soared to prominence hand in hand. Their performance of “The Nutcracker” was met with a wide audience, thanks to being aired on TV, and remains a tour de force to this day. With their palpable chemistry, the lines between art and life were often blurred, as the two shared a passionate love affair. However, when they slipped into character, it was a metamorphosis worthy of infinite applause. One may argue Baryshnikov had a more creative and groundbreaking turn working with Twyla Tharp. Still, Mikhail and Gelsey will never go out of style.

#4: Margot Fonteyn & Rudolf Nureyev

The prima ballerina assoluta[e] of the Royal Ballet met one of her most brilliant partners when she was well on her way to retirement. Dame Fonteyn was in her forties and Nureyev was fresh-faced and in his twenties. Yet, they clicked like artistic soulmates. Choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton, who originally created “Marguerite and Armand” exclusively for the pair, said theirs was “the world's most exciting dance partnership.” When they took to the stage as Romeo and Juliet in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s production, they gave the audience a taste of heaven. Understandably, people went gaga over the two and their praises spread far and wide. Even today, there’s no other duo in the history of ballet that can top Fonteyn and Nureyev.

#3: Gene Kelly & Cyd Charisse

One is a legend from the Golden Age of Hollywood and the other had her legs insured for five million US dollars. When Gene Kelly danced with Cyd Charisse, it was impossible to take one’s eyes off of them. They first rose to prominence when Cyd joined Gene as a stand-in for Debbie Reynolds in “Singin' in the Rain.” That sparked a solid partnership, with the pair coming together again for “Brigadoon.” Although Kelly was hard on Charisse, often leaving her, quote, ‘black and blue,’ their on-screen dynamic was simply addictive.

#2: Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers

If there’s any dance duo that can be called truly generation-defining, it is this one. Classic Hollywood mainstays, Fred and Ginger created magic on screen. Their long-term collaboration birthed ten timeless films, including “The Gay Divorcee,” “Top Hat,” “Swing Time” and “Shall We Dance.” The twosome were commercially successful, played off of each other’s artistic genius and reflected one another’s shine. They adored each other off-screen and constantly denied rumors of conflict, which, they claimed, were fabricated for the press. After a long and fruitful partnership, Fred and Ginger went their separate ways when their artistic ambitions pulled them in different directions. That said, their impact remains unbeatable.

#1: The Nicholas Brothers [f]

Any number of superlatives would fall short for this fantastic duo. The Nicholas Brothers grew up surrounded by music. Their parents were musicians, and Philadelphia, where they were raised, had a bustling vaudeville and jazz scene. With culture as their only teacher, Fayard[g] and Harold combined acrobatics and tap, reimagining their own version of flash dance. Their vibrant creativity was unlike anything people had seen and the brothers were booked and busy. They quickly became Tinseltown favorites and as the good times rolled, their style continued to evolve with novelty. Suffice to say, they were the G.O.A.T.

If you could get front row tickets to watch any of these duos live, who would you go for? Tell us in the comments!

[a]https://youtu.be/ldXFx9UHD6A?si=wjZiQL3r67WS6ejm&t=1

https://translate.google.ca/?sl=fr&tl=en&text=Larry%20Nicolas%20Bourgeois&op=translate
[b]mah-lit-TOV-skee https://youtu.be/zz-XCsM-fb4?si=gtKA2bZqCk2SPr32&t=1848
LOO-niss https://youtu.be/3eatON4VFKk?si=fvVZ9JsGhTeCjXwl&t=17
[c]George Balanchine = bal-on-sheen (this is not technically french, but the "n" rule still applies) https://youtu.be/w7MMqLKkJEA?si=aPC62AgZ_yKtXMqO&t=455
https://youtu.be/w7MMqLKkJEA?si=I61K35IMMTutx76b&t=1856
muh-HEE-uh https://youtu.be/FuAkUUKec5Y?si=mETLrrfI3nSbv2s5&t=1
[d]mee-HYLE https://forvo.com/search/%D0%9C%D0%B8%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BB%20%D0%91%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%8B%D1%88%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2/
GHELL-see https://youtu.be/kcTDFMSZM6M?si=CqqthhP2mas9RyYa&t=174
[e]https://forvo.com/search/prima%20ballerina%20assoluta/
[f]english https://youtu.be/vC1Hi9EA5-M?si=-mTxsqoULurtwu2v&t=67
[g]FAY-ard https://youtu.be/jTmJowrBwOY?si=qUsRYiYnwQW_piHR&t=51