Xanadu Ortega, Kenny performer Kelly, Gene performer Film 1980-08-08 Universal Directed by Robert Greenwald and starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly; choreography by Jerry Ortega and Jerry Trent. Initially Kelly insisted that he be hired as an actor--no singing or dancing. Yet after the producers looked at the rough cut of the picture, they begged him to film a fantasy dance sequence with Miss Newton-John and he reluctantly agreed. Kenny Ortega: "My dance traces back to the non-professional in discoteques and clubs; to non-pro rock and roll dancers who are now 'moving off' to a new kind of music. It fiddles along with the lead guitar. It does riffs...Its like a tap dancer does his riffs. My dancers and I--instead of just moving to that musical riff tempo and snapping our fingers in a regular metronomic beat--create our own phrases. Our own riffs. Body riffs." Ortega fondly remembers Kelly welcomed the ambition and talent of the younger man, showing him hours of his past work, discussing options, camera work, and the many details of choreography. (Kirk Honeycutt, "Gene Kelly: Dancing on Film and Strolling Down Memory Lane" New York Times 1 June 1980). Performing Arts Encyclopedia http://www.loc.gov/performingarts Billman, Larry: Film Choreographers and Dance Directors: An Illustrated Biographical Encyclopedia, 1893-1955. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland (1997). Tap Dance America http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/tda/tda-home.html Gene Kelly (biography) loc.music.tdabio.119 tda IHAS 151216 loc.music.tda.277