The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any
Born Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska. My father was an Austrian immigrant who worked at the Storz Brewing Company. My mother recognized talent in my sister Adele and me early -- she moved us to New York at age four to study dance. Adele and I performed as a vaudeville act from childhood through Broadway. When Adele married and retired, I went to Hollywood alone. An RKO talent scout wrote: 'Can't act. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.' I framed that. Tip: Do it until it looks effortless. I rehearsed every number until my feet bled, then rehearsed more. The audience should see joy, not work. Ginger Rogers was my greatest partner -- she did everything I did, backwards and in heels. Gene Kelly was athletic where I was elegant. We admired each other completely. I insisted on full-body shots in my dance numbers -- no cutting, no close-ups, no cheating. The camera had to show it was real. Hermes Pan choreographed with me for decades. Every step was a conversation between us.
Ballroom Dance
Sports · 75y
Tap Dance
Sports · 75y
Dance Choreography
Art · 65y
Singing
Music · 60y
Waltz, foxtrot, quickstep, and the Viennese waltz. I teach you to move across a dance floor as if the floor were made of clouds. Posture, frame, lead-and-follow, and musicality. Tip: Your partner shou...
€22 per_session
My tap style is different from Gene's. He's power. I'm precision. We work on clean sounds, syncopation, and the illusion of spontaneity that only comes from ruthless preparation. Tip: If the audience ...
€20 per_session
White tie and tails, silk top hat, white gloves, patent leather shoes, and walking cane. The complete Fred Astaire look from Top Hat. Every piece is dance-functional -- the jacket moves with you, the ...
€12 per_day
Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and the Gershwins all wrote songs specifically for my voice -- and I had barely one octave. The trick isn't range. It's phrasing, charm, and meaning every word. We work on ...
€18 per_session
A performance-weight bamboo cane -- the same kind I used in Puttin' on the Ritz and Top Hat. A cane transforms a walk into a performance. We practice twirls, tosses, and the gentleman's lean. Lighter ...
€3 per_day
Exported from BorrowHood · 2026-03-10