Show Up: Bobby Banas’ Total Commitment to the Nitty Gritty

Dancer and choreographer Bobby Banas, who lived to be 90 years old, had a long, successful career in theatre and film. That includes being a principal dancer in the movie version of West Side Story as one of the Jets gang, dancing alongside Dick Van Dyke in the 1964 movie musical Mary Poppins, with Marilyn Monroe in the 1960 movie musical, Let’s Make Love, and many more.

Thanks to the Internet, it was Banas’ ferocious expression of Shirley Ellis’ Nitty Gritty dance in 1964 on Judy Garland’s television show that brought him to the attention of over 20 million people as of November 2024, including me.

I love to dance. And every time I watch this inspirational video I can’t take my eyes off of him. Bobby showed up, showed out and left no crumbs!

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Show Up