3 - Bob Fosse
Not just an amazing choreographer, Bob Fosse was also an exceptional dancer. There was something about choreography and dancers back in the 1950’s movie musicals that just
can’t be replicated today. Though there are not many videos of Fosse dancing, the few that are out there are real treats. He had that Je ne sais quoi - he stood out. Most people probably site Tommy Rall as the superior dancer, but my eyes always go to Fosse when I watch him dance with other people, include Rall, because he bent over further, lunged deeper, and jumped higher. His stride was wider and his arms reached longer because his movement came from somewhere deep inside himself. He possessed an individual style and personality that was unmatched and he seemed to have more fun while doing it all.

2 - Donald O’Conner
Donald O’Connor was probably my first dance influence, as I saw Dancing in the Rain when I was very young, and my favorite number was Make ‘Em Laugh. I used to dance around the house trying my best to recreate that number. His dance numbers were always original, always entertaining, and always fun. With O’Connor I found a kindred spirit as he wasn’t necessarily the best technical dancer of his era, nor the most charismatic, or even the best looking, and his contemporaries, including Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire received more recognition and praise, but I related to his slightly goofy persona, rubbery face, slight built, and cartoonish physical comedy skills. Whether he was dancing with balloons, on roller skates, on top of a piano, or flipping off walls,
he was just your average everyman, but possessed a no-holds-barred energy and displayed impressive daredevil tricks to entertain and make people laugh.

1 - Mikhail Baryshnikov
If you ask any non-dancer in the world to name a ballet dancer, odds are their response will be Baryshnikov - he is possibly the most famous dancer of all time, and for good reason. He was and remains the gold standard. He was not only versatile, being able to easily switch from classic prince to contemporary and modern styles, and was equally comfortable in dramatic and comedic roles. He never sacrificed his technique when he executed a trick and he always inserted appropriate tricks at appropriate times. There was no need for him to show off, he was confident and capable, clean and precise. He had that certain star quality that put him above everyone else, whether he was acting in a movie or dancing on stage. He could do it all and did it better than anyone else. Go ahead and watch him in a variation and then watch other dancers performing the same variation, there is no comparison.