Fred Astaire

Fred Astaire is regarded by many as the greatest popular music dancer of all time. He's usually remembered for his pairings with Ginger Rogers, who starred in several films with him, including Swing Time (1936).

Light on his feet, Fred Astaire revolutionized the movie musical with his elegant and seemingly effortless dance style. He may have made dancing look easy, but he was a well-known perfectionist, and his work was the product of endless hours of practice. He began performing as a child, partnering up with his older sister Adele. The two toured the vaudeville circuit before making it to Broadway in 1917. Among their many productions the brother-sister team starred in the 1927 George and Ira Gershwin musical Funny Face. For all his early success, though, career in the movies eluded Astaire. He had done a screen test, but he failed to attract any interest. A studio executive wrote at the time, "Can't sing. Can't act. Slightly balding. Can dance a little." He certainly went on to prove that executive wrong. 

Here's one of his legendary performances, with Ginger Rogers, from Swing Time.