Added: 4 years ago
From: stjn00
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  • i see that she did what she wanted on stage....

  • i got tired from just watching her

  • My modern eyes struggle to watch this and appreciate it for art. In a way all I see is a woman jumping around acting silly. No disrespect to the great Josephine Baker of course...but its just how I feel.

  • Josephine Baker, the inventor of every modern urban dance move

  • mistinguett,l ancienne "reine de paris" chantait "paris est une blonde",elle n a pas vu venir cette révolution venue d Amérique pour la détrôner. Joséphine dansait mieux et chantait mieux ,il faut dire...

  • stirs within me some natural desire.

  • This woman was crazy.. loll gosh i wish i had half her energy.

  • @vincenz55 You need to do your own research cuz it wasn't like he had all the money for him to be so much of a sugar daddy! And the Josephine Baker story isn't a good source so try again please! When u go from having nothing your gonna want things and that was a issue but dnt bash anyone about it!

  • did they have colour tv in 1927?

  • @dezertpenguin No its color film, something that Europe had before America did.... we didn't have color films until the 1930s. The first French color film was in 1903.

  • Find some music that matches her dance!

  • She was a wonderful dancer, but it's very sad that many of her routines were limited to stereotypes. Josephine was way too good for Step 'N Fetch It.

  • i remember reading about this... she ended up being a big part of the show after she made a fool out of her self to get attention because she was mad that she was a back up dancer or something

  • AMAZING VIDE0 DANCE SUCH C00L M0VES WAY AHEAD 0F TIME [Fred Astaire/Kelly/Jackson etc.] // SHE M0VES LIKE RUBBER // SM00TH & UNIQUE !! LV J.B

  • great video, poor choice of music. the band is obviously roaring yet you chose a piano soundtrack?

  • Amazing dance

  • is this the original music?

  • Josephine Baker is the inventor of Crunk Dance.

  • I am amazed

  • This is seriously meaningful BOLD stuff- for the times, sure, but in every context, it's a message of POWER...

  • best dancer ever PERIOD

  • I see alot of early grace jones n her

  • lol her expressions, so cute : )

  • Probably everyone knows this but she rented a castle and adopted upteen children. She was also a great humanitarian.

  • great, on some many levels. the early color print is also amazing.

  • thumbs up if youre here from the wgbh documentary Great Performances

  • Breakdance move at 1:55

  • Comment removed

  • 1:19 , decades before LMFAO's Shufflin'

    lol, but seriously, she is a dancing god.

  • imagine how many stds she got from sleeping with the various scum in paris

  • @zackhanscom: Everyone who dates doesn't catch stds.

  • @zackhanscom What a scumbag you are to say something like that. Has anyone in yr family achieved great heights like this woman? She dated only creme' de la creme" Something you might try.

  • She had amazing legs.

  • Oh yea, I'd hit it.

  • @Rokovakian you're not alone... so would I LOL

  • what's the song playing during this clip?

    

  • WOW she just did the Half Splits that Dance troupes in Marching Bands do @ 1:55....u can see the Prancing Jsettes do that move...and Dancing Dolls all day and nite...LOL...such an innovator..but something tells me a lot of this is unchoreographed!!

  • awesome. period.

  • Josephine Baker was more beautiful than these video hoes out today. She didn't have to shake her ass, what a talented, classy woman she was.

  • @xxxWarriorGoddessxxx I wouldn't say she was classy. She had extramarital affairs, posed naked...She purposely did things just to raise eyebrows. She's alright, though, but NOT classy.

  • @whatevr192 And she wasn't first and sure won't be the last to do it, but hey no one's perfect.

    

  • @xxxWarriorGoddessxxx Yes, no one is perfect, I do like her but saying that she's classy is too far. And you're not first to say that. People assume all the stars from the 1910's-50's were innocent when really they all partied and has orgys.

  • @xxxWarriorGoddessxxx Except for the fact that she shook her ass like it was nobody's business. Exhibit A) Banana dance. There's no doubt that Josephine Baker was magnificent, but she was definitely a provocateur.

  • hmmmmmm

  • She was so brave to do that in the 1920s! That kind of dancing would have been thought of as either insanity or genius. It's a good thing the French were smart enough to see that it was genius. She was way, way ahead of her time.

  • WOW!

  • What super strength, co ordination, talent, innovation ect. ect.

  • MJ got his moves from people before him. MJ was inspired too people. Even though you like MJ, there are people way before him who did similar and more things before him. She had a wonderful spirit that will live on forever.

  • @MsNeoDraven ok and... its called having an inspiration

  • @NIJEECAPRICORN20 That was my point. Whats yours?

  • @MsNeoDraven I was just saying I agree that people are inspired by entetainers like Josephine Baker I just dont see MJ in it. MJ and Joseohine two different times eras two different people thats all.

  • @NIJEECAPRICORN20 I was just responding to other people, the people in the comment section who kept talking about it. Or I wouldst have even brought it up.

  • @MsNeoDraven oh I understand every Entertainer had their time and continued their legacy w/class and dignity,humility but they also left a huge impact a footprint on the industry. Josephine Baker has made a great impact but I dont know some young people forget about Real Raw Talent History.

  • @NIJEECAPRICORN20 So true. Only a couple of talented artists can stand on stage and sing or dance on talent alone. It is all booty, gyrations, boobs, synthesizers, lip syncing. I can think of only Diana Ross right now who has held the test of time. Correct me if I am wrong.

  • @empressofthefrench So true Diana Ross has held the test of time her thing was you can sing while standing tall and be classy be a lady and she carried it well.Nothing can take the place of a magnifcent talent a legend that worked hard to get to where they are standing like Ms. Ross. =)

  • @NIJEECAPRICORN20 She has done it all, sing, dance, movie star, model, business woman, excellent mother and grandmother. There have been others like Dorothy Dandrige, sad committed suicide, Lena Horne, although not to keen on her. You have good taste, from one capricorn to another. Have a great day. Tks

  • @empressofthefrench Wow I didnt know that about Dorothy Dandrige huh... she was magnificent too Lena Horne carried the name classy very well. thanks and you have a great day too

  • @NIJEECAPRICORN20 Let's put it this way we both have class. Have another good one.

  • I love how she expresses herself.

  • i love this.! point blank if she didnt do those moves., they wouldnt have been created into "breakdance" or the "james brown move" or any of that cause she is truely and clearly the ORIGINATOR. some people are just stupid to the fact that, there was different dance styles from over 100 years ago that they think what she's doing is "weird" or inhumane., but thats how ahe expressed herself and im greatful for her.!!

  • @missalexbishes01 Thank goodness someone finally said it!People are so ignorant to the obvious fact that everyone got something from someone before them. People certainly don't like to bring up that a lot of male artist such as James Brown and several others were as well influenced by women. Someone with common sense on Youtube.-Stolee

  • @stoleethatsme WELL THANXX :)

  • Broke out laughing at 1:58. Too freaking great!! Why cant Britney Spears dance like this?

  • Un jeu de scéne absolument hors norme et si moderne pour cette époque...une artiste d'exception drole et pleine de facéties !

  • Wonderful, but just wish we could have heard the real music instead of this horrible stuff that doesn't even pretend to match her rhythm.

  • I think Josephine Baker is beautiful, but dayum, how she dances terrifies me. It looks inhuman. That's probably the point though. Still scary. *shivers*

  • The is REAL DANCE not that shaking your ass shit! Go Ms. Baker! She is the precursor to modern dance!

  • @deep71483 Well said! :D

  • @deep71483 ......nope

  • @deep71483 Ms. baker shook her ass too

  • its obvious that the soundtrack is NOT the music La Baker was dancing too in the original film. It would be nice if that music would be reconstructed, somehow. The music used here doesn't even match the movements.

  • I see some elements of where the stanky leg, Janelle Monáe - Tightrope,James Brown moves, Mj and Beyonce originated.....Ever since i watched the documentary film I became more interested of Baker....

  • @MissBlueMoon omg i see the james brown and janelle monae too

  • @8309browneyes  Yeah it amazing! :D

  • @MissBlueMoon Oh my goodness I was thinking the same thing...especially how Janelle Monae dances...

  • @Rayneslove So true, J. Baker style is timeless.....

    Sorry for the late reply!

  • @MissBlueMoon I can see a whole lot of Janelle in her for sure. The facial expressions the uninhibited style the performance....everything! Love it!

  • @evilzlatan J. Baker is the founder of some of these cool moves. :D

  • Comment removed

  • if i met her i probably wuld have enjoyed her company she's soo gooofy i love it and pretty girl rock!

  • thanks for sharing. this is the clearest recording I've watched of her from her older years.

  • It's amazing the degrading shit that black people had to go through simply to make some money and live comfortably. This is what poverty without prospects compels people to do but white people really enjoyed it.

  • @Thedarksecret1

    who are you to say that is degrading

    that is the kind of entertainment they enjoyed

    if josephine didn't like dong it, she would have stayed in the states

  • @tony666ism What do you mean who am I to say it's degrading. I'm a human being that's entitled to my own opinion. That's who I am! Many blacks did this for the sole entertainment of white people because they wanted to get a taste of the exotic (but in a demeaning way). Most people, like Josephine Baker, did this because it paid well and there weren't many opportunities for black people to make good money back then unless it was demeaning entertainment for white audiences. She did it for money

  • @Thedarksecret1 What about Fats Waller and all the pioneers of jazz? Were their contributions also degrading to them? Just because she's a woman and it's dance, does that make it different?  I think she's pretty amazing.......and she helped break new ground!

  • @friendsfamilyaccount I'm not saying it's degrading because she is a woman. I'm saying it's degrading because it's minstrelsy. For Christ's sake "Plantation." I understand that she did what she had to do to make money but that was the crummy society she was forced to grow up in. Let's also mention that, for the most part, the audiences were exclusively white. These acts only reinforced the negative stereotypes in their minds while they enjoyed it a sense of entertainment.

  • @Thedarksecret1 Your comment makes absolute sense.-Stolee

  • she's weird in a cute way .

    :)

  • I always found clips like these creepy- there so old and fascinating- how many secrets could be behind the 20's.....haha or im just stupid xD this is kewl tho to see how things were back then

  • @ knice1895< you should know better before stating like that

    I'm french women living in the States, married to an african-american man and we both have a great respect or Josephine

    France , at the time, was the place african-american artist like her could express , and show their art without segregation

  • What is the name of this tune anyway?

    @angelofdeath275 - Josephine was a lot like real modern stars. She had created image of herself as reinless, exotic, dynamite black Venus and sicked in it.

  • what on earth is she doing...

  • I actually dance like that. x)

  • she was soooooo pretty- even when she made funny faces. La Baker=undeniable talent.

  • i love the 20s :)

  • @googlensky the Frenchmen sure had fun exploiting her savagery...one of them gave her syphilis which rendered her sterile. How ironic, a civilized man giving and uncivilized savage syphilis. And it wasn't a coincidence, just ask the Native American.

  • @googlensky

    are you just pretending to be an idiot or are you the real thing?

  • @googlensky ........huh?!

  • @googlensky what are you talking about ?

  • What a woman!

    But here's a critical comment:

    1) I loved the film--nevere seen it before and I'm a big fan

    2) loved the music--quintessence of cool

    BUT..they dont go together. Cant you see? Try it with another sound track and see if Im not right. It looks as if something Louis A & Hot 5 might have something to add. Or given the instruments--something a little earlier?

    Still loved it tho.

  • Josephine Baker was larger than life!

  • josephine Baker like many other blacks went to europe primarily to escape the racial apartheid system that existed in america in the early 1920,s and 30. Lynching of black was at an all time high,segregation and racial idelogies were reflected in every facet of american life,But even in paris and other parts of europe racism would rear its ugly head when black troops were station in paris propergadan was being circulated that black men had tails and to stay awy from them.josephine was exploited

  • I love you JOSIE! Josephine is my HERO, She was Funny, Beautiful, Talented, Loving, Sexy, Caring. She was beyond this world. I agree with evansrc009 she achieved so much in her life.

  • @Mikolounonen And your mom was a hermaphrodite! Why trolls like you need to come and insult black people?

  • born freda josephine mcdonald (2 june, 1906 - 12 april 1975) in St louis missouri, josphine baker (as she is known) a.k.a "the bronze venus" was the first african american to star in a major motion picture. she had it all .... a dancer, singer & actress. later in life she became a fench citizen & she also took part in the civil rights movements.

  • She was great !!!

  • yeah...this is too great !

  • omg! she is sooo hot!

  • AdoOro sua performance, suas caras e bocas, seu gingado... Ta pra nascer igual, Jose!

  • would have been nice to hear the ORIGINAL music, to put this in context!

  • WOW she had some AWESOME moves!

  • Saw a lil bit of micheal jackson a lil bit of ckuck baryy and a lil bit of beyaonces single ladies moves does anyone else agree? she was the best even now she is the best....

  • Josephine Baker!!!!

  • Wow was Josephine ahead of her time!! No one was like her in her day. What an amazing individual. One in a million.

  • This is really historic and groundbreaking stuff....pure brilliance.....at one point it loooks like she is doing the moonwalk. Thank you so much!!!

  • WOW!!!!

  • woww she can do a lot of stuff - very talented body languauge

  • the music has nothing to do with the images I presume?

  • @marieeil I agree. This music would be more appropriate in a "Charlie Brown" setting.

  • I'd would love to see her battle David Elsewhere.

  • genius dancing/interpreting, along the lines of the best in silent films (Keaton/Chaplin)...underrated for certain

  • Aloha

  • Fantastic. She moves beautifully.

  • FABULOUS VIDEO, fantastic music as well as performance! Thank you.

  • Interesting. Thanks for posting. Too bad about the band treatment, but oh well.

  • The body language tells the story.

  • Wow, doesn't she have some fancy footwork similar to Michael Jackson, with white socks and all! Imagine them on the same stage ... (in heaven?)  She was great.

  • @ytcarol I was thinking the same!!

  • @ytcarol - Come to think of it, she could probably teach Michael a thing or two! ;- )

  • @ytcarol naw look up Jackie Wilson, James Brown ,Gean Kelly (hope I spelled his name rt) and Fred Astaire. Josephine was way before MJ time hes wasnt even born then lol

  • is there a name for this dance?

  • @beijingRST most dancers like myself would call this early liturgical dance...most of the dance isnt practiced...she simply telling a whole story with her body and movements

  • And to think America would discriminate against such a beautiful, wonderful talent at her.....Sick and sad

  • teehee my role model

  • OMFG at 1:48 thats what they now call "Pop and Locking"! Hah! Whats totally thought as a modern form of dancing in reality was around in the 20's!! Thats a real treat. I guess nothing is new in reality just another version of something thats already been done.

  • god bless her soul

  • Goodness is she fit! I can't do that at all lol!

  • People compare Beyonce to her, and I really don't think that's a good comparison. None can move like she did!

  • Fantastic viewing, what an interesting woman that should never be forgotten.

  • the french liked her because they're all horndogs and want to watch her shake her ass. i'm laughing at that dip at 2:05

  • im doing a report on her now and they wanted her to be funny so people stop bein rude

  • If your still doing that report on her, check out the book "Hungry Heart" by Jean Claude Baker. It's really good, and I think it's perfect for research. =)

  • @Meashayshay2 thank you for the info

  • @saleema1 Your welcome =)

  • @saleema1 Your welcome =)

  • she was a comedian

  • Say what smack ya want about Mizz Baker but going to Frace and making it big was good, because here in America ppl. at that time were so nasty to blacks she would have never got a chance to do her thing. She was a talented gal.

  • wow, um, I'm sure she's talented but that was a lil weird...

  • She seems high on this, well at least she's pretty!!! Pretty and high!!!

  • She was sooo talented!! Amazing dancer, such an expressive face and beauty in motion, even when pretending to be silly.

  • the white socks are very Micheal Jackson . She is the original

  • How incredible and cute was she?

  • hot !!!!!

  • Now I know why she left for France. What was the original music?

  • Thank you so much for posting this.

  • what song is playing?

  • lol..them faces

  • Good footage. More different than the stereotypical actions of the US.

  • Thank goodness for archive footage so that we can enjoy seeing these images today

  • I made a video about her in my channel of her dancin josephine among the best female dancers of our generation check my channel! thx

  • It's better with the ORIGINAL MUSIC(see Casing A Rainbow Documentary)

    Josephine Baker

    James Brown

    Michael Jackson

  • astounding!!

  • DAMN.....she is the shit.... james brown,,, betta step down,,,,she is the original ;-)

  • hmm interesting

  • so THAT'S where the stanky leg came from!! lol ;)

  • im mesmerized!! she is amazing!! thank u for that rare treat!!

  • What a doll she is. The real deal. I want to learn more about her now.

  • Celebrites nowadays just aren't the same. They try to show how "funny" and "human" they are by doing one show on Saturday night live. But its still isn't the same. Look at baker. She's acting like a damn fool and STILL is lovable. She wasn't afraid to make makes and act weird. Now, celebrites are too busy acting pretty all the time.

    If they really want to be personable, look at baker.