Vera-Ellen in "The Ocarina"

Vera-Ellen performs in the musical number "The Ocarina" from the 1953 movie "Call Me Madam".

[@alwaysblake148]

Vera Ellen was considered the best dancer in Hollywood. And she still is.

[@layna8924]

I'm 63 in July and I have never seen this movie or knew of her b4...I really like this song/dance...;)L.

[@Saxy64]

She was so good. SO good. And cute as a button!

[@AndromedaCripps]

Me, an ocarina player and Vera fan: What. The. Hell. I love it.

[@The-Musical-Lover]

Watch the whole movie if you haven’t, it’s so lovely 🥰

[@GREGAUSTI]

She was such a dream

[@kohatenclave]

Probably the best dance performance by a female on screen.

[@5678Luigi]

Luigi, the world renown jazz dance teacher based in NYC, is also in this number - he partner's Vera for a small time.

[@markiewattie7130]

Oh yes vera SPIN!

[@bongo8ish]

you'd have to be a world class athlete to do thatroutine

[@DavidN369]

The ultimate LSD number, Ken Russell notwithstanding.

[@bikerguy5944]

fantasik dancer

[@MyChewbacca]

Great number!! I would be interested in knowing the names of the dancers (besides Vera) in this dance sequence.

[@1923hl]

I believe that's John Brascia on the right of the screen at the 1:30 mark. He would go on to dance with Vera-Ellen in White Christmas.

[@MyChewbacca]

Thank you Clark!

[@cp2410]

An ocarina is a simple wind instrument, almost like a toy: it's a gourd with a few holes on top so you can play an octave or an octave and a half.

[@candy9986]

George Chakiris is in this number

[@JoMarieM]

This is a wonderful piece, and Vera-Ellen was fantastic, as usual. . .but what's an ocarina?

[@The-Musical-Lover]

A small wind instrument

[@beverlysmith8025]

Size and shape of a sweet potato!

[@ZeldaACFan17]

Sad that there’s no actual ocarinas in this video...

[@martnal]

Look at 1:26

[@AndromedaCripps]

They are playing them all over! Many of the dancers have them. And the score includes ocarinas as well.

[@mervrun]

Who did her singing...as she was not known for singing!!!

[@echocheck]

In this movie I think all her singing was done by Carole Richards.

[@gayeavec]

and not an ocina in sight.

[@ZeldaACFan17]

Gaye Olin *ocarina

[@martnal]

It is the small instrument played in the band at 1:26 if you are quick.

[@AndromedaCripps]

No, there are a bunch of ocarinas seen being played by the dancers and band!

[@idadudenmanner]

Listen to the noise escaping from their tiny hole.... Doesn't it please your soul... I know I'm such a child for pointing it out, but I'm a big supporter of people being themselves, so anyway... Hehehehe!

[@Transition333]

Ida Dudenmanner Sorry, Ida, I don't get it.

[@rr7firefly]

That ornate choreography would have much benefitted had the dancers worn more uniform colored outfits. Too visually distracting to have so many different things going on. See for yourself: (2:40)

[@esmeephillips5888]

Technically Vera-Ellen was Eleanor Powell's equal, but the comparison does not flatter the younger star. Robert Alton has choreographed a number which is bound to evoke Powell in 'Rosalie': a princess cavorting among her peasants in a high-camp Ruritania. But the song is not one of Irving Berlin 's classics, and like the dancing the music is all one tempo, lacking the subversive way Cole Porter syncopates his sugary title theme in the earlier movie. Vera-Ellen, described by one director as a piece of putty, rises and falls with her material. She is plucky, grinning, acting out 'carefree' with vigor; but there is none of the extraordinary boldness and daring Ellie Powell projected. Nor does the concept go for broke like Carmen Miranda, or down the weird byways of Busby Berkeley. So this, like so much of the talented and hard-working but nervous lady's work, is only a nice little routine in an overblown production. And her career had little further to go.

[@alexkije]

stupid song. But good choreography.

[@cp2410]

I agree but, I guess Irving Berlin HAD to add this number to the Broadway show since the star, Ethel Merman, was a singer, NOT a dancer. This way, the audience could enjoy a "cute" dance number while Miss Merman was putting on her costume for the next scene.