17x09 - Episode 9

[bunniefuu]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

--[SINGING] It's a beautiful
day in this neighborhood.

A beautiful day for a neighbor.

Would you be mine?

Could you be mine?

It's a neighborly
day in this beauty

wood, a neighborly
day for a beauty.

Would you be mine?

Could you be mine?

I have always wanted to have
a neighbor just like you.

I've always wanted to live
in a neighborhood with you.

So let's make the most
of this beautiful day.

Since we're together, we might
as well say, would you be mine?

Could you be mine?

Won't you be my neighbor?

Won't you please?

Won't you please?

Please won't you be my neighbor?

Hi, neighbor.

I've been doing a lot of
thinking about dancing lately.

And when I was a little boy,
I watched my parents dancing

and I wanted so much to
learn how to do that.

My mother helped
me by holding me up

and pretending that we
were dancing around.

But my dad got me a big piece of
paper and put foot marks on it

and put it down on the
floor and showed me

how to follow those
marks with my own feet.

That's why I brought this today.

I'll just put it
down on the floor

here, let you see
what it's like.

There.

Now you see, this says L and
R. That means left and right.

And you put your left foot
there and your right foot there

because it says that's
where you start.

And then you go one, two,
three, four five, six.

One, two, three,
four, five, six.

One, two, three,
four, five, six.

One, two, three,
four, five, six.

And that's how I
learned how to waltz.

'Course, there were
times when I felt

I couldn't do it very well.

And I'd just use that big
piece of paper to stomp on.

But I kept trying.

And after some practice,
I did learn to waltz.

Now there are many
different kinds of dancing.

And today I've made
arrangements for us

to meet some people who dance
at the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

Mr. Arthur Mitchell is the
man who started this studio.

And he told me I
could come over today

and watch some of the classes.

Now last time we visited
Sam Weber's dance studio

and that was for tap dancing.

This time we'll see some
other kinds of dancing.

As you know, I like to show
you many different things.

So let's go to the
Dance Theatre of Harlem.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

ARTHUR MITCHELL: Five,
six, seven, [INAUDIBLE].

[PIANO PLAYING]

-OK.

Right!

And to back!

Good!

[PIANO PLAYING]

ARTHUR MITCHELL: Good!

[PIANO PLAYING]

-OK dancers, good.

That was much,
much, much better.

Hi, Fred.

MR. ROGERS: Arthur.

-OK.

Now Eddie, just take more
time on that preparation.

And uh, work with
[INAUDIBLE], OK?

-Hi, Arthur.

-Hi, Fred.
How are you?

-Glad to see you.

I'd like you to know
my television neighbor.

-Hi.

-Mr. Arthur Mitchell.

I was watching just
a little while,

and people were carrying
others up on their--

-Yeah.

Well, that's what we try
to do is make it look easy.

But there's an awful lot
of technique involved.

And we rehearse oh, five,
six, seven hours a day.

-And how long would these
dancers have been working?

-Well, these three young
ladies started with me

when they were 12 years old.

-12.

-And they're now principal
dancers with the Dance

Theatre of Harlem
and so is uh, Eddie.

I tell you what.

I'd like to show you
around the entire school.

-I'd like to see it, yes.

-OK.

Eddie?

Would you do me a favor and
take over the rehearsal?

I'm gonna show Fred
around the building.

-Sure.

-And the other classes.

-Good.

Thank you.

[PIANO PLAYING]

-Busy school.

-Yeah, I must say.

Now the next group
we're going to see

is an intermediate class.

-Teenagers?

-Uh, yes.

Right in here.

-Oh good.

-[INAUDIBLE].

Preparation.

[PIANO PLAYING]

INSTRUCTOR: [INAUDIBLE]
Fifth position.

Finish.

ARTHUR MITCHELL: Now
these basic exercises

that you see them doing?

We do them every day.

MR. ROGERS: You mean they
know exactly what to do?

ARTHUR MITCHELL: Yeah.

All the steps have names.
MR. ROGERS: Ah!

ARTHUR MITCHELL:
And then the teacher

puts them in different
combinations.

And we practice
them all the time.

And it's like a pianist must
do the scales every day,

we must practice these
exercises every day.

INSTRUCTOR: Hold.

Fifth position.

Finish.

Thank you.

ARTHUR MITCHELL: Why don't
we try something, Fred?

MR. ROGERS: Good.

I'm Fred Rogers.

INSTRUCTOR: How
are you doing, sir?

MR. ROGERS: Glad to meet you.

ARTHUR MITCHELL: Uh
Becky, why don't you

show Fred first position?

Fred, hold on
to--this is the barre.

-Yes.

-Put both hands.

And first position.

And that's with
your heels together

and your legs turned
out from the hip socket.

Very good.

And uh, how about a second?

Second position.

-OK, let's--

-I got you!

I got [LAUGHS].

And fifth.

And close in fifth.

Bravo!

That's--no, really!

[APPLAUSE]

-It's good!

-Well, thank you.

There's some things that you
can do that you didn't know

you could do.
[LAUGHS] Well, you all

have such beautiful movements.

And it's such a treat to
be able to watch you work.

STUDENTS: Thank you.

-Well, thank you
for all that you

do to give people such pleasure.

May we watch some other
things that they do?

-Sure!

Please, let's go.

-Yes.

INSTRUCTOR: OK, fifth
position. [INAUDIBLE]

[PIANO PLAYING]

INSTRUCTOR: [INAUDIBLE]
All the way back.

ARTHUR MITCHELL: The
discipline is so incredible.

MR. ROGERS: You must be so
proud of these young people.

ARTHUR MITCHELL:
Oh, very much so.

Very much so.

INSTRUCTOR: Thank you.

[INAUDIBLE]

-Now I'd like to show
you something else.

-All right.

[PIANO PLAYING]

-Oh, you have a library.

-Yes.

And we've got tapes
and records here also.

-Lots of books.

-Oh yes, because uh,
we have dance history.

We have music theory.

And we keep scores and parts.

Like for instance
um, this is the uh,

piano score for
one of the ballets.

MR. ROGERS: I can read
the music, Arthur.

But what, what are
these marks here?

ARTHUR MITCHELL: Well
what--this is the piano score.

And what the pianist
does, he writes

in some of the steps, the
entrances, and the counts.

Uh, "Giselle strokes her
dress." "Batille turns around."

This is arabesque, and this
is also timing and gives

the musician a chance
to know exactly what's

happening on stage
simultaneously.

And a new person
can learn it also.

-Have you always been interested
in dance and music and things

like that?

-Well, more or less.

But when I was
young, you know, you

didn't go to kindergarten
til you were six years old.

But I was so determined
to go to school,

I would go into the school, out.

They would throw me out.

I was only three years old.

MR. ROGERS: You
wanted to go so badly.

-Yes, 'cause I wanted to learn.

So the principal accepted
me at three years old.

And uh, that's when I
started studying music

and working with
the orchestra there.

And uh, not thinking of being
a professional though at all.

MR. ROGERS: But you
always loved movement?

-Well, I always liked to
dance and l liked Fred Astaire

and I liked to sort of
do my little movements

and sing and things like
that and dance around.

And it was very funny
how, how I actually

got into dance was that
my guidance teacher saw me

at a class party and
said, go audition

for the High School
of Performing Arts.

And so I called
the school and they

said prepare a three
minute dance routine.

And so I took one of
my Fred Astaire songs,

"Stepping Out With
My Baby," and I

got a tap dance
routine choreographed,

and I went to that school.

And I graduated and
then I won a scholarship

to the School of
American Ballet, which

is the official school of
New York City Ballet, one

of the greatest
companies in the world.

And I worked my way up
from the corps du ballet

to becoming a principal dancer.

-And now you're giving what
you learned to other people.

-Yeah.

Because you know, my
heart is with the kids.

-Mmm.

-And that's what
I want to do now.

I want to take you downstairs
and show you my little ones.

-Oh good.

-OK.

-Like that.

IRIS: Make sure that you have
[INAUDIBLE] forward heel.

Forward, forward, forward, OK?

Arms up.

Up, up, up.

-Now this next
group is my heart.

-A ha.

-This class is some
of the very youngsters

in the-- very young
people in the school.

The real youngsters.

-They're holding
their arms up high.

-Yeah.

And uh, they're going
to be rehearsing.

They're practicing now for the
school recital, which we give

at the end of each uh,
semester, or each year.

And we give them a
chance to perform.

So they learn that what they
are learning in the classroom

is a means to an
end for what they're

going to do on the stage.

-Can we watch them a while?

-Yeah.

-Oh good.

IRIS: Stretching up.

Good.

OK, let's go and
do it from the top.

OK, here we go.

Five, six.

Five, six, seven and a one.

[PIANO PLAYING]

IRIS: Watch that foot.

[INAUDIBLE]
[INAUDIBLE] the leg up.

[INAUDIBLE]

Stretch, stretch, stretch!

Up, arms up!

And then you pose.

Round, round, round.

And [INAUDIBLE].

And [INAUDIBLE].

Five, six, seven, and one!

Press those legs!

Overstretch your arms!

Pretty arms!

One, two, feet, feet, feet.

And one, two, three,
four. [INAUDIBLE]

And one [INAUDIBLE].

And one.

Elbows up, up.

And one.

Arms, arms, arms!

Then you go.

And [INAUDIBLE].

Down and up, down and up.

And one, one!

[INAUDIBLE] one!

And one!

[INAUDIBLE] One, two, three.

[INAUDIBLE] and one, two,
three, four, five, six, seven.

And [INAUDIBLE].

Good, good!

And [INAUDIBLE] then you
go, and go, and go, and go.

And move forward.

Up, up, finish.

Good!

Good, [INAUDIBLE].

[APPLAUSE]

MR. ROGERS: Very good!

Oh wow!

Wonderful.

-OK, kids.

That's coming.

Very nice, Iris.

-Thank you.
-It looks good.

Looks good.

Thank you very much, Iris.

-You're welcome.

-For allowing us to see that.

Thank you all.

Do you ever see uh, any of our
neighborhood programs on TV?

STUDENTS: Yes.

-Did you? [LAUGHS]
Well, you know,

there might be some neighbors
who are watching right now who

will get the idea I'd
like to be a dancer,

because they can see
what you've done.

-Oh, that's good.

-It takes a lot of
work, doesn't it?

STUDENTS: Yes.

-But you like it?

STUDENTS: Yes!

-[LAUGHS] Good!

Thank you, Arthur.

It was a grand visit.

-Oh, thank you very
much for coming.

We've enjoyed it.

And as I keep saying, come
back and take class again.

-[LAUGHS] I'd be glad to!

-[LAUGHS] OK!

-Bye bye, everybody.

Thank you.
STUDENTS: Bye!

-Now look, dancers.

That's much better.

Now you keep working.

You feet must work
against the floor.

Lift the chest and push
with the tip of the toes.

Let me see that.

Five, six, seven, eight.

[SINGING]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

-Such fine people.

And such beautiful dancers.

Makes me feel good to see
people who are doing something

that they love to do and
enjoying the work of it.

Isn't it wonderful to
think that each one of us

has a different talent?

Something that we can use to
help us and somebody else?

Let's have some
make believe now.

Trolley.

[TROLLEY BELL RINGING]

-Last time, we pretended
that Lady Elaine

saw that men really could dance.

And she also realized that
the Always Happy Dance Studio

should have a different
name, because nobody's

happy all the time.

So let's make believe
more about that now.

Ready, Trolley?

[TROLLEY BELL RINGING]

-Hi, Trolley.

[TROLLEY BELL RINGING]

-Meow, Trolley.

Meow really meow, meow dance.

-Oh, I do too.

In fact, dancing is one
of my favorite things.

-Meow, meow.

Hard meow first.

-Oh, sure it is.

Anything worthwhile
is hard at first.

Now try that turn again.

-Meow.

-Oh, that's coming
really well, Henrietta.

-Meow meow so?

-Oh, I certainly do think so.

-Meow, meow, meow.

MR. ABER: Hi, ladies.

-Oh hi, Mr. Aber.

-Meow, Mr. Aber.

Meow.

Meow, meow, sign, meow?

-Yes.

It's for a lady in Make-Believe.

-How do you know that?

-I met Mr. McFeely
on my way here,

and he was in such
a hurry he asked

if I'd make a delivery for him.

He just said, "It's for
a lady in Make-Believe."

Is it for either
one of you ladies?

-Meow for me, meow.

-It's not for me.

Oh, "Sometimes."

That's one of my favorite
songs to dance to.

-[LAUGHS]

-Meow like meow dance
meow meow songs, Miss P.

-Oh well, that's true.

I do like to dance to my songs.

But "Sometimes" happens to
be a particular favorite.

-Mm hmm.

-Do you know that
song, Mr. Aber? r

-I do.

-Oh, do you?

Would you sing it?

-I would.

-Oh!

--[SINGING] Sometimes I don't
feel like combing my hair.

I don't feel like washing
my face sometimes.

Sometimes I don't
feel like saying OK.

But sometime isn't always.

-Meow two meow, wonderful!

-Oh, thank you, Henrietta.

-Ah, it's fun to do what you
enjoy doing it, isn't it?

-It surely is.

But right now, I need to find
the lady who gets this sign.

-Meow luck, meow meow Aber.

-Oh thanks.

Same to you two.

-Meow.

-Bye!

MR. ABER: Bye for now.

-Now let's try the
pirouette again.

-Meow.

[TAP DANCING]

[RINGS BELL]

-Well, well.

You'll be the first man
to get an invitation

to my dance studio.

-Your Always Happy Dance Studio?

-That's what I used
to call it, toots.

But I'm changing
the name as soon

as Mr. McFeely
brings me the sign.

-This sign?

-How did you know?

I tell you, you're one
of the smartest creatures

that ever tapped
past this museum.

--[LAUGHS] Mr. McFeely was in a
hurry and he told me that this

sign is for a lady
in Make-Believe.

-He meant to tell you the
lady in Make-Believe, I guess.

Uh, anyway, help me
put it up, will you?

-Sure.

Always Happy Dance
Studio Sometimes?

-No, toots.

Put the "Sometimes"
over the "Always."

-Oh.

-That's it.

What do you think?

-I think it's true to life.

-Well, that's right.

Sometimes people are happy.

Sometimes people are sad.

Sometimes people are angry,
and sometimes people are glad.

What are you gonna do?

That's just the way it is.

-I'm really proud
of you, Lady Elaine.

-How so, toots?

-Well, first you weren't
going to invite men.

-I didn't think they
could learn to dance.

-And now you are inviting men.

-I found out I was wrong.

-And you're even
changing the name.

-When you find you're wrong,
you do something about it.

Don't you agree with me?

-I agree that you're a very
strong person, Lady Elaine.

-I don't lift weights.

-I think you're a
strong person inside.

-You mean for saying I was wrong
and doing something about it.

-That's what I mean.

-Well, I'm glad to talk
with you any day, Mr. Aber.

You how to make a
person feel really good.

-Well, thank you.

I'm glad of that.

-Want to do me a favor?

-Sure.

-Would you give the rest
of these invitations

to all the men and boys
in this neighborhood?

And any other place
you think people

would be interested in dancing?

-I'd be happy to.

You've certainly
stirred up a lot

of interest in
dancing, Lady Elaine.

-Yes.

I guess I'd better go
in and practice myself.

Into the Sometimes
Happy Dance Studio.

See you, toots!

[TAP DANCING]

-One for Daniel.

One for Dr. Bill.

[TAP DANCING]

-One for X the Owl.

[TROLLEY BELL RINGING]

-[LAUGHS] Oh yes, Trolley.

I'll give one to the king and to
the prince and to Edgar Cooke!

And of course, to Corny.

[TROLLEY BELL RINGING]

-Oh, that's for sure.

Sometimes isn't always.

[TROLLEY BELL RINGING]

-So Lady Elaine found
out that she was wrong,

and she did something about it.

That was good for her.

[KNOCK AT DOOR]

-Oh, see who's at the door.

Mr. McFeely.

Come in, Mr. McFeely.

-Speedy delivery to you.

I heard that you were
interested in dancing.

-Oh, you know I am.

In fact, I wondered
if you'd ever

seen one of these
teaching things for dance?

-Oh, I have!

I remember those.

Uh, could I try?

-Sure.

-All righty.

Let's see.

It's been a long time.

-Left foot on the L.

-All right.
-Right foot on the R.

-All right.
And then just--

MR. ROGERS: Follow
the numbers, mm hmm.

MR. MCFEELY: Left, right.

Left, right.

Left, right.

MR. ROGERS: Mm hmm.
MR. MCFEELY: And then--

MR. ROGERS: Then you
go back with this--

MR. MCFEELY: This foot.

One--

MR. ROGERS: Two, three.

MR. MCFEELY: And then you go--

MR. ROGERS: Four, five, six.

MR. MCFEELY: And then you go,
go off the map and waltz around.

-Oh sure.

Waltz all over the place.

-That's a--I call that a
speedy delivery waltz. [LAUGHS]

-But what is this?

-This is a film.

I found a film in the attic.

-In your attic?

-In our attic.

And it's something just for fun.

-Could we show it
on Picture Picture?

-Yes, it'll fit.

It'll fit.

-All right.

Let's try it.

-All righty.

-Something just for fun?

-Something just for fun
from Mr. and Mrs. McFeely.

All righty?

-Ah, let's see what this is.

What do you suppose
this might be?

A film with Mr.
and Mrs. McFeely?

-With Mr. and Mrs. McFeely.

-Uh huh.

-All righty?

-OK, let's just see
this film with Mr.

and Mrs. McFeely
on Picture Picture.

Where is that?

MR. MCFEELY: This is at
our friend Mary's house.

She's putting a record
on the record player.

Can you find us.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

MR. ROGERS: Oh there!

There's Mrs. McFeely.
MR. MCFEELY: Yep.

MR. ROGERS: And you.
MR. MCFEELY: Yes.

MR. ROGERS: And you.
MR. MCFEELY: Yes.
MR. MCFEELY: Yes.
MR. ROGERS: Oh, you're dancing.

MR. MCFEELY: Yes.
MR. ROGERS: Oh, you're dancing.

MR. MCFEELY: Yes!

We're doing the waltz.

These movies were
taken a long time ago.

MR. ROGERS: My,
there are your feet.

MR. MCFEELY: Our waltz steps.

MR. ROGERS: Mm hmm.

Who are they?

MR. MCFEELY: They're
the neighbors next door.

MR. ROGERS: Did you often get
together to dance like that?

MR. MCFEELY: About
every other weekend.

There's our friend Mary.

She doesn't want to
have her picture taken.

MR. ROGERS: [LAUGHS]

-That was fun to see that.

You and Mrs. McFeely
danced really well.

-Well, we still do.

We love dancing
and we love going

out with our friends dancing.

-Oh, I'm glad to hear that.

-And when I get home, I'm gonna
show it to the grandchildren.

I bet they'll enjoy this film.

-Oh, I would hope so.

And you could teach
them to dance too.

-Of course.

I like teaching them things.

But right now, my Speedy
Delivery Service calls me.

So what I'll do is waltz
right out the door.

Speedy delivery.

See you around the neighborhood.

-OK, Mr. McFeely.

-OK, bye bye!

-Thanks for bringing that!

MR. MCFEELY: You're welcome!

-I like Mr. McFeely.

He has such a good
time with life.

Yeah.

Wasn't that fun to
see them dancing?

A long time ago, and he
says they still dance.

And they started, at
least Mr. McFeely started,

by learning on
something like this.

Wonder if you could
follow my feet

as I go through
this pattern here?

You could pretend,
or actually do it.

Just, just try now.

You don't have to follow
this pattern either.

You can make up any
kind of dance you want.

Or you can just swing
around like that.

Or you could sit down and dance.

You could dance
with your eyebrows.

Mm hmm.

Whatever you feel that you'd
like to do in that way.

I'd like to dance
over to the fish.

Here comes your dancing
friend with some food.

You know, people
dance at any age.

Because people have
feelings at every age.

Very young people
and very old people

all have very deep feelings.

And everybody likes
to have healthy ways

of expressing those feelings.

[SINGING] It's such a good
feeling to know you're alive.

It's such a happy feeling
you're re growing inside.

And when you wake
up ready to say,

I think I'll make
a snappy new day.

[SNAPS FINGERS]

--[SINGING] It's such a good
feeling, a very good feeling.

The feeling you know that I'll
be back when the day is new.

And I'll have more
ideas for you.

And you'll have things
you'll want to talk about.

I will too.

We always have things
to talk about, don't we?

Things to talk about
and think about and do.

I like being your
television neighbor.

I'll be back next time.

Bye!

[MUSIC PLAYING]