The article ranks 20 of Busby Berkeley’s most inventive dance routines, marking 50 years since the director and choreographer’s death. It celebrates his extravagant, kaleidoscopic staging, from human harps and giant bananas to eerie silhouettes, while acknowledging the period’s sexualised imagery and frequent male gaze.

The selections span Berkeley’s collaborations with stars including Ruby Keeler, Eleanor Powell, Carmen Miranda, Dick Powell and Ginger Rogers. The routines feature elaborate geometric formations, unusual props, neon effects and technically demanding choreography, sometimes complicated by practical hazards such as earthquakes, short circuits and stagehands moving pianos out of shot.