| Sesame Street | |||||||||||
| Ruthie dances | |||||||||||
| Air date | November 23, 1993 | ||||||||||
| Season | Season 25 (1993-1994) | ||||||||||
| Written by | Josh Selig and Ian Ellis James | ||||||||||
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| Picture | Segment | Description |
|---|---|---|
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COLD OPEN | At Finders Keepers, Big Bird is about to mention today's sponsors when Ruthie suddenly feels like dancing to the tango music they overhear from Celina's dance studio above them. She puts a rose in her mouth and dances with Big Bird while he mentions the sponsors, but Ruthie sees there isn't much room in her store to tango. She and Big Bird dance their way up to Celina's studio instead... |
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SCENE 1 | Ruthie and Big Bird make their way into the studio during the tango lesson Celina is giving, entering the circle she and the kids (including Carlo) have made and ending with a grand flourish. When the music stops, Celina applauds them and says they can come by any time. She mentions that while the tango lesson is over, there are other dances she can teach them. Ruthie claims to be proficient in all of them, demonstrating her moves for ballet, tap, the jitterbug, samba, African dance, the waltz, and even modern dance. Big Bird asks Ruthie which class she'd like to take, but she's now so exhausted she falls asleep in Celina's arms! |
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Song | "Dancin' Shoes" (First: Episode 2949) |
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Cartoon | Leaves form R and r (First: Episode 3110) |
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Animation | R for robot, rabbit, run, read, rock, rocket. (First: Episode 3088) |
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Muppets | Mr. Johnson has lunch at Charlie's Outdoor Al Fresco Fresh Air Cafe, where he's disappointed to find Grover waiting on him. The wind picks up, and blows his food away -- but when Grover gives him the bill, the wind dies down, and he has to pay. (First: Episode 3105) |
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Film | On a windy day, Maria (in voice-over) asks a man (Bill Irwin), "Does air move things?" The wind speaks for him. (First: Episode 2876) |
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Cartoon | A pencil tries to write the word DANCE. Artist: Fred Garbers (First: Episode 1966) |
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SCENE 2 | Ruthie leaves to go back to work while Big Bird stays for Celina's next dance class with some younger kids. She has them do a dance that displays emotions with piano accompaniment: first a sad dance, then an angry dance with Ife, and finally a happy dance led by Devon. Big Bird unknowingly makes up a dance of his own when he gets an itch on his back, and everyone follows along. |
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Cartoon | "Island of Emotion" Aritst: Sally Cruikshank (First: Episode 2822) |
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Film | Girls dance and chant about the number 14. (First: Episode 3014) |
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Cartoon | Abstract count to 14 (First: Episode 2811) |
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Muppets | At night, Ernie sings "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon." (First: Episode 1910) |
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Film | Fay Ray moves clockwise and ticks, until an alarm sounds. (First: Episode 2597) cut from the Noggin version |
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Animation | Cecille sings "Brushin' Down the Doggies." (First: Episode 2862) |
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SCENE 3 | Celina leads everyone in the "Name Game Dance," where each dance is named after each kid who steps out of the line. Jon, Joey, and Tony all get a turn with a solo dance. |
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Cartoon | Two boys play cowboys and indians, when a boy tells them that Indians don't talk the way they do on TV. He knows this because he's an Indian himself. (First: Episode 0771) cut from the Noggin version |
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Muppets | Kermit the Frog sings "Do-Op Hop". (First: Episode 2071) |
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Cartoon | Gerald's dog Sparky likes to pretend he's an alligator. (First: Episode 1519) |
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Muppets | Baby Tooth and the Fuzzy Funk perform "Get Your Body Busy", part 1. (First: Episode 2994) cut from the Noggin version |
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Song | Lillian sings "Face Facts." (First: Episode 2760) |
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Cartoon | Jake the Snake demonstrates body parts. (First: Episode 2486) |
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Muppets | Elmo sings "In Your Imagination." (new overdubs added) (First: Episode 3119) |
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Animation | Luxo Sr. examines a box. Luxo Jr. pops out of the box, demonstrating "surprise." (First: Episode 2851) cut from the Noggin version |
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Muppets | The Singing Dentists sing "Say Toothpaste, Somebody!" (First: Episode 2705) |
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Animation | "Toothpaste ... coming soon to a mouth near you!" (First: Episode 2876) cut from the Noggin version |
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SCENE 4 | Celina waits in the yard for Big Bird, who said he and the kids would serve her lunch "in a special way." Big Bird arrives and announces "Celina's Healthy Lunch Ballet," in which Erica, Joey, and Jon serve her a different part of her meal while dancing differently. Celina is about to eat when Big Bird has them take the dishes away so they can perform the encore. |
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Song | Kevin Clash sings "The Pasta Song." |
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Cartoon | C is for Canary (First: Episode 0703) |
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Muppets | Harvey Kneeslapper looks inside a paper bag and laughs and asks his next victim, "Wanna see?" The man says yes, so Harvey puts a letter C on him. (First: Episode 0294) cut from the HBO version |
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Film | A ferry terminal switches from empty to full. (First: Episode 2968) cut from the Noggin version. |
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Muppets | The Big Bad Wolf sings about himself and his family. (First: Episode 3001) |
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Cartoon | Jill walks up a hill to pick a daffodil. Artist: Jim Jinkins (First: Episode 2538) cut from the Noggin version |
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Film | "Simple Pleasures" by Bobby McFerrin is played over footage of a girl trying to play frisbee with a dog on the beach. (First: Episode 2876) cut from the HBO version |
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Muppets | "Get Your Body Busy" part 2 (First: Episode 2994) cut from the Noggin version |
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Animation | Computer: forward / backward (First: Episode 3077) cut from the Noggin version |
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SCENE 5 | Gordon enters Finders Keepers and runs into Ruthie doing a dance she's working on for Celina's class: "The Duck." Gordon thinks she looks silly, which she takes as a compliment. Gordon needs a birthday present for Susan, and suddenly spots an attractive gardening hat (formerly owned by Dorothy's Aunt Em). Ruthie says she'll let him have it for free on one condition: that he cooperates and does the duck dance with her. Gordon reluctantly agrees, then finds the "Do the Duckie" dance to be fun even if it's a little silly. |
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Cartoon | Five outlines of people dance. Artist: Keith Haring (First: Episode 3050) |
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Muppets / Celebrity | Bert and Rick Moranis sit next to each other on a plane, and learn that they (and the rest of the passengers) are alike in more ways than they realized, singing the song "Stick Out Your Hand and Say Hello". (First: Episode 2943) cut from the HBO version |
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Film | Ornate Rs fly through the sky to a song. (First: Episode 2932) |
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Cartoon | A wizard turns into R things. (First: Episode 0369) |
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Muppets | "Get Your Body Busy" part 3. (First: Episode 2994) cut from the Noggin version |
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SCENE 6 | Susan loves the hat Gordon gives her, and asks him how much it cost. Gordon hesitates then explains that he did a certain dance to get it for free. Susan finds this hard to believe, so Gordon shows her how to do the Duckie. Ruthie announces the sponsors while they waddle and quack away. |
Supporting cast[]
- Kenny Seymour as Piano Player
- The Kids (dance class): Erika Lynn Takakjian, Jon Lin, Victoria Matos, Laila Roman Jimenez, Tamara Clarke, Yeslan Hernandez, Ife Collymore, Michi Ilona Osato, Catherine Ally, Jo Ellen Ally, Zachary Kady, Devon Mack, Brendan Mooney, Hanna Heck, Dardra Coaxum, Antonio Rodrigues, Maryvic de Leon
Notes[]
- The banana-train prop from Episode 3071 can be seen on the Finders Keepers counter behind Ruthie during the cold opening and scene 5.
- A small clip from scene 5 is used in Sesame Street All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!
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