Back when movie musicals were as commonplace as newsreels, Cyd Charisse, who passed away earlier this week, danced with every great and near great male dancer the screen could throw at her, and she made each and every one of them better. If you know you dislike musicals, there is nothing I can say here to convince you otherwise; either you are transported by the emotional release of singing and dancing or you aren’t. Whether or not you enjoy them, however, know that if Fred Astaire had Ginger Rogers - Gene Kelly had Cyd Charisse. Kelly was an athletic dancer with a gymnast’s zeal for movement. Strong and powerful, he looked full of energy even when he stood still. Charisse was the best on-screen dance partner he ever had, in large part because her formidable physical presence matched up with Kelly’s athletic bearing. Their work together in Brigadoon, It’s Always Fair Weather, and especially Singin’ In the Rain, showcased the depth of their talents. If you only think you dislike musicals, start with those and maybe you’ll acquire a taste for this once dominant art form. If you appreciate how emotional, how sensual, how playful, and how full of life her dancing was, the sadness of her passing is all the more profound.