The Monkees choreographer was the only one brave enough to dance with Davy Jones to ''Cuddly Toy''

"I was the one girl chosen to dance with Davy Jones."

In the early days, Anita Mann was the woman everybody turned to for choreography on TV. She worked for every network and every star, from Lucille Ball to Elvis Presley. But on The Monkees, her interview with the Archive of American Television suggests that Davy Jones was one of the quirkiest stars she ever danced with.

Mann said, “He was a very improvisational performer. Like Lucy had to know where her little finger had to go; everything had to be choreographed. ... But Davy Jones was just free. He was a different kind of improvisational performer, and on camera, that could scare some people, but he lived for that moment.”

Jones was so committed to living for that moment that he didn't really like rehearsing, Mann said. That became an issue during a certain scene that any fan of The Monkees will remember. In an episode called "Everywhere a Sheik, Sheik," the band performs a cover of Harry Nilsson's "Cuddly Toy," and the scene required a female dancer who could keep up with Jones as he sang the now-famous song.

You'd think that would be nearly every girl's dream in the 1960s – dancing with Davy Jones – but according to Mann, nobody wanted to do it for a very simple reason: There was no choreography, at all. Nobody wanted to risk looking a fool in Davy Jones' shadow, unable to keep up with his energy levels. In need of someone to fill in, Mann stepped into the scene herself.

"What can I say, that I was the one girl chosen to dance with Davy Jones," Mann said. "That was like the Beatles at a time. They were so much fun. And I think I was able to do it because I was a dancer who wasn’t afraid to go on camera and not know what the next step was." She gets serious remembering, "Because we didn’t know what he was going to do next." Watch the clip below to see how Mann's serendipitous scene worked out:

"It was absolutely hysterical fun," Mann confirmed, "I remember laughing almost the whole time.” Looking back, it's nearly as much fun watching her struggle to keep up with Jones now, as it was watching the first time, without knowing what was going on. The choreographer in her admits, though, that it was a little messy, saying, "I –  honestly – if you look at that video again, you’re going to see me looking down at his feet, thinking, ‘What is next?’”

So, there's your answer if you ever wondered if it was exactly as zany to work on The Monkees as it was to watch: When it came to the dance routines, Anita Mann told the truth: "It was a free-for-all.”

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13 Comments

KathyMcKinny 60 months ago
LOVE her boots, wish the go go boots would come back in style
Greg 61 months ago
She looks a lot like Nancy Sinatra to me
Tresix 61 months ago
I like that video and the song, even if it is a little risque.
harlow1313 Tresix 61 months ago
Yes. I had to take a cold shower after watching...
Brian 61 months ago
When I saw her name, all I could think of was that old comic-album (Natl. Lampoon, maybe) schtick for Splydeen where the woman says quickly: "OOH, Anita Mann... Anita Mann right away... Anita Mann!". If you don't get the joke, say it out loud to someone, and ask them what you said.
QwillaQwincy 61 months ago
I loved learning the story behind this performance! It looked like they really fed off one another's moves with Ms. Mann leading the way at times. You could see they were having some spontaneous fun, too, and that is where true magic lies. I'm so glad it worked out this way. Thank you!
harlow1313 61 months ago
I enjoyed watching her, and now have a crush.

This contrasts with the obvious difficulty poor Mary Grace had trying to keep up in a dance with Gomer on The Andy Griffith Show.
Pacificsun 61 months ago
She made it look easy! Obviously the talent of a Pro!!
Dario 61 months ago
Attractive lady and great dancer. I always wondered who she was. Plus, the left side of her face is her best profile, and, her smile is infectious. 😀❤️
Amalthea DarioWiter 61 months ago
Agreed. GREAT smile.
Barry22 61 months ago
I always liked that song, and the film sequence that went with it. This story was interesting.
Dario Barry22 61 months ago
Me too. It's a great Monkees sequence. 😀❤️
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