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It’s the Disney princess Cinderella’s 72nd anniversary today, February 15, and Disney Animation has chosen to honor this beloved princess character by sharing some glimpses of the “pencil test footage” that was used behind the scenes by inspiring Walt Disney animators to create the iconic ballroom dance between Cinderella and her Prince Charming! Check it out in the Tweet below!
Happy Anniversary to Cinderella! Get swept off your feet with this pencil test footage of original animation drawings from the Walt Disney Animation Research Library. pic.twitter.com/0slSs43Cab
— Disney Animation (@DisneyAnimation) February 15, 2022
We recently highlighted the mild-mannered nature of Cinderella, particularly compared to more outwardly feisty heroines like Merida or Raya, and this personality is another timeless aspect of Cinderella’s legacy. The animation that was used to bring her to life certainly played a role in emphasizing her gentle grace and femininity, and we can even see those traits coming through in the rough-draft pencil footage shown above from a Disney animator!
Credit: entertainment-factor.blogspot.com
No matter how many years it’s been since the 1950 premiere of Cinderella, Disney fans have not stopped viewing this ballroom scene as one of the most recognizable, dreamy, and romantic sequences. Aurora might have a dance scene as well, and Cinderella also has her own swoon-worthy ballroom dance with her prince in the 2015 live-action adaptation, but this 1950 scene’s beautiful animation really adds to the Disney magic!
Credit: theguardian.com
It also looks like the 2015 version of the Disney film took some inspiration from Cinderella and Prince Charming when it came to their graceful movements.
Cinderella’s story may have had some problems when it came to focusing too much on romance, and there has been debate about how much Cinderella has actually evolved in 72 years in comparison to other Disney princesses or Disney heroines, but no one can deny that the ballgown transformation that Cinderella experiences with the help of her Fairy Godmother and her ballroom waltz with Prince Charming are particularly iconic!
Cinderella’s Royal Table – Photo Credit Disney
As with any other Disney princess character, Cinderella also emphasizes the importance of dreaming big, even in the face of hardships. She continues to exhibit courage and kindness, even in the face of abuse from her ugly stepsisters Anastasia and Drizella or the Wicked Stepmother Lady Tremaine, and Cinderella does not stop dreaming of her happily ever after.
Although the storyline and voice acting for this Disney princess were also big factors in getting her courage and kindness across to viewers, inspiring Walt Disney animators no doubt played a part as well as they drew her into life in these “original animation drawings”! Disney animators never cease to impress with their Disney magic!
Happy anniversary, Cinderella!
