Warning: Spoilers for DC’s Spring Breakout #1!Of all the mentors he learned from, Fred Astaire may be the most unexpected for Batman. It’s no secret that Bruce Wayne is one of DC’s most traveled heroes when it comes to honing his skills. From Ra’s al Ghul to Santa Claus, Batman has had countless mentors from around the world to teach him the skills needed to protect Gotham.
One mentor who trains Batman indirectly through Mr. Freeze’s wife is Golden Globe-winning actor Fred Astaire, as revealed in DC Spring Escape “Cold Feet” #1 by Thomas Krajewski, Wes St. Claire, Ivan Plascencia and Tom Napolitano. Batman is able to link some dance lessons he learned as a child with combat lessons.
For all the skills Batman has acquired from different masters around the world, it was those of a tap dancer that proved to be the deciding factor in a fight with Mr..
Fred Astaire helps Batman defeat Mr.
Tying Dance with Fight
The story takes place at the time when Mr. Freeze crashes Wayne Manor’s 40th Annual Spring Fling and appears to arrest Batman quicker and easier than usual. Batman doesn’t seem worried, though. In fact, he’s laughing in Freeze’s face. When asked what’s so funny, Batman recalls a childhood memory of when he was at the 20th annual Wayne Spring Ball, held not long after his parents’ death. Young Bruce isn’t in the mood to dance until a woman approaches him. This woman is soon revealed to be Freeze’s wife, Nora.long before she succumbed to her illness.
Nora teaches young Bruce the greatest dancing trick: that Every dance has a leader and a follower. Specifically, the leader offers subtle signals to the follower, even small nudges to guide him in the direction the leader wants him to go. Bruce remembers having so much fun, he was too busy dancing like a pro, feeling like Fred Astaire, to realize he was being led. He then explains to Freeze that in this scenario, he literally undocked him. Once Freeze realizes that Batman has led him into a trap, he is quickly defeated.
Batman uses dance techniques to understand the fight
Every fight has a leader and a follower
A correlation between fighting and dancing isn’t an obvious connection to make, but it makes perfect sense how Batman explains it. Every punch, kick and misdirection requires a certain level of strategy and timing that is not unlike the way someone leads while dancing.. It’s certainly fruitful for Batman in this scenario, as he’s able to lead (or rather trick) Mr. Freeze exactly where he wants him to be. It’s ironic that Mr. Freeze’s downfall comes from the lessons his wife taught Batmanand even more ironic that these same lessons made Fred Astaire a star.