] LOS ANGELES - Gregory Hines, the greatest tap dancer of
] his generation who also transcended the stage with
] successful film and television roles, has died at 57.

I thought that "White Nights" was an incredible movie, both for the cutting-edge dancing and the political commentary. The movie was a classic, and Hines was a brilliantly gifted dancer who could not only execute extremely difficult sequences, but also pushed himself even further, pushing his own limits, and, as a result, the boundaries of the entire artform. He was an inspiring craftsman, and will not be forgotten.

Gregory Hines dies of cancer at 57