Why did Fred Astaire want the camera to show his whole body while dancing?

Fred Astaire revolutionized the movie musical by insisting that dance numbers be filmed with full-figure shots and minimal editing or camera angles.1

Prior to his influence, early sound films often relied on stationary cameras and frequent cutaways to actors or close-ups of a dancer's face or feet. By requiring that the camera follow him from head to toe throughout his routines, Astaire ensured that the integrity of the choreography remained visible to the audience, setting a new standard for the serious presentation of dance on film that persisted for decades.21