 Danny Daniels choreographed the opening music number " Anything Goes " . Capshaw learned to sing in Mandarin and took tap dance lessons . However , when wearing her dress , which was too tight , Capshaw was not able to tap dance . Made of the 1920s and 1930s original beads , the dress was one of a kind . The opening dance number was actually the last scene to be shot , but the dress did feature in some earlier location shots in Sri Lanka , drying on a nearby tree . Unfortunately an elephant had started to eat it , but some was salvaged . Consequently , some emergency repair work had to be done with what remained of the original beads , and it was costume designer Anthony Powell who had to fill in the insurance forms . As to the reason for damage , he had no option but to put " dress eaten by elephant " . 
