Preserving and Advancing the Art of Tap Dance.
By Tap Legacy
The Cotton Club 1984, Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and Choreographed by Dr. Henry LeTang starring Gregory Hines and Maurice Hines among others.
It is the story of what was a famous night club in Harlem. The story follows the people that visited the club, those that ran it, and is peppered with the Jazz music that made it so famous.
By Tap Legacy
Dr. Henry Letang is a Tony Award Wining Broadway Choreographer… Black and Blue – Eubie – Sophisticated Ladies…
With credits in Movies TAP, The Cotton Club, and TV shows and productions.
Henry, was an Honorary Board member of the Tap Legacy Foundation Inc.
Find out more detailed and in depth information about his Broadway and Hollywood Credits plus more… Do Visit his tribute website to learn more. http://www.henryletang.org/
Enjoy the clip from the Broadway show Black And Blue with Henry LeTang Choreographer.
By Tap Legacy
to all dancers, dance enthusiasts and tap dancers. Join us in celebrating the Birthday of Charles Cholly Atkins today 09/30/1913, born Charles Sylvan Atkinson in Alabama. A Tap Master and National Treasure.
Atkins, a tap dancer and vaudeville performer, would later become the house choreographer for the various artists on the Motown music label.
Atkins’ first found fame was in one of the top vaudeville class acts with partner Charles Honi Coles. Billed as Coles & Atkins, they toured nationally and internationally performing with the bands of Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and Count Basie, among others.
In 1964, following many years as a freelance choreographer for vocal groups, Atkins was hired by Berry Gordy to work with the artists on his newly formed Motown label. Atkins’ new style of vocal choreography would define an entirely new kind of choreographic style and supply the trademark moves of many quintessential Motown acts such as Gladys Knight and The Pips, The Supremes, The Temptations, and The Four Tops, among others.
Atkins continued working with Motown artists well into the 1980s, however, over the years Atkins’ own choreography may also be seen in groups outside of the Motown family, such as The Cadillacs and the O’Jays. All totaled Atkins worked with more that 75 vocal groups and 20 solo acts over the course of his choreographic career.
Atkins received a Tony Award in 1989 for choreography of the Broadway show Black and Blue, which he shared with Henry LeTang, Frankie Manning and Fayard Nicholas. In 1993, The National Endowment for the Arts awarded Atkins its most prestigious dance honor: a three-year choreographers fellowship.
Other awards and honors include induction in the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, the first recipient of the Elder Mentors Award from the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for African American History and Culture, an Honorary Doctorate in Dance from Oklahoma City University. Atkins was also a founding member of the Copasetics and a member of the Tap Legacy Foundation’s Honorary Board.
Sit back and enjoy this clip of Coles and Atkins, Cholly is on screen left when the clip starts.
Class… Rhythm and Musicality like no other, WOW!!!
By Tap Legacy
Dr. Arthur Duncan was born in Pasadena, California, September 25, 1933. Pursuing his college education, he entered the Pasadena City College to study pharmacy, but left school soon after to pursue a career in show business, at which he garnered success as a tap dancer and singer. He toured with the Jimmy Rodgers Show.
After several years of appearances in Europe, Duncan was discovered by Lawrence Welk’s personal manager, Sam Lutz. After appearing as a guest on the show, Lawrence Welk offered Duncan a permanent spot as a member of his musical family.
Arthur Duncan gained fame as the first African American performer on the popular Lawrence Welk Show. Duncan danced and sang on the show from 1964 to the show’s finale in 1982.
Besides his solo number on the show, he teamed up with Bobby Burgess and Jack Imel in performing popular dance routines.
After the Lawrence Welk Show finale in 1982, Duncan has appeared in several television shows such as Diagnosis Murder, Columbo, The Betty White Show and many more. He also appeared with Red Skelton, Sammy Davis Jr., Gregory Hines, Jerry Lewis, Dick Van Dyke, Tommy Tune, Lionel Hampton and much more.
He was featured in the Challenge scene in the 1989 movie TAP with Harold Nicholas, Jimmy Slyde, Steve Condos, Bunny Briggs, Sandman Sims, Pat Rico, Henry LeTang On Piano, Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr.
He continues to be a major force as a Tap Master on the Tap Festival scene Nationally and Internationally, among an enormous busy schedule.
Duncan has received the 2004 Flo-Bert Award of Lifetime Achievement of Tap Artistry, in New York City, and the 2005 Living Treasure in American Dance Award from the Oklahoma City University and an honorary doctorate was presented to him in Spring 2008. Also receiving the Gregory Hines Humanitarian Award from the Gabriella Axelrad Education Foundation for his work with the Inner City Kids’ Non-Profit Dance Program.
The clip is from the 1965 Lawrence Welk Show, with Duncan tap dancing on the piano to Cute played by Doug Scherer!!!
By Tap Legacy
Did you know that the First Tap Dance challenge scene took place in the 1984 film The Cotton Club.
The film is about the famous 1930’s Harlem Jazz Club The Cotton Club. The story follows the people that visited the club, those that ran it, and is peppered with the Jazz music that made it so famous.
The film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Choreographed by Henry LeTang and starred Richard Gere, Gregory Hines, Bob Hoskins, Larry Fishburne, Nicholas Cage among others.
The Tap Challenge – Gregory Hines, Charles Honi Coles, Maurice Hines, James Buster Brown, Ralph Brown, Harold Cromer, Bubba Gaines, George Hillman, Henry Phace Roberts, Howard Sandman Sims, Jimmy Slyde, Henry LeTang, Charles Young, Tip Tap and Toe – Skip Cunningham – Luther Fontaine – Jan Mickens.
By Tap Legacy
From the Lawrence Welk Show – 1966, Arthur Duncan with Jack Imel and Bobby Burgess.
Arthur Duncan, Pasadena, California, was Pursuing his college education, when he entered the Pasadena City College to study pharmacy, but left school soon after to pursue a career in show business, at which he garnered success as a tap dancer and singer. He toured with the Jimmy Rodgers Show. After several years of appearances in Europe, Duncan was discovered by Lawrence Welk’s personal manager, Sam Lutz.
After appearing as a guest on the show, Lawrence Welk offered Duncan a permanent spot as a member of his musical family.
Duncan gained fame as the first African American performer on the popular Lawrence Welk Show. Duncan danced and sang on the show from 1964 to the show’s finale in 1982.
Besides his solo number on the show, he teamed up with Bobby Burgess and Jack Imel in performing popular dance routines. See Clip.
After the Lawrence Welk Show finale in 1982, Duncan has appeared in several television shows such as Diagnosis Murder, Columbo, The Betty White Show and many more. He also appeared with Red Skelton, Sammy Davis Jr., Gregory Hines, Jerry Lewis, Dick Van Dyke, Tommy Tune, Lionel Hampton and much more.
He was featured in the Challenge scene in the movie TAP – 1989 with Harold Nicholas, Jimmy Slyde, Steve Condos, Bunny Briggs, Pat Rico, Sandman Sims, Henry LeTang, Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr.
He continues to be a major force as a Tap Master on the Tap Festival scene Nationally and Internationally, among an enormous busy schedule.
Duncan has received the 2004 Flo-Bert Award of Lifetime Achievement of Tap Artistry, in New York City, and the 2005 Living Treasure in American Dance Award from the Oklahoma City University and an honorary doctorate was presented to him in Spring 2008. Also receiving the Gregory Hines Humanitarian Award from the Gabriella Axelrad Education Foundation for his work with the Inner City Kids’ Non-Profit Dance Program.