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Steve Condos

[Daily Post] Nick Condos HAPPY BIRTHDAY

January 26, 2015 By Tap Legacy

To all dancers, dance enthusiasts and tap dancers, join us in celebrating the Birthday of Nick Condos today 01/26/1915.

Nick Condos, of  The Condos Brothers was born in St Louis as Nicholas Kontas. of Greek origin. A Tap Master and National Treasure.

Nick and his brother Steve became the favorite tap dance team of Hollywood producer Daryl Zanuck, and became the most sought after tap dance team for films in the 30’s and 40’s.

Here is some of  The Condos Brothers film credits, Wake Up and Live – 1937, Happy Landing – 1938), In the Navy – 1941, Pin-Up Girl – 1944, The Time, the Place and the Girl – 1946, Shes Back on Broadway – 1953.

Enjoy…

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[Daily Post] Steve Condos, Betty Grable and Jerry Brandow

December 26, 2014 By Tap Legacy

Meet Me After the Show a 1951 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Musical.

The film stars were Betty Grable, MacDonald Carey, Rory Calhoun, Eddie Albert, Steve Condos and Jerry Brandow among others.

This film was one of Grable’s last musical films for Fox. The familiar plot of love lost – love found.

Check the tap dancing @ 3.27 of the clip, Listen… Watch & Enjoy.

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[Daily Post] Steve and Nick Condos, The Condos Brothers

December 2, 2014 By Tap Legacy

Steve and Nick Condos, also known as The Condos Brothers, Tap Masters and National Treasures.

Steve and Nick became the favorite and most sought after dance team in Hollywood for films in the 1930’s – 1940’s.

Such films were ** Wake Up and Live – 1937 ** Happy Landing – 1938 ** In the Navy – 1941 ** Pin-Up Girl – 1944 ** The Time the Place and the Girl – 1946 ** She’s Back on Broadway – 1953. 

As in Hollywood and across the USA, they were also a sensation overseas, they held the longest record at London’s famous Palladium playing for an entire year.

Sit back and enjoy their Clarity … Rhythmic Musicality…  Showmanship and Class.

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[Daily Post] Steve Condos HAPPY BIRTHDAY

October 12, 2014 By Tap Legacy

To all dancers, dance enthusiasts and tap dancers, join us in celebrating the Birthday of Steve Condos today 10/12/1918 born Steven Kontas in Pittsburgh PA.

The youngest of three brothers Steve grew up in South Philadelphia, a well known hot bed of talent in the 1920s. His father owned a restaurant across the street from The Standard Theatre, the largest black Vaudeville house in the area, and the place where Steve first heard Louis Armstrong play. Steve would continue to credit Armstrong as a musical influence throughout his career.

Steve began dancing on the streets of Philly and later paired with his brother Nick at age 14 continuing the tradition of The Condos Brothers. Nick and Frank, the eldest of the brothers, had started the act some years earlier following Frank’s departure from his first act King and King with partner Mateo Olvera.

The Condos Brothers earned a reputation for complicated footwork – one of Steve’s specialties punctuated with flash Nick’s forte, and a dynamic overall style. A favorite of Hollywood producer Daryl Zanuck’s, The Condos Brothers – Nick and Steve may be seen in a number of feature films including Wake Up and Live – 1937 The clip is from this film, Happy Landing – 1938, In the Navy – 1941, Pin-Up Girl – 1944, The Time, the Place and the Girl – 1946, and She’s Back on Broadway – 1953, among others. The Condos Brothers also played internationally, including a one year run at the London Palladium with the Crazy Gang.

As a soloist Steve performed with the Woody Herman’s Big Band, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and childhood friend Buddy Rich. On Broadway Steve appeared in Heaven on Earth and Say Darling and created the role of Spats Palazzo in Sugar – 1972, with director and choreographer Gower Champion allowing Steve the rare liberty of improvising his entire solo feature every night.

Steve’s work during the resurgence of tap dance as a teacher, at festivals such as the Colorado Mile High Tap Summit, and proponent of the form, featured in the documentary film About Tap and in a program of jazz tap improvisation at the Smithsonian Institution with Jimmy Slyde, have had an enormous impact.

Steve’s rudimentary approach to the technique of tap dance, his complete and unwavering focus on the musical aspects of the form, and his excitement with regards to the seemingly infinite possibilities of improvisational play are all major influences on today’s rhythm tap dancers.

Not long after a featured role in the 1989 film Tap, Steve performed what would be his last concert at the Lyons International Dance Biennial, in Lyon, France. Following his performance in the third concert of the event – a concert added to meet public demand – Steve suffered a fatal heart attack.

Steve was an honorary member of the original Copasetics, Inc., and a 2002 inductee of the Tap Dance Hall of Fame. His work lives on in every dancer that thinks of a rudiment as a way to freedom.

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[Daily Post] Jimmy Slyde HAPPY BIRTHDAY

October 2, 2014 By Tap Legacy

To all dancers, dance enthusiasts and tap dancers, join us in celebrating the Birthday of Dr. Jimmy Slyde today 10/02/1927, born James Titus Godbolt. A Tap Master, National Treasure and an Honorary Board Member of the Tap Legacy™ Foundation.

He was born in Atlanta, Georgia and grew up in Boston after his family moved there. He began tap dancing at age 12 with teacher Stanley Brown at The New England Conservatory of Music, after seeing Bill Bojangles Robinson perform.

Jimmy Slyde found the Slyde Brothers with Jimmy Sir Slyde Mitchell, he also was part of the tap dance revival of the 1980s.

Slyde was in films such as The Cotton Club, Tap and Round Midnight, as well as a number of television specials. He collaborated with Steve Condos on a program of jazz tap improvisation at the Smithsonian Institution and performed across the United States, France and South America.

In 1989, Slyde received a Tony Award nomination for his Broadway debut in the musical Black and Blue. He was also the recipient the Flo-Bert award – 1991 and the NEA National Heritage Fellowship Award – 1999, the Charles Honi Coles Award – 2001, a Guggenheim Fellowship for Choreography – 2003, and an honorary Doctorate of Performing Arts from Oklahoma City University.

Sit back and enjoy this Master Artist at play in a clip from the Broadway Show Black and Blue.

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[Daily Post] Arthur Duncan HAPPY BIRTHDAY

September 25, 2014 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!!!

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