TOP OF THE TAPS         TAP STARS       STARS DES CLAQUETTES

 Fred ASTAIRE & Rita HAYWORTH

Fred Astaire "Sand-shuffle" Dancing man

FRED ASTAIRE (Frederik Austerlitz) est le fils d'immigrés autrichiens. En 1905, la famille s'installe à New York, espérant voir décoller la carrière de danseuse d'Adèle, la soeur aînée de Fred. Ce dernier danse dans l'ombre d'Adèle. En 1917, un agent remarque Fred et Adèle. Leur spectacle rencontre un franc succès et leur notoriété grandit, mais Adèle se marie et Fred entame une carrière solo en signant un contrat exclusif avec RKO Radio Pictures. 'Fly down to Rio' le fait apparaître aux côtés de Ginger Rogers. C'est le début d'un couple mythique, qui sera réuni dix fois jusqu'en 1949. L'artiste est complet et son succès est incroyable, encore maintenant il est la réference en tant que danseur de claquettes. Agé de quatre-vingt huit ans, le danseur mythique s'éteint des suites d'une pneumonie.

Bill BAILEY

Bill BAILEY He was said to be Bill Robinsons student and elements of Bill Robinson can be seen in his performances, although his tapping style is quite a bit different. He appeared in many dance sequences il films. > Harlem Variety Revue  1955, >Tribute to Bill ROBINSON

 Bill Robinson with Shirley Temple

Bill Robinson "Cafe Metropole"

Bill ROBINSON, the first major tap dance star, he had been around long before his appearance in the movies, he spent a great many year around the theatre circuits. He is credited for putting the bounce into tap, or bringing it up onto it's toes. There are many stories which surround Bill Robinson's life, as in running backwards faster than most people could forwards, taking part in tap competitions which included Fred Astair and coming first. Also he created the stair dance and was said to have threatened any one who tried to perform it.

 Gene KELLY & Donald O' Connor

 ELEANOR POWELL

ELEANOR POWELL was born in 1912 in Springfield, Massachussetts, and got her professional start in Atlantic City clubs, from where she moved into in revue in New York at the Ritz Grill and Casino de Paris at the age of sixteen. She started her career on Broadway in 1929, where her machine-gun foot work gained her the title of world champion in tapping. In 1935 she came to Hollywood where she starred in the great MGM musicals in the late 1930s, establishing herself as a Queen of Ra-Ta-Taps. In spite of the fact that she was primarily a solo performer she also danced with Fred Astaire and George Murphy. After her marriage she wasn't seen on the screen, except for a short number in the Duchess of Idaho (1950). After her divorce she started a short but successful night-club career.

Jimmy Slide-1 Claude Nugaro show / France

Jimmy SLYDE, one of the great Hoofers (movie Tap dance) His very specific tecnique was based on the slyding, which he executes so effortlessly, just like skating on ice.Always very elegant gentlemen in his performances. It's a tremendous pleasure to see him.His tapping is pure music. Jimmy Slyde is a great favourite and an icon in the tap community.

 Jimmy Slide-2 Claude Nugaro show / France

  Jimmy Slyde "Her's that rainy day

The Berry Brothers

  Nicholas Brothers extr. "Stormy weather"

Dorothy Dandridge Nicholas Brothers
"Chatonnoga choo-choo"

THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS
The best popular dancers of this century stand out for their signature styles. Fred Astaire brought effortless grace to every step, Cyd Charisse swept elegantly across the stage, and Gene Kelly radiated charm. When it comes to the Nicholas Brothers, a single scene from the 1940 film Down Argentine Way speaks for itself: They enter dressed in spotless eveningwear and start tapping at a clean clip, every part of their bodies engaged in motion. Before you know it, Harold and Fayard Nicholas are turning cartwheels and flips, landing in the splits, and moonwalking before Michael Jackson was ever the Thriller. They always return, then, to a perfect tempo, nary a thread out of place--a flawless marriage of flash and control. Such moments have led other master movers like Mikhail Baryshnikov to say, "They are probably the most amazing dancers I've seen. Those guys are perfect examples of pure genius."

  Nicholas Brothers "Pie Pie Blackbird"

Nicholas Brothers

Nicholas Brothers

Nicholas Brothers

 Honi COLE & Cholly ATKINS

Cholly ATKINS , a débuté sa carrière en 1923 en gagnant une compétition de charleston à Buffalo, puis devint un serveur 'chanteur' et cireur de chaussures 'dansant'. Il se fit un nom en tant que claquettiste dans les années 30, lors de tournées de spectacles 'noirs' avant de former les Rhythm Pals avec William Porter.Dans les années 40, Atkins fit un passage éclair dans l'armée puis fit des tournées avec les grands du jazz comme Count Basie, Louis Amstrong et Lionel Hampton. Il devint le partenaire du légendaire Charles Honi Coles, à l'occasion de la comédie musicale "Les Hommes préfèrent les Blondes" à Broadway, avec Nat King Cole. Tony award en 1993 pour co-chorégraphier la comédie musicale "Black and Blue" Atkins est décédé en 2003 à l'âge de 89 ans.

  Honi COLE & Cholly ATKINS

SANDMAN SIMS-1
(note the passages where he shows the bill ROBINSONS shoes with wooden taps)

 SANDMAN SIMS-2

SANDMAN SIMS, Another great all rounder, but also having the speciality of sand dancing, which he performed in a sand box. Sandman used to travel America challenging all the tap dancers he came across, it is said that he
never lost a challenge
SANDMAN SIMS (Howard Sims) Pendant des décennies , il fut le 'bourreau' de l'Apollo Theater à Harlem, impitoyable avec les numéros amateurs qui ne remportaient pas le succès du public, lors de 'radio crochets' claquettistiques. Il expliquait aux perdants comment il avait dû retenter sa chance 10 fois avant de pouvoir finir son numéro ! Mais ensuite, il gagna 25 compétitions d'affilée, devint célèbre sous le nom de grâce à ses numéros de danse sur sable. Quand il remporta le "National Heritage Fellowship" , en 1984, Sims déclara : "J'ai pensé, durant toutes ces années, que je faisais du bruit, maintenant, ils nomment cela 'culture'".Sandman SIMS, est mort le 20 Mai 2003 à New York à l'âge de 86 ans.

Tap dance "challenge !

Chuck Green

Buck and Bubbles

Little Buck

Sammy Davis Junior (child)

Sammy Davis Junior