Tap dancing is a uniquely American art form. Its origins are multicultural in the truest sense of the term, with roots that reach far away, and long ago, into various African and European traditions of dance and music. It is no accident that many early tap dancers held themselves erect like clog dancers, while executing intricate polyrhythmic footwork with their feet. It's also no accident that National Tap Dance Day, an official American holiday, falls on May 25th of each year.
That date was chosen because it is the birthday of one of tap dancing’s greatest legends, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. Robinson was born in 1878 in Richmond, Virginia, and received his nickname, “Bojangles,” as a child who was already dancing in saloons at the age of six. By the age of twelve, he was performing onstage in shows like the 1891 play, “The South Before The War” (Knowles, 2002, p.121). He found initial fame by winning dance contests, and performed extensively in vaudeville, before moving in 1928 to Harlem in New York City, where he would become a stage dancing icon.
Robinson’s greatest claim to fame is undoubtedly the string of Hollywood movie musicals he performed in, although he was in his fifties when his film career began. While he performed many solo dance numbers onscreen, he is most often remembered for his charming dance duets with Shirley Temple, beginning with the “The Little Colonel” in 1935. Temple, when asked about her various film partners, said of Robinson, “he was the one who treated me most like an equal” (Frank, 1994, p.90). Robinson’s reputation for generosity and kind-heartedness extended well beyond young dancers, and he is said to have performed in over 100 benefit concerts per year (Frank,1994, p.180)
Bill Robinson & Shirley Temple, from "The Little Colonel," 1935.
Robinson’s most famous piece of choreography is probably his “stair dance,” which he performed both on and off screen. In the dance, Robinson deftly executes a myriad of complex and exquisitely executed tap steps while traveling up and down a set of specially constructed stairs. When asked about his inspiration for the piece, Robinson said, “I dreamed I was getting to be a knight, and I danced up the stairs to the throne, got my badge, and danced right down again” (Hill, Tap Dancing America, 2010, p.66).
While he may not have become a knight, he certainly became a hero to tap dancers around the globe, and his legend persists. As one of his protégé’s, Ralph Brown, said of Robinson, “Best tap dancer in the world. Why he could do more with his feet than any dancer I ever heard”(Frank, p.97). Unfortunately Robinson, like all African American performers in his time, wasn’t always afforded the treatment and respect he deserved, and was generally “shunted into humble, old south servant roles” (Hill, Brotherhood of Rhythm, 2002, p.93). One exception to that rule was a solo piece he performed for the 1937 Hollywood musical, “Café Metropol,” in which he dances in full tuxedo and top hat, looking as dapper as Fred Astaire. Unfortunately theatre owners objected, lest audiences become outraged by the image of a black man dressed too well, and the scene was cut from the film. Thankfully, the scene was preserved for posterity, and Robinson’s talent, personality and legendary tap dancing all live on despite the temporal challenges he faced.
That date was chosen because it is the birthday of one of tap dancing’s greatest legends, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. Robinson was born in 1878 in Richmond, Virginia, and received his nickname, “Bojangles,” as a child who was already dancing in saloons at the age of six. By the age of twelve, he was performing onstage in shows like the 1891 play, “The South Before The War” (Knowles, 2002, p.121). He found initial fame by winning dance contests, and performed extensively in vaudeville, before moving in 1928 to Harlem in New York City, where he would become a stage dancing icon.
Robinson’s greatest claim to fame is undoubtedly the string of Hollywood movie musicals he performed in, although he was in his fifties when his film career began. While he performed many solo dance numbers onscreen, he is most often remembered for his charming dance duets with Shirley Temple, beginning with the “The Little Colonel” in 1935. Temple, when asked about her various film partners, said of Robinson, “he was the one who treated me most like an equal” (Frank, 1994, p.90). Robinson’s reputation for generosity and kind-heartedness extended well beyond young dancers, and he is said to have performed in over 100 benefit concerts per year (Frank,1994, p.180)
Bill Robinson & Shirley Temple, from "The Little Colonel," 1935.
While he may not have become a knight, he certainly became a hero to tap dancers around the globe, and his legend persists. As one of his protégé’s, Ralph Brown, said of Robinson, “Best tap dancer in the world. Why he could do more with his feet than any dancer I ever heard”(Frank, p.97). Unfortunately Robinson, like all African American performers in his time, wasn’t always afforded the treatment and respect he deserved, and was generally “shunted into humble, old south servant roles” (Hill, Brotherhood of Rhythm, 2002, p.93). One exception to that rule was a solo piece he performed for the 1937 Hollywood musical, “Café Metropol,” in which he dances in full tuxedo and top hat, looking as dapper as Fred Astaire. Unfortunately theatre owners objected, lest audiences become outraged by the image of a black man dressed too well, and the scene was cut from the film. Thankfully, the scene was preserved for posterity, and Robinson’s talent, personality and legendary tap dancing all live on despite the temporal challenges he faced.
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