JUMPIN' JIVE
The Cotton Club was a legendary nightclub in Harlem from 1923-1940. It was totally segregated with customers being white and performers black. Even the famous headline performers like Billie Holiday were not allowed in the front door. The list of artists performing there includes Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Fats Waller, Ethel Waters, Cab Calloway, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Katherine Dunham, Bill Robinson, Honi Coles, the Berry Brothers and ... the incredible Nicholas Brothers. In those days, the movies made in Hollywood were segregated as well with musicals like Glen Miller's Orchestra Wives offering black performances only in segments that could be removed when the movie was shown in the south. Hollywood responded by also making some all black films. Prominent in particular was Stormy Weather, the all black 1943 musical that boasted Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, Katherine Dunham and in the Nicholas Brothers.
Stormy Weather's grand finale is this famous and startling tap dance performed by Fayard and Harold Nicholas. Fred Astaire call this piece the best dance ever filmed. It is introduced in the movie by an energetic Cab Calloway with his dancing hair. You can watch the piece here by clicking on the frame below:
Stormy Weather's grand finale is this famous and startling tap dance performed by Fayard and Harold Nicholas. Fred Astaire call this piece the best dance ever filmed. It is introduced in the movie by an energetic Cab Calloway with his dancing hair. You can watch the piece here by clicking on the frame below:
Click above to watch the Nicholas Brothers in Jumping' Jive.
Everything about the movie is fantastic and you really should watch the whole thing. Musical numbers one after another that are snappy, creative, beautiful, majestic with all virtuoso performances.
I adore the Nicholas Brothers. They are role models for me in much of what I aspire to accomplish as a dancer. Graceful, amazingly adept and fluid in their motion, they were totally self taught. I believe neither brother ever took a dance class. Their parents were professional musicians who toured in Vaudeville. The older brother Fayard watched Vaudeville performers and taught himself to dance. Fayard taught Harold who was 8 years younger. As child prodigies they excelled into stardom and many Cotton Club appearances. One of my favorite stories about them is listening to Fayard talk about the thing that he thought was the most important...the hands. Elegant hands are one of their spectacular contributions to the dance world, along with splits down stairs.
As a special treat, here is another Nicholas Brothers dance number, this time from Orchestra Wives made in 1942. This is I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo. I am including it here so you get a deeper understanding of just how terrific the brothers were.
Click above to watch the brothers in "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo".
Katherine Dunham is also featured in Stormy Weather along with her African American dance company. Dunham's company, the first black modern dance group, was groundbreaking in and of itself. Dunham is now renowned in the dance world as her technique is studied and taught as an essential expression of the black culture.
As a bonus, here is the Katherine Dunham Dance Company performing in another clip from Stormy Weather. This is an ensemble piece that starts out with a solo by Bill Robinson. The dancers from the company perform a choreography that is hip, snazzy and innovative. I love this. Both the music and dance steps are so infectious and the zoot suits are totally cool. Enjoy this bonus clip from the movie:
As a bonus, here is the Katherine Dunham Dance Company performing in another clip from Stormy Weather. This is an ensemble piece that starts out with a solo by Bill Robinson. The dancers from the company perform a choreography that is hip, snazzy and innovative. I love this. Both the music and dance steps are so infectious and the zoot suits are totally cool. Enjoy this bonus clip from the movie:
Click above to watch the fantastic zoot suit chorus.
A personal note:
I am 76. I dance every day. I perform a lot. I am very dedicated and really try to practice what I preach. To me, getting older can be getting better. That is really the essential message I am trying to convey on this web site and in particular in my DVDs.
My favorite dance movements are those with sweeping leg gestures. There is one step made famous by ballet but used across all dance genres that I particularly love, the rond de jambe. The term means "circular leg movement". Up until about 3 years ago, I thought I would never be able to do these gorgeous moves. The strength and flexibility required was I thought beyond me. Both Nickolas brothers do these beautiful rond de jambes in their dancing that are so free and graceful. I first remember watching the younger brother Harold doing them and thought that it was something so beautiful but that I would never be able to do. Every dance I do now has lots of rond de jambes! I love them, ones with high, high leg motion as well as small, sinuous ones. You never know what you can accomplish if you set your mind to it. (You can see the Nicholas Brothers performing rond de jambes at the 2:43 mark in the Kalamazoo number.)
I am not expecting anyone else to try to do the things I am talking about. I am passionate about my dance and that is not for everyone. What I hope to communicate to you is how anyone can get better at anything. It really comes down to practice or attending balance classes or participating in Tai Chi. The simple doing is what is important. Getting up off the sofa or out of the chair. Not all the time. Just a bit more than you are are doing now. Remember, 30 minutes of exercise a day reduces Alzheimer's by 33%, heart disease by 40%, diabetes by 50%, high blood pressure by 50%, recurrent breast cancer by 50% and colon cancer by 60%!
My favorite dance movements are those with sweeping leg gestures. There is one step made famous by ballet but used across all dance genres that I particularly love, the rond de jambe. The term means "circular leg movement". Up until about 3 years ago, I thought I would never be able to do these gorgeous moves. The strength and flexibility required was I thought beyond me. Both Nickolas brothers do these beautiful rond de jambes in their dancing that are so free and graceful. I first remember watching the younger brother Harold doing them and thought that it was something so beautiful but that I would never be able to do. Every dance I do now has lots of rond de jambes! I love them, ones with high, high leg motion as well as small, sinuous ones. You never know what you can accomplish if you set your mind to it. (You can see the Nicholas Brothers performing rond de jambes at the 2:43 mark in the Kalamazoo number.)
I am not expecting anyone else to try to do the things I am talking about. I am passionate about my dance and that is not for everyone. What I hope to communicate to you is how anyone can get better at anything. It really comes down to practice or attending balance classes or participating in Tai Chi. The simple doing is what is important. Getting up off the sofa or out of the chair. Not all the time. Just a bit more than you are are doing now. Remember, 30 minutes of exercise a day reduces Alzheimer's by 33%, heart disease by 40%, diabetes by 50%, high blood pressure by 50%, recurrent breast cancer by 50% and colon cancer by 60%!