january african american tap dancer began career skilled style dancing performed wooden construction acquired nickname sand alter sound dance steps called board said 1950s year regular attraction fixture harlem noted failed acts hook prop involved new_york_city venue primarily black tap dancers resurgence interest tap dancing 1980s served cultural ambassador representing united_states dance performances world featured dance film tap demonstrating classic challenge dancing appeared episode tap dancing teacher facing cliff good tap challenge review play based life new_york_times critic wrote class dances sand like saying walker early life born arkansas january children family soon relocated los_angeles california raised describing childhood said big dancing family learned dance father said dancing soon walk began tap dancing age attributed early love tap dancing particular mother kept wearing toes shoes putting steel shoes brothers dancing los_angeles young age age windows dance school got arrested able dance way freedom convincing judge reason street legitimate young man despite dance talent professional dancer professional boxer twice breaking hand decided needed different means making living noticed boxing audiences reacted positively way dance box getting ring especially distinctive sound dancing moving wooden box began consider dancing career alternative experimented different methods box effect shoes dancing mat created wear surface finally found solution loose sand low box people went sound sound board sand flat platform remained trademark career venues telling don bring don come period common dancers carry tap shoes encountered dancer street throw shoes way challenge culture street dancing 1920s compared rise break dancing decades later journal described challenge dancing performer tries tap dancing heritage like jazz solos musicians try later described atmosphere dance challenges dancers learned essentially open air dance schools despite performing venues found fame success dancer los_angeles tagged professional boxer friend cross country drives settled new_york_city harlem arriving began performing street california faced stiff competition innovative dancers knew people danced dinner plates man dance newspapers tearing constructed gigantic tap performed corners working jobs find discovered amateur night stage soon gained local notoriety eventually won amateur night competition record breaking times rule instituted performers longer compete earned prizes big dancers played apollo audience dancers shoes said balcony dancers rows saw tap dancers want tap dancers tap dancers tried tap dancers reason guy want dance apollo mid-1950s hired apollo stage manager soon began role apollo famed chasing amateur night contestants crowd disapproved stage shepherd known times hook props dressed variety costumes long underwear clown suit backstage console defeated contestants story having times finally got finish act play shortly took apollo having found work dancing stop dancing street saw dancer challenge didn care way known new_york best culture street challenges los_angeles competing dancers learn significant change dancing style came result interaction harlem practitioners variation tap learned west coast later define main difference tap tap focuses heel toe use foot result technique unique use routines described rich sounds textures steps feet set drums survey cultural history described rookie veteran lack male tap dancers assembled share steal challenge new standards set competition like dancing competitions hall judges sat beneath stage evaluate dancers clarity speed presentation comprised informal panel peers cruel mocking driven insistence innovation survive die eccentric fusion imitation innovation young dancers forced find style rhythmic voice said wall written thou copy steps exactly frequently took opportunities explain difference tap press later years tended refer tap dancer practice forms dance motivated death bill robinson founding member fellowship tap dancers source mentor student relationships help bring revival tap 1970s 1980s decline revival tap tap dancing lost popularity audiences beginning late 1940s number causes decline going style style variety shows new tax forced close closed venues big bands tap dancers perform trends music favored smaller intimate groups performers increases interest audiences watching formal modern dance ballet performances quoted having said period didn die neglected paying harder find paying turned sources income despite having formal instruction taught dance including later stars taught boxing ran café worked carpenter mechanic despite lean times able food table family having married late 1960s brought beginning wave nostalgia tap found dance skills demand star cast revue played broadway popular run years interest tap dancing continued danced production best dying art form asserted subsequent events prove right saw release maps featured facing fellow tap stars served mentor early years new_york way dance challenge documentary reunited toured years past far cry tiny venues lucky play years earlier performed crowd fans newport jazz festival later year instructor performers word foot teach series spending week demonstrating techniques new generation tap enthusiasts new_york leg newport jazz festival spanned home city newport rhode_island year performed production called weeks later stage dancing promotional tour reviving interest maps stars pre screening performances backed booked performances coming regularly stopped participating street corner challenges encouraging younger generations dancers inviting learn moves granted national heritage fellowship thought making noise years said award calling culture funds teach dance children harlem parking lot lieu formal dance studio drawing youth learning dance street later explain people wait study dance grown late year received grant study traditional lack tap dance master dancer loved teach son recounted stop kid saw step copy step enjoyed performing audience apollo harlem served years amateur night closed decade following extensive renovation venue reopened bringing increased attention apollo role protector explained washington_post audience hostile described seeing displeased audiences throw bottles performers stage fast new_york_times interviewed role said acts got tell work act come encouraging try starred hosted showing maps earning rave review new_york_times brief appearance play based life sand dancer written poet starred received rave review class dances sand like saying walker traveled los_angeles perform production called fellow tap stars including guest star late night david_letterman showtime apollo broadcast performances began broadcasting september nbc stations bringing awareness role wider audience particularly busy year saw tour world cultural ambassador behalf traveling countries span months popularity time high told associated_press fulfill work walk street somebody showing time step tap dancing popularity nearing new peak major american cities houston texas portland oregon washington hosting tap dance festivals movie theaters dance drama tap introducing student audiences opportunity perform playing fictionalized version named appearance popular programs television dance instructor signed young daughter order help prepare class assignment episode cliff challenged dance tribute parody real life tap challenges won later year played host rat tap tap dance festival deserved audience favorite tap festivals featured performer alongside tap stars gregory featured performer annual celebration honored contributions art popular culture particularly role referenced frequently african american culture april invoked long running comic strip responded told joke saying need performance artist dancers play life hosting exhibit july president barack_obama referring performance singing stage albeit amateur night evening state union address said come personal life marriage produced child later married second wife son grandchildren great particularly later years claimed certain birth year times saying matter opinion asked fan old replied number play death died new_york_city suffered disease memorial service held filmography maps tribute apollo celebration performing arts showtime apollo harlem nights tap tap dance america season episode
Howard Sims