Traditional Hoofing Discussion

The hoofing style of tap evolved in the African American community and was a result of the juba and jig dance. From the 1700s, upon the ban of the drum, African Americans created ways to maintain rhythm, and this evolved from using bones, objects around them such as cooking utensils, and the body. Part of the body was the feet, which was natural and able to produce not only rhythm but sound. Eventually, the English clog and clog shoes gave rise to the tap dance which was a blend of the Irish Jig, African American rhythmic movements, and the English clog. The hoofing style of tap dance developed in African American communities, and essentially became a language in which they competed with one another and exchanged new movements or rhythms. Within the hoofing style, there were artists that contributed heavily to the art and style of Tap dancing. Two hoofers included John William "Bubbles" Sublett, and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Firstly, John "Bubbles" Sublett was in a pair, with him and Ford "Buck" Washington. They were known as "Buck and Bubbles." They were partners for their career, and originally performed together with Buck providing live music through the piano, while Bubbles sang (thus, they deviated from the chorus realm). However, Bubbles preferred to move, and he eventually learned how to hoof. Bubbles contributed to the tap world through his slow tempo and focus upon the heel. He presented extra beats through the focus on the heel, and these aspects were known as the Lancashire clog-dance. His slow tempo allowed him to extend the time of dancing to flow with the music, all while utilizing complex steps and rhythms. This combination rhythm tap, thus, Williams became known as the father of rhythm tap. Next, another hoofer that contributed to the art of tap dance was Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. I personally got excited when seeing him, because I recognized him dancing alongside with the infamous Shirley Temple. Robinson starting dancing at age six and was known for his tap technique. Because African Americans could not perform solos at the time, Bill teamed with George W. Cooper and danced with him for twelve years at New York's Palace Theatre. Historically, Robinson was the first African American performing without blackface; he executed his own style with wooden soles shoes instead of metal shoes and became widely recognized for his ability to create rhythmic sounds that could only be produced by the drum. His specialty dancing included tapping up and down the stairs, which became known as the "Stair Dance." This creative yet entertaining way of tapping included intricate tap steps and rhythms on each step, and he eventually appeared in many films, such as The Little Colonel or in Broadway shows like All in Fun. Both artists clearly utilized rhythm and became known for their own creative ways in doing so, and both were popular due to their executions in it. Both also contributed heavily to tap dancing and paved the way for inspiring other hoofers to be creative in their tap dances. Clearly, John "Bubbles" Sublett and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson contributed heavily to the art of tap dance. Sublett's slow yet intricate rhythm allowed him to become the "father of Rhythmic tap." Robinson was known for his great technique and creative dance style of tapping up and down the stairs; he gained wider popularity eventually by starring in Broadway shows and films. In the new generation of hoofing, tap began to die down. In the African communities, adults allowed children to dance with them to pass down hoofing customs. Traditional hoofers did the same, and had these seasoned hoofers not done so, hoofing could have become extinct. Two young men who performed in the Broadway musical, Eubie. They sustained the traditional hoofing styles they learned from the masters, but particularly, their dad. Maurice and Gregory Hines were in the act "Hines and Dad." Their competitive challenges were witnessed behind the Apollo Theatre and their knowledge increased each year as they were able to see the Hoofer's club. Their father also taught them the hoofing style. Their career was crucial to tap revival. Gregory Hines appeared in Eubie as an adult. As time went on with regards to hoofing, by the 60s, hoofing almost went extinct, but with their talent and love for the art, they revived it by presenting it in Eubie when they were able to perform. They performed hoofing as an act of the past even in the movie Cotton Club. While performing, they passed on the information to younger tappers. They projected their movements to their contemporary era without leaving out the foundations of the hoofing style, which included the raw earth-bound tradition. Eventually, both split up. Maurice educated dancers on Broadway, while Gregory made it into the film industry. Gregory starred in the movie Tap, which revived and further awakened the hoofing style. This move was a contribution to those who developed and sustained tap dancing. Gregory acknowledged elder hoofers, who were able to speak and show their old styles. In this movie, Gregory also acknowledged important female hoofers like Diane Walker. Gregory further starred in other Broadway shows such as Sophisticated Lady, or Jelly's Last Jam. He also gained popularity by starring in films such as White Knights, performing a hybrid of tap and modern dance, and Bojangles, a story of Bill Robinson. Before Gregory passed, he shared his knowledge to Savion Glover, who continues to sustain tap dancing. Overall, Gregory revived and sustained the hoofing style of tap through his Broadway Shows and films in the entertainment industry. Furthermore, Alice Whitman was known as the "Queen of Taps." She was a dancer known to do it all--ballet, tap, singing, dancing, playing instruments, etc. Whitman incorporated ballet in her tap and received her reputation through her ability to outcompete and win over her male counterparts. She came from a talented family with four total sisters that had interests in the entertainment industry. Alice was the youngest and most seasoned performer alongside her sister Alberta, and both women dressed in men's attire due to the stigma of a male-dominated hoofing style. Alice performed with multi-unit movements that included high kicks, snake-like hip movements, while delivering a dynamic style of hoofing. Later, in the tap world, another woman brought light into the hoofing style in the 1970s. Diane Walker was like Alice Whitman, proving that females can also do tap. She was known as "Lady Di" and earned the respect of Gregory Hines in which he hired her for the movie Tap. She is considered by many African American women tap dancers as the foundation and catalyst for the acceptance of women in the hoofing tradition. At first, Diane walker worked as a staff psychologist in Boston and met Willie Spencer, a proficient hoofer. She was curious about his style, and Spencer suggested that she learned from Leon Collins, a knowledgeable tap instructor. She eventually became very good and was a major activist in the revival of the hoofing style of tap.