Brotherhood In Rhythm: The Jazz Tap Dancing of the Nicholas Brothers - Softcover

Hill, Constance Valis

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0815412150 ISBN 13: 9780815412151

Publisher: Cooper Square Press, 2002

Synopsis

Tap dancing legends Fayard (b. 1914) and Harold (1918-2000) Nicholas amazed crowds with their performances in musicals and films from the 30s to the 80s. They performed with Gene Kelly in The Pirate, with Cab Calloway in Stormy Weather, with Dorothy Dandridge (Harold's wife) in Sun Valley Serenade, and with a number of other stars on the stage and on the screen. Author Hill not only guides readers through the brothers' showstopping successes and the repressive times in which their dancing won them universal acclaim, she also offers extensive insight into the history and choreography of tap dancing, bringing readers up to speed on the art form in which the Nicholas Brothers excelled.

About this title

About the Author:

Constance Valis Hill's articles and reviews have appeared in such publications as Dance Magazine, The Village Voice, and Dance Research Journal. She lives in Albany, New York. Gregory Hines is a world-renowned tap dancer and actor.

From Library Journal:

This is a lovingly researched and thoughtfully created portrait of Fayard and Harold Nicholas, whose spectacular dance routines have captivated stage and screen audiences from the Depression era to current times. Hill's infectious admiration will inspire even those not well acquainted with the pair to locate Down Argentine Way or Sun Valley Serenade and enjoy their performances. In his introduction, Gregory Hines praises the one-of-a-kind routines the brothers developed, which included intricate steps, breathtaking splits, and impeccable timing. Their style was outstanding, but so was their highly professional approach to the mercurial world of show business, with its particularly disturbing racial issues. Exceptionally clear and useful descriptions of the elements of early jazz, the evolution of the minstrel show, and the components of various dance forms provide background on the forces influencing the performance world of the time. A natural for dance enthusiasts, this is also essential reading for anyone interested in entertainment history.
-Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cooper Square Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0815412150
• ISBN 13: 9780815412151
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352