- Description
Tap Dance America is a reference work of bibliographic information and does not point to digitized versions of the items described. The Library of Congress may or may not own a copy of a particular film or video. To request additional information Ask a Librarian.
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Newport Jazz Festival 1958 / Leon James [festival]
- Title
- Newport Jazz Festival 1958 [Festival]
- Performers
- James, Leon
- Minns, Al
- Published/Created
- 1958-07-05
- Genre
- Festival
- Venue
- Freebody Park
- Abstract
- Marshall Stearns gives an informed and amusing rundown on jazz dancing, illustrated with two dozen interludes by two remarkable dancers, Leon James and Al Minns: Cakewalk, Shake Dance, Camel Walk, Eagle rock, Shimmy, seven variations of the Charleston, Jig Walk, Lindy Hop, Trucking, Suzy-Q (the Arthur Murray version as taught in 1936 and the legitimate version), Shorty George, and sixteen separate steps of the Big Apple, one section of which Minns performed in slow motion. The Shag (1938) had extremely fast, short steps delivered while the dancer--arms at a forty-five degree angle over his head--moves directly up and down like a pile driver; the Apple Jack (1945) done to bebop by James, giving the impression of a casual, contrapuntal off-setting melody. The pair closed with a two-part sketch, a man asking a woman to dance in the days of the Big Apple and in the present time of cool music--that was a masterpiece of exact, funny, understated satire.
- Source
- Balliett, Whitney: Collected Works : A Journal of Jazz 1954-2000. St. MartinÕs Press (2000).
Last Updated: 12-16-2015