Cholly Atkins's career has spanned an extraordinary era of
American dance. He began performing during Prohibition and
continued his apprenticeship in vaudeville, in nightclubs, and in
the army during World War II. With his partner, Honi Coles, Cholly
toured the country, performing with such jazz masters as Louis
Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and Count Basie. As tap reached a nadir in
the fifties, Cholly created the new specialization of "vocal
choreography," teaching rhythm-and-blues singers how to "perform"
their music by adding rhythmical dance steps drawn from
twentieth-century American dance, from the Charleston to rhythm
tap. For the burgeoning Motown record label, Cholly taught such
artists as the Supremes, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the
Temptations, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Marvin Gaye to command
the stage in ways that would enhance their performances and "sell"
their songs.
"Class Act" tells of Cholly's boyhood and coming of age, his
entry into the dance world of New York City, his performing
triumphs and personal tragedies, and the career transformations
that won him gold records and a Tony for choreographing "Black and
Blue" on Broadway. Chronicling the rise, near demise, and
rediscovery of tap dancing, the book is both an engaging biography
and a rich cultural history.
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