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Here are some interesting facts about the best tap dancers of all time. Bill Robinson ‘Bojangles’ was born in 1878. He began his dancing career when he was 6-years old. At 12-years old he joined ‘The South Before The War’ traveling company. His first performance in front of a white audience did not happen until he was 50-years old. He acted in movies during the 1930′s with famous starts like Will Rogers and Shirley Temple. While visiting a dance class, he performed a tap dancing routine for one hour without repeating the same step twice. He insisted that his feet were responding to the music and his head did not know anything about it.

John ‘Bubbles’ Sublett was the greatest improvising dancer of all time. He created a real innovative style of tap dance known as the ‘rhythm tap’. He was 6-years old when he joined up with Ford Lee ‘Buck’ Washington. They worked together as ‘Buck and Bubbles’ until Buck past away in 1955. The team was featured in more than twelve Hollywood productions. After Buck died, he toured with Bob Hope in Vietnam entertaining the troops.

Gene Kelly was born in 1912 in Pittsburgh, PA. He taught dancing in their family-owned studio for six years before moving to New York. He landed his first big break when he was cast in Rodgers and Hart musical ‘Pal Joey.’ He won an honorary Oscar in 1952 for ‘his versatility as an actor, singer, director, dancer and specifically for his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film’.

Fred Astaire was born in 1899 in Omaha, NE. He began to dance at the age of seven, with his sister Adele. They danced together until she retired in 1932. He began his movie career in 1933 dancing with Cyd Charisse, Eleanor Powell, Ginger Rogers and Judy Garland. His singing, though untrained, was admired by some of the greatest songwriters at that time. His choreography is famous for its inventiveness, wit and musicality.

Gregory Hines was tap dancing when he was 5-years old. He performed as part of the family act of ‘Hines, Hines and Dad’ with his brother and father. He performed in numerous Broadway productions and in 1992 won a Tony for ‘Jelly’s Last Jam’. He was a great actor and outstanding ‘tap dancer’. In 2001, he starred and produced a Showtime original film, ‘BoJangles’ where he played tap legend Bill Robinson.

Ann Miller was born in 1923. She started dancing in San Francisco at the age of thirteen, after telling them she was eighteen. Lucille Ball discovered her there and she ended up getting a contract with RKO. She was famed for her speed at tap dancing. Her film career effectively ended in 1956 as the studio system lost steam to television, but she remained active in the theatre and on television.

Eleanor Powell born in 1912 was well known for her flamboyant solo tap dancing. She started performing in 1923 with the Vaudeville Kiddie revue. After moving to Hollywood in 1935 she got signed with MGM. ‘Broadway Melody of 1936′ was her first starring role, the audience loved her enthusiasm, endless energy and magnificent dancing. In ‘Broadway Melody of 1940′ she starred with Fred Astaire, they danced to a Cole Porter song which resulted in one of the greatest tap sequences in film history. These were some of the best tap dancers of all time.

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