Eddie Brown (1918–1992) was an American

tap dance Tap dance (or tap) is a form of dance that uses the sounds of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion; it is often accompanied by music. Tap dancing can also be performed with no musical accompaniment; the sound of the taps is its ow ...

Origin

When Eddie Brown was 16, he entered a talent contest in his hometown. He won first place and was discovered by famous American entertainer

Bill “Bojangles” Robinson Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (born Luther Robinson; May 25, 1878 – November 25, 1949), was an American tap dancer, actor, and singer, the best known and the most highly paid black entertainer in the United States during the first half of the 20 ...

, who offered him a job in New York. Brown's parents would not allow him to travel across the country to dance because he was still in school; however, Brown went to New York anyway. Since Brown was still underage, he lived on the money he made from dancing on the streets until he turned 18, when he joined Robinson's show at the

Apollo Theater The Apollo Theater (formerly the Hurtig & Seamon's New Theatre; also Apollo Theatre or 125th Street Apollo Theatre) is a multi-use Theater (structure), theater at 253 125th Street (Manhattan), West 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of U ...

in Harlem.Frank, R.E. (1990) Tap! The Greatest Tap Dance Stars and Their Stories 1900-1955. William Morrow and Company, Inc. New York.

Career

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Brown danced professionally as part of a trio with Carl Gibson and Jerry Reed, and also as a solo dancer in nightclubs. He performed with swing and jazz musicians such as

Jimmie Lunceford James Melvin Lunceford (June 6, 1902 – July 12, 1947) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and bandleader in the swing era. Early life Lunceford was born on a farm in the Evergreen community, west of the Tombigbee River, near Fulton, ...

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

, and

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( ; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improvisation, improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy El ...

. he also danced with

, and toured with The Bill Robinson Revue for six years. The show traveled from New York to the West Coast, but fell apart when Robinson suggested taking the group to Richmond, VA. The other dancers quit the tour, anxious about performing in the South due to concerns for their careers and safety. After his death, the

American Tap Dance Foundation The American Tap Dance Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose primary goal is the presentation and teaching of tap dance. Its original stated purpose was to provide an "international home for tap dance, perpetuate tap as a contemporary art ...

inducted him to the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame in 2007.Hill, Constance V. Eddie Brown. Tap Dance Hall of Fame Inductee List. American Tap Dance Foundation. .

Style

Brown was renowned for his distinctive style of tap dancing, often referred to as 'scientific tap.' During the era when he honed his craft, swing music dominated the dance scene in Omaha. Brown's deep understanding of rhythm became a fundamental aspect of his performances. After his tenure with Robinson, he emerged as a soloist and further developed his signature style, which was characterized by complex, syncopated steps and patterns. He coined the term 'scientific rhythm' for the tap dancing technique he both performed and taught. Brown described his method, stating, 'You heard all this music and rhythm but could not see where it was coming from.' He emphasized the importance of aural skills in mastering tap dancing, asserting, 'A good ear ain't good or bad, but a good ear is what you need. That’s why tap is scientific

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Eddie 1918 births 1992 deaths Artists from Omaha, Nebraska American tap dancers 20th-century American dancers