Flash dancing was a form of

tap dance Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sounds of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm (jazz) tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses on dance; it is widely per ...

(tap was also called

jazz dance Jazz dance is a performance dance and style that arose in the United States in the mid 20th century. Jazz dance may allude to vernacular jazz about to Broadway or dramatic jazz. The two types expand on African American vernacular styles of danc ...

at the time) that evolved in the 1920s–1930s, which combined dance with

acrobatics Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most often performed in acr ...

.''Jazz Dance: The Story of American Vernacular Dance'', by Marshall Winslow Stearns, Jean Stearns, 1994, Prominent flash dance acts of the time include the

Nicholas Brothers The Nicholas Brothers were an entertainment act composed of biological brothers, Fayard (1914–2006) and Harold (1921–2000), who excelled in a variety of dance techniques, primarily between the 1930s and 1950s. Best known for their ...

, The Four Step Brothers and the Berry Brothers. Examples of such dance appeared in film predominantly between the 1920s and 1940s.''That's the Joint!: The Hip-hop Studies Reader'', by Murray Forman, Mark Anthony Neal, 2004,
pp. 34, 35
/ref> The Nicholas Brothers' spectacular leap-frogging performance in the musical number "Jumpin' Jive" (with

Cab Calloway Cabell Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, conductor and dancer. He was associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he was a regular performer and became a popular vocali ...

and his orchestra) featured in the 1943 movie '' Stormy Weather'' has been praised as one of the greatest dance routines ever captured on film.

References

Tap dance Jazz dance {{dance-stub