Bolus: Fancy Footwork

March 27, 2008

Fancy Footwork

I dance like a spastic at a strobe light convention, and have long avoided the activity to spare myself the embarrassment, and my fellow human beings the horrid spectacle. I suspect most of you are in the same boat. But that doesn't mean we can't have an appreciation for those who are good at it, and, in the history of mankind, no one was ever better than it than Fayard and Harold Nicholas -- the incredible Nicholas Brothers. Sadly they've both passed away but thanks to YouTube their insane rug-cutting skills live on.

Here they are in 1932 performing "Pie Pie Blackbird" with Eubie Blake. Fayard would have been about 17 or 18, and little Harold about 10 or 11.

A year or two later, performing "Lucky Number."

At the apex of their art: performing with Cab Calloway & Orchestra on "Jumpin' Jive." By the uniforms in the audience I'm guessing about 1942, putting the Nicholases around 21 and 27. Watch all the way through, it'll melt your noggin and make you cringe in awe.

Finally, here they are on "Hollywood Palace" in 1964. Fayard would have been about 50 and Harold 43, but still had the ability to kill with those crazy feet.