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Dancing Feet Bring Owners Money, Corns and Blisters Come and meet Those dancing feet; On the avenue I’m taking you to— Fortv-second Street. Rhythm, rhythm, rhythm. The world wants rhythm. And as the theme song of Buck and Bubbles states: “the world wants rhythm bad, and Colored folks have got rhythm for sale.” Feet, feet, feet. The dancing feet of sepias have earned huge fortunes. Talented artists have danced their way to fame and fortune. Without those dancing feet in a revue, the show would be as dull as a graveyard. We all want to see them beat out a little rhythm with their feet. It has been called every thing from “clod hopping,” “jig dancing,” “buck dancing” to “tap dancing.” A little buck and wing stop time dancing, struts, shuf fles, etc., are appreciated by all lovers of vaudeville, stage, and cafe revues. Even those who are rated in the theatrical profession as singers or whatnots, usually go in to a dance upon the second chorus of a song. The world craves dancing — and gift from heaven. Most any street waif can do a little “jigging.” Many sepias are born dancers. It is their of the presentday dance steps as executed by sepias, seem to close ly resemble the various war dances and witch doctor dances of Afri ca. It isn't a far cry from the jungle. The primitive savage and the Lindy hop dancer seem kin in this one art. There is a kindred passion for dancing feet the world over — and all of God’s children can dance. Bill Robinson, tap dancer deluxe, Is the undisputed world's great est tap dancer. Bill’s feet are edu cated and can beat out any kind of rhythm. Bill Robinson has been dancing since the age of five. Today he is 57 and still those hot feet of his are in demand. The world never wearies of good dancing. Mr. Rob inson has earned a considerable sum of money as a famous dancer. He has danced practically upon every stage in America, over and over again. Now his art has been transplaned to the motion pictures I which will give him a greater au dience. He created the famous stair dance, which provoked a flock of imitators all over the country. Bojangles’ Shadow The only man in the world who can come anywhere near dancing like Bill Robinson is a lad of 22 years named Bill Bailey. Bailey has studied the technique of the - "ddfnmitcer.'Tjttl lidtinn-n., ^tu—jyfi. an extent that one would presume that he is either son of Robinson or his student. Bailey is a natur al born dancer. His act consists of nothing but rhythmic dancing. While Robinson as a rule will sing a couple of songs and tell several funny jokes to supplement his dancing. Bailey just taps. If Bill Robinson is the king of tap danc ing, Bill Bailey is the prince of the art. Dancing, dancing, is what makes a well-rounded act or revue. The public craved dancing and they wanted beauty — so producers gave you the chorus. And dance the chorus must, somewhere in the pro duction, be it ballet or a "shake” number. There must be some danc mgs Shuffling Comedians But let’s go back a few years and work our way up to the present time. George Walker and Aida Overton Walker were the head dancers in the W'illiams and Walk er shows. Walker was a straight man and what we in this modern age would call a stooge for Bert Williams. The oldest comedian on the stage would always do a rhy thmic shuffle. Billy King, S. H. Dudley, “Stringbeans” and every comedian before and after them, developed some sort of a semi-valk or shuffle which identified them. They were similar to the present day tag lines of performers to day. Such as "Come up and see ms sometime, tall, dark and hand some.” We instantly associate the phrase with Mae West. Or as Marshall “Garbage” Rodgers, the comedian would, say, “You hear mo talkin’ to ya.” Or the “One more dip will get it” of Nieodemus, who left Cab Caloway to work with Lucky Millinder. One Man Dance Few remember the team of Rec tor and Cooper. Eddie Rector has faded into obscurity, but Ralph Cooper left the Regal Theater stage as master of ceremonies and later became head man in this pos ition at the Apollo theater. The team of Rector and Cooper are credited with originating what is known as the “one man” act in dancing. It consists of one danc er behind the other, both dancing together, and creating the im pression, from the viewpoint of the audience, of just one man dancing. Duke Ellington’s famous “Four June Furniture Sale S Rooms Completed s'r\ Including.. bed-V>Oj' room Set, spring and Mattress, Living Room Set 0*12 Rug, Occasional Pieces and Lamps.' Royalton Furniture Co. 4715 Cottage Grove. Drex. 5008 Open Evenings A Sundays Cash or Easy Term* Blazes” enlarged upon the one man act, by placing four men behind each other. The “Four Blazes” gained fame with this dance in a movie short with Ellington entitled "Black and Tan Fantasy.’ After that picture more dancing trios and quartets sprang into be ing. Rutledge and Williams sprang into limelight by imitating Rector and Cooper. They are now in Los Angeles. They have been seen in several feature pictures. The Dice Dance Bill Robinson created the stair dance, so the “Lucky Senven” trio struck upon the idea to dance upon three large blocks, painted to re semble dice. The Three Rhythm Kings, who are featured with Earl Hines and who appeared in a fil musical with Eddie Cantor, im proved upon the original idea of Bill Robinson and cart a huge drum about the countrj. The "Three Rhythm Kings” do some fancy hoofing, with plenty of stomping on the drum. But they beat out rhythm. And the public wants rhythm. The “Four Blazes have the latest idea, which they will employ when they rejoin Duke Ellington. That of dancing upon four miniature pianos. Each tiny piano has four keys, forming two octaves with the four pianos. The writer saw them rehearsing the pianos back stage at the Regal early this year when Duke Ellington appeared at the Re gal theater. They dance in such a manner hopping on the keys of their pianos in such a manner that they play a regular song, in ac compament with orchestra. The team was split when the British i Musicians raised the ban against American talent, as a counter move against a similiar action started by American Musicians, and Ellington was unable to tour Europe this year. Two of the lads went home -to. 1.0:1 -Angeles-and will jprn.haJ seen in a movie. Dancers AH Blanche Calloway was a dancer in the chorus of several shows before she became a principal. After be coming a star she would invariably go into her dance following a cho rus or two of song. She later form ed an orchestra. Cab Calloway started his theatrical career as a dancer at the Sunset Cafe. Lucky Millinder also was a dancer. Clara Townsend, his wife, was a dancer. Josephine Baker started her ca reer as a dancer , . . and is still a dancer. She got her break when Ethel Waters became suddenly ill and could not embark for Paris with a musical show, featuring Claude Hopkins orchestra. Josep hine Baker stepped into Ethel’s place, made the trip to Paris . . and stayed there. Flo Mills, another girl who danced her way to fame as a Flo Ziegfeld and Lew Leslie” Blackbirds star. She became Ame rica’s Sweetheart. Though she has passed on, her memory is mourned throughout the nation. The theatrical public still re member the famous dancing chorus es of The Williams and Walker show, the Smart Set, Whitman Sis ters, Butterbeans and Susie, Pla tation Days, How Come, Shuffle A long” and other hit musical shows. It is such choruses that keep manu facturers of coni plasters and chi ropodists doing a rushing business. They are forced to take special care of their bread winners. The theatrical performer may not tell you that his feet give him consider able trouble . . . but their feet bark for mercy during the two and three shows a day. They Know the ad vantage of keeping the'r hot pup pies in perfect order Should some thing go wrong, they couldn't dance . . . and it wouldn't be . . ants - - but corns, bunions and blisters. Leonard Harper, one of the greatest producers of today, start ed his theatrical carper as a danc er. He teamed with his wife for years before he ever produced a revue. Sammy Dyer was a dancing boy, before becoming a producer, and later a dance instructor. Percy Venable also began his career as a dancer. Reed and Bryant Leonard Reed and Willie Bryant toured the nation under the billing of Reed and Bryant, a dance team. Reed, after winding up on athletics, first tourned the country as a danc ing mate with "Cutout”. Then he joined the Whitman Sisters, which produced Jeni LeGon. There he met Willie Bryant. The boys remained together for seven years. Went to New York. Bryant became ill and Reed returned to Chicago. Willie Bryant formed an orchestra and you know the rest. Reed became a producer of cafe and stage revues. It was Leonard Reed who brought forth the greatest set of dancing girls in the modern dance era . . The Reedettes. Katherine Perry, the wife of Earl Hines the orchestra leader, teamed with her former husband under the name of "Perry and Per ry.” She danced, sang and played the violin in the act. The greatest dancing teams of today are; The Four Blazes, Three Rhythm Kings, Pete, Peaches and Duke; Three Browns; Mid-Night Steppers; Billy and Charles; Rut ledge and Williams; The Berry Brothers; Lighting Flashes; Three Sams; and Dink, Blink and Dink. A love affair which culminat ed into marriage, broke up one of the best dancing acts in the worldthe Berry Brothers, cyclon ic whirlwind dancers. The pub recalls the two youths in “Rhap sody in Black,” which starded Ethel Waters. The Berry Broth ers, James and ’Nias were the Jesse Owens’ of the stage. Those Those lads were the fastest in dance circles. Young 'Nias court ed Valaida Snow, backstage at the Garrick theater during the Chi cago run of “Rhapsody in Black” 'Nias and wife formed a team. James then taught his younger brother, Warren, ’Nias’ routine, and a new Berry Brothers team was viewed by the public. The Four Blazes are the great est opening act in the country. They have an original style of dancing. Pete, Peaches and Duke are the classiest dance trio. The three Midnight Steppers are the gratest flash acrobatic trio in America. They are to open at the Palladium theater in London. The Nichoas Brothers are in a class by themselves when it comes to dancing. .JSurneth and Leroy are .clefver luveple hoofJMj^^o. "bcome a groat tiaflfagwnirWi Three Sams, Three frown Spots and other dance acts o' this type are coining good money with their educated dogs. Billy and Charles another classy flash act will some day be on the top ledge. Danny and Eddie remain in big time vou deville. If ever the team of Dink, Blink and Dink reach New York, mark my words, they will be come one of the greatest dance sen sations ever to hit Broadway. These boys have plenty of rhythm. They are appearing in a cafe re vue in Kansas City at the present. Buck and Bubbles Buck and Bubbles are another team that grew up on the stage. Buck was just nine years old when the met in Louisville in 1917 in a bowling alley. Flo Zieg feld grabbed them off and they have been topnotchers in vaude ville ever since. Their act is a clas sic It was the dancing feet of Jeni LeGon that gave her a motion picture contract for a thousand dollars a week. Avon Long struck upon an original style of strut dancing and won a long-time contract at the Cotton Club and was later at the Grand Terrace cafe. His “Brown Boy,” an original idea on the old strut is a classic Stepin Fetchit, the film comedian, danced his way into screen stardom He toured first in a team with Ed Lee and later as a single. It was while he was playing at a theater in Los Angeles that Fox was cast ing for a sepia for a role in a play. SteDin won the part. Dancing feet have played a tremendous part in all performers’ lives. They must do a little shim sham shim my or something in the finales. Hhimmy-She-\V ahbltt Gilda Gray saw a group of se pians doing the Shimmy-She-Wab ble back in the old days • • • and she became the “shimmy queen” of the nation Her style of dan cing the shimmy was in truth just an improvement on the old hootchi-kootchi dancers that our great grandfathers used to get COAL PURCHASED FROM ABERNATHY BROS. GIVES COMPLETE SATISFACTION FULL WEIGHT PROMPT DELIVERY HIGH QUALITY COURTEOUS SERVICE 4251 So. MICHIGAN Telephone! Oakland 2100 t> goose pimples about. “Little Egypt” was all the rage in great granpap’s day at the first Chica go World's Fair in 1893. Following the shimmy dance came the torch dancers. Louise “J-o ta” Cook rose to number one po sition. Bessie Dudley displaced her. Elizabeth Kelly is the queen of all torch or shake dancers. By the time Kelly got it, the started callng it the “Rhumba.” Louise Cook is now the wife of Herbert Mills of the famous quartet. Bes sie Dudley went to Europe with Lew Leslie’s “Blackbirds,” and was sent back to the States. She was replaced by Elizabeth Kel ly. They changed Kelly’s name and started calling her Kanakahas from Martinique. She is still with “Blackbirds.” Bessie Dudley join ed Duke Ellington's troupe It was really the Charleston dance craze that gave birth to the present crop of hoofers. Chief among them is the team of Chil ton and Thomas. Without those dancing feet, they would be just another young couple buried in the great maelstrom of humans eking out an ordinary existence. Young Thomas also tried to improve on Bill Robinson’s idea by dancing on a set of dishes. Then there is ballet, Apache, and ballroom which is featured on the stage. Sadie and Mary Bruce turn out scores of youngsters who do this type of dancing* The artistic dancing of Meeres and Meeres, Norton and Margot, Ba kay and Stevenson is really beau tiful to see. This style of dancing has been termed “poetry in mo tion." The team of Broomfield and Greeley, who stayed a long time in China and now currently ap pearing at Sebastian's Cotton Club in Los Angeles, rose to fame with their style of dancing. Brown and Marguerite were headliners with their Apache dance several years ago. The Shim Sham Shimmy dance was made popular by Pete, Peach es and Duke. The Lindy Hop also brought forth several dance teams, such as Jenkins and Jenkins and Rabit and Rabit. The Shuffle dance never got past the ballroom stage. This dance was. _ popular among the younger set. The Carioca The “Carioca” did not bring forth any major dance team in sepia America. Despite the fact that the dance in the film, "Fly ing Down to Rio,” had an all Colored boy and girl chorius. Ie did, howeversajrfe us Fred Alfcwre nentar'dancewhich was felturea by Astaire arid Rogers if the flicker, “The Gay Divorcee,’! gave us Chick and Chickie. Feet, feet, feet. Dancing feet, educated feet. Feet with harmony, and rhythm, plus the attendant un necessary evils of corns, blisters and bunions, have spelled fame and fortune for hundreds of hoof ers. Ruby Keeler got her start in Texas Guinan’s chorus. Walter Winchell, Broadway columnist, quit trying to be a hoofer in 1927. Aand practically everyone who sees a clever dancer beating out rhythm, to himself, wishes that he too, were a hoofer Th latest dance craze is called "trucking on down.” It was made popular by “Nicodemus,” a come dian. Noble Sissle has written a song of the same name and fea tures it in his new revue Don Redmon has also written a song entitled “The Joe Louis Truck.” The dance is a lazy rhtythmic hop done to practically any tempo of music. On wonders whether this new craze will develop a new set of dancers, as in the case of its predecessors. All in all, dancing is good exercise and good eco nomics for the shoe building and repairing industry. Tap dancing caused a complete new department to be installed in all shoe com panies—the making of steel taps to fit on dancers’ shoes. The hoofer dances his way through life. Many do as many as five shows a day. Dnacing is' hard work It taxes the brain and everyevery muscle in the body. A mis-step, the timing must be ac curate or anything from o sprain ed onkle, pulled tendon to a bro ken neck may happen. But all in Republicans Hold Confab (Continued from Page 1) dwindling foreign trade which must somehow be restored. \V'e must make room in t he economic field for the smallest business en terprise. “There are injustices and hard ships growing out of the machine age in which we live for which remedies must be found. Changed and changing conditions demand that we should courageously face every new problem as it arises. “I have faith to believe that we shall meet and overcome our dif ficulties but only if we shall pre serve in all their integrity our free institutions.” The convention was called to j order by Jacob D. Allen secre tary after 8672 delegates had as sembled. Governor Lowden closed speech with an open bid for the democratic votes of next year by quoting Senator Stepha A. Doug las’ declaration that there were only two parties: "Those for the Constitution and those against it. De Priest on Committee Oscar DePriest, former Con gressman from the first Illinois district, and party leader, was put on the committee on creden dentials. Cops Slay Armed Bandit (Continued From Page I) into a grocery and market at 206 E. 61st street, operated by Isadore Shapiro. Flashing their guns, they soon subdued him and took $17.46 out of the cash register and fled in the car. The next victim was the attendant at the gas sta tion at 4447 Michigan avenue. At 8:30, just a half-hour after these desperadoes had pulled their 'first job, Officer Emanuel E. James was standing in a cleaning estab lishment on Prairie avenue just north of 43rd street, when he saw two men run by the place and into an alley which runs east and west. Behind them was Dan Xenophon, proprietor of the store at 300 E. 43rd street. Officer James pur sued them, firing one shot into the air. James Gets His Man Meanwhile, every squad in the district had received a radio flash to be on the lookout for the two car in front of the 43rd street store, Squad 111, followed by Squad 11 commanded by Thomas Norton, drove into the alley when they ob served a crowd there. Officer James first saw Green as he was leaping over the fence in the rear of 4239 Prairie avijiue. The ban djt was yelling to his companioji who”wis ir/the basement, to come on, and at the same time, opened fire on the policeman, who returned it effectively with the result that the robber fell, mortally wounded. He died on the way to the hospital. Policemen Phillip Norris, Merrill Coleman and Joseph Craven of Squad 111, surrounded the base ment where the other robber was hiding. Craven went in after him, and dragged him out. Unfortu nately, the policeman slipped and fell; the bandit took advantage of this mishap, struggled for a min ute with the officer for his gun and then eluded capture by running down the alley toward a throng of spectators, making it impossible for the police to use their guns on him. COMMUNITY BAND CONTEST CLOSES JUNE 16 The Chicago Community Band, now holding a contest for the pur pose of selecting the most popu lar member, will give a concert at its headquarters Sunday, 3348 Giles avenue, Sunday, June 16. The winner will be announced at that time. William T. Curry is man aging director of this organization; James Perry, recording secretary; Walter Clingman, financial secre tary and Ernest Samuels, treasur er. the majority of hoofers only suf fer from common ailments of the feet. Come and meet Those doncing feet On the avenue I am taking you to Fory-seeond street. —E. J. M JiTAR FEEL YOUNG AT ANY AGE RELIEVES PAIN LIKE MAGIC Not A Patent Medicine Years of Pharmaceutical Experience is Offered STAR - RHEUMATIC & NEURALGIA LINIMENT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF Recommended in the treatment of Muscular Rheumatism Lumbago, Neuralgia, Swollen Joints and all Local Pains. PRICE 50c Try a Bottle and you Will NEVER be Without One “Years Have Proved Its Worth” STAR LABORATORY For Aches and Pains and Nothing Else 417 B. 47th St. Kenwood 1647 Chicago. Illinois AGENTS WANTED Hold Cop to Grand Jury (Continued from Page 1) drawn. Suddenly he said, he heard shots fired from somewhere. Did Not Hear Siren When questioned further, Offi cer Gleason said he did not hear a siren or see Collins’ car. The only thing he said he saw was the car as it cut through traffic into the fill ig station. Then he ran over in front of it and because the boys in the car would not throw up their hands, he fired. William E. Ramsey, 7024 East End avenue, one of the eyewitness es to the shooting, testifed that Lewis’ car was not moving at the time Gleason fired. "Did you think your life was in danger?” asked Depu.y Coroner Benjamin A. Grant. “They refused to hold up their hands,” was Gleason’s curt reply. Then Gleason answered Attor ney Green’s question by saying that he saw both of Lewis’s hands be fore he fired and they were emp ty. Following a conference held by the boy’s father, Attorney Wendel E. Green and First Assistant Crowley, it was made known that one of the aces of the state’s at torney’s office, James Brown, will represent the state at today's hear ing. The most amazing angle of the case is that of all the people who gave their names as witnesses of the killing, the police were unable to produce one eye witness. Many who have followed the case since the boy’s death last Satur day afternoon at St. Luke’s hos pital at 6:15, asert that it was one of the most wanton slayings in the history of Chicago. It was learned also that after the closing of the inquest where Howard testified that he cautioned Lewis not to drive so fast and so recklessly because the police might get them, Howard repudiated this statement and said that the police had told him to say it and through fear that they would beat him, he complied with their demand. FOUND DEAD IN BED William Reed, 461 Bowen ave., was found dead in his home Sun day evening by Augustus Rrvant. Police learned that Reed had been ill for two months. ■ . ' NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS All contributors to The Metro politan News will please observe the following rules when submit ting articles to be published. 1. Please typewrite articles whenever possible. ■\ 2. (Double-space items, or write in a large clear hand. 3 .Write on ONE SIDE OF PAPER ONLY. 4. Condense items as much as possible. State only what happens, and avoid too much elaboration. 5. Articles intended for pub lication in Tuesday’s edition MUST be in this office before 10:00 A. M. Monday. 6. Articles intended for pub lication in Friday’s edition MUST be in the office before 10:00 A. M. Thursday. L_._ . CITY NEWS IN BRIEF MILK BOTTLE ANI) BAT USED IN DOMESTIC ROW The police of the Fifth District were called to 4810 Cottage Grove avenue Saturday morning to quiet the McFarland family, engaged in a bitter domestic row. Mrs. Earl ine McFarland played her part by hurling a milk bottle at her hus band George, and he used a base ball bat so accurately that it was necessary to remove the woman to the Provident hospital. Police took him to the lockup. TWO JAILED AFTER FIGHT OVER RENT Enree Robinson, 4617 Michigan avenue, and Myrtle Bayinton, of the same address, were jailed by Fifth District police as the re sult of an argument over rent. Robinson was slighly injured in the melee, sustaining a knife wound on the left arm. The disorderly conduct charge lodged against Morgan Neil, 317 E. 31st st., was dismissed Monday when he was brought before Judge Gibson E. Gorman at 48th st., court. The complaining witness, Willie Roberts told Judge Gorman that Neil was told to leave the apartment and refused to ow “Take your things and leave the place,” the judge advised Neil as he discharged him. “Judge he aint got nothing there except some pants,” replied the complaining witness. "Aw that’s not so, Judge-—I got some shirts too,” added Neil. They left the courtroom trying to agree on a true list of Neil’s worldly possessions. WANDERER INJURED BY A WOMAN W. Martin, white, 5107 Ken more ave., reported to the Wabash ave., police at 2:30 Sunday morn ing that he had been struck on the head by an unknown woman with whom he had argued. He was so badly bruised that he was remov ed to the Provident hospital. • * * Charged with beating his wife, Joseph Crawford, 369 E. 43rd st., was sentenced to spend 10 days In the Bridewell by Judge Gibson E. Gorman Monday morning. The testimony in court revealed that during a domestic row Craw ford was accused of striking his wife several times in the face with a hammer. When arraigned on a charge of petty larceny before Judge Gib son E. Gorman, Monday at 48th st. court, Thomas Terrv. 3608 Prairie ave., was freed when the jurist ruled that there was not enough evidence in the case to substantiate the claim that the de fendant entered the room of Ethel Brown and stole $3. Terry was a roomer in the apartment and according to Miss Brown he must have been the one who took her $3. The important factor of pointing Terry out as the person whom she saw take the money, however, never mater ialized. 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