Performance art has undoubtedly taken care of the world’s entertainment needs for several centuries now. Any discussion about performance art is incomplete without mentioning the word ‘dance’. Dance is an art form that has evolved by leaps and bounds over hundreds of years and is popular in most cultures across the world. Several members of the great African American community in particular, are famous worldwide for their epic dance moves. Some of these incredibly talented individuals have inspired many young aspirants to pursue dance as a career. Master Juba, Bill Robinson and John Bubbles are a few yesteryear dancers, who are still remembered for their ability to dance. These individuals even braved challenges such as racism to pursue their passions. The king of Pop Michael Jackson attained a demigod status not merely for his soulful music, but his impressive dance moves as well. His ‘Moon walk’ continues to be famous even almost a decade after his death. Many kids and aspiring dancers try their best to perfect the ‘moon walk’. Josephine Baker, Janet Collins and Pearl Primus are a few other noteworthy African American dancers who are legends in their own right. According to a popular online source, Josephine Baker was such a heartthrob in her younger days that she received as many as 1500 marriage proposals from several men. We present to you a list of dancers o African American dancers whom you probably didn’t know. These people have redefined the word dance.
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1
Tupac Shakur( 100 Greatest Artists of All Time by Rolling Stone)
Birthdate: June 16, 1971
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: September 13, 1996
Tupac Amaru Shakur, popularly known as 2Pac or Makaveli, is considered as one of the greatest American rappers of all time. Talent and trouble went hand in hand in Shakur’s journey to fame; the higher Shakur rose in his iconic status, the deeper he became entangled in gang violence and an infamous rivalry, which sadly led to his untimely demise.
Birthdate: February 5, 1969
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Grammy-winning singer and New Edition member Bobby Brown was a pioneer of the new jack swing, a combination of R&B and hip-hop, and shot to fame with the album Don't Be Cruel and the hit My Prerogative. His marriage to Whitney Houston was plagued with domestic strife and drug issues.
Birthdate: October 25, 1985
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Austin, Texas, United States
Ciara is an American singer-songwriter whose debut single, Goodies, earned her the title Princess of Crunk&B. Her songs, Goodies and Yeah!, are credited with introducing the substyle of contemporary R&B and crunk music called crunk&B to music lovers. Also a dancer and model, Ciara has had a major impact on the American entertainment industry for the past 10 years.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: December 25, 1907
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Rochester
Died: November 18, 1994
Jazz singer and dancer, Cab Calloway, was a famous vocalist of the swing era. From the early 1930s to the late 1940s, he led a very popular band that included musicians like Dizzy Gillespie, Jonah Jones, and Adolphus "Doc" Cheatham. A man of color, he became the first African-American musician to sell a million records from a single song.
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Savion Glover(American Actor, Choreographer and Dancer)
Birthdate: November 19, 1973
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
6
Michaela DePrince(Sierra Leonean-American Ballet Dancer)
Birthdate: January 6, 1995
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kenema, Sierra Leone
Michaela DePrince is a Sierra Leonean-American ballerina and writer. She is credited with co-authoring a book titled Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina. Michaela DePrince achieved popularity in 2011 when she was featured in a documentary titled First Position, which follows her and other ballerinas as they prepare for the upcoming Youth America Grand Prix.
Recommended Lists:7
Willi Ninja(Dancer)
Birthdate: April 12, 1961
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Middletown, USA
Died: September 2, 2006
8
Gene Anthony Ray(Actor, Choreographer, Television actor)
Birthdate: May 24, 1962
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City
Died: November 14, 2003
Recommended Lists:9
Harold Nicholas(Dancer)
Birthdate: March 27, 1921
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
Died: July 3, 2000
10
Frankie Manning(Dancer and choreographer)
Birthdate: May 26, 1914
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Died: April 27, 2009
Recommended Lists:11
Bill T. Jones(Choreographer)
Birthdate: February 15, 1952
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bunnell, Florida, United States
12
Adelaide Hall(Singer, Artist, Jazz musician, Actor, Stage actor)
Birthdate: October 20, 1901
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York City
Died: November 7, 1993
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Judith Jamison(Dancer)
Birthdate: May 10, 1943
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
14
Howard Sims(African-American Tap Dancer)
Birthdate: January 24, 1917
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States
Died: May 20, 2003
Howard Sims was an African-American dancer who specialized in tap dance. He was a regular attraction at Harlem's Apollo Theater from the 1950s to 2000. In the 1980s, he helped revive the interest in tap dance by serving as a cultural ambassador and touring around the world. His dancing skills earned him appearances in films and TV shows.
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Cholly Atkins(Dancer)
Birthdate: September 30, 1913
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Pratt City, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Died: April 19, 2003
16
Janet Collins(Ballet Dancer)
Birthdate: March 7, 1917
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Died: May 28, 2003
Recommended Lists:17
Elly(Rapper, Dancer)
Birthdate: September 21, 1987
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Misawa, Aomori, Japan
18
Mia Fyre(Actress, Choreographer)
Birthdate: February 12, 1965
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York City, United States
Recommended Lists:19
Donald McKayle(American Dancer and Choreographer)
Birthdate: July 6, 1930
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: April 6, 2018
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
20
Albert Evans(Ballet Dancer)
Birthdate: December 29, 1968
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Died: June 22, 2015
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