Jeni legon biography of martin
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Unsung Heroes of Dance History
The Inheritance, a series of photos of Sybil Shearer by Helen Morrison, Morrison-Shearer Foundation.
John Martin called her a “remarkably creative maverick.” (Martin, 1963) Ted Shawn wrote that she had “the unmistakable marks of true greatness.” (qtd. in Shearer 2006, 339) Walter Sorell noted her “extraordinary originality.” (Sorell, 213) Walter Terry called her a “weaver of magic.” (Terry 1956).
In the 1940s Sybil Shearer was acknowledged as a leader of the avant-garde along with Merce Cunningham. In fact, Terry wrote that the two “have retained almost exalted positions as the king and queen of the avant-garde—others come and go, but they stay on.” (Terry, 1956)
Shearer certainly wove her magic during her 1941 solo debut concert at Carnegie Chamber Music Hall. So much so that after she left New York for the Midwest, John Martin and other critics traveled to see her whenever she performed in the Chicago area.
[Aside: I saw her dance at Ravinia i
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About the International Tap Dance ingång of Fame
The International Tap Dance Hall of Fame is the only tap dance hall of fame exclusively focused on tap dancers. It features founding and innovative 20th and 21st century professional tap dancers.With a collection of photographs, biographies, and videos, the Hall of Fame fryst vatten becoming a colorful and diverse retrospective of America's seminal tap dance personalities.
The ATDF created the first International Tap Dance Hall of Fame in July of 2002, and its purpose is:
- To honor the contributions of legendary tap dance artists by preserving their legacy for future generations to enjoy.
- To increase public awareness of the diversity inherent in the form.
- To provide an educational experience available to local, national, and international professionals, students, and the general population.
Biographies
2002 - Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (c.1878 -1949), who claimed he could run backward faster than most men could g
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With swinging arms and flashy legwork, Jeni LeGon could tap her way onto any stage or screen. Her lively eyes and enchanting smile put audiences in a good mood. Less polished than her white counterparts like Ann Miller and Eleanor Powell, she was more inviting, more joyful. There was a freedom to the way her limbs expanded a bit too much, her energy spilling over. When she rose up in a toe stand, it was as though sheer effervescence pulled her up.
Publicity shot, Smithsonian Papers
The first Black woman to sign a long-term contract with a major Hollywood studio, LeGon was caught between Hollywood’s ambivalent attempt at inclusion and the racism that was everywhere. If MGM had followed through on that contract, there would be a cluster of good movie musicals starring Jeni LeGon. But the opportunities she had to shine were mostly limited to low-budget Black musicals. Luckily, we can treasure glimpses of them on YouTube.
Jeni LeGon (née Jennie Ligon) grew up in a large, musical fa