Henry LeTang - a Life of Tap Dancing (June 19, 1915 -April 26, 2007)
Henry LeTang passed away April 26th of this year leaving behind a rich legacy on the art and business of tap. While understanding and appreciating the hoofers who could improvise and do their own thing, he also knew how to commercialize tap and keep it alive and ongoing. This enabled him to keep a studio open all his life.
HIS LIFE
The Early LeTang Years
"Can you imagine what it was like if you were 14 years old and a neighbor took you to the Buddy Bradley School of Dancing at 335 West 46 Street in New York and you saw people like Bill Robinson, Buddy Ebsen, Hal LeRoy, Abbott and Costello, and Betty Compton plus the many other stars who visited regularly," LeTang commented in an interview with me in 1990.
LeTang's first dance teacher was Ella Gordon. Later, a neighbor took him to the well known Bradley school. They recognized his talent and, in exchange for his classes, he ran errands and helped in any way needed. At age 16, he danced and worked up an act with Sophie Tucker's son, Bert Tucker, and they toured with the Abe Lyman band.
"The Hoofers Club at 131st St. was under the Lafayette Theatre in back of a pool hall next to the Musicians Club," LeTang recalled. "When the musicians would finish at the theater, they would often hang out at the Hoofers Club. However, many of the tap dancers could also play piano. Bubbles played chords, but Buck played good piano. Music was never a problem as so many musicians were always around. It was a hangout for: Honi Coles; Derby Wilson; Ralph Brown, who was with the Cab Calloway Orchestra; Bunny Briggs; The Miller Brothers; The Nicholas Brothers; The Condos Brothers; The Three Dukes; The Midnight Steppers; Pete, Peaches and Duke; Tip, Tap and Toe; Pete Nugent; and Bill Bailey, Pearle's brother."
LeTang was in the revue "Brown Skin Models. He toured, and performed in movies and nightclubs, but was always involved in teaching. In the 1940's he mainly choreographed and taught. LeTang's early choreography was for Broadway shows: "My Dear Public" and "Dream with Music." He worked for the Gary Moore morning television show for seven years and his first star that he taught was Betty Hutton. He also taught Clifton Webb. Both stars left New York for Hollywood. Through the years he has worked with stars such as Lena Horne, Lola Falana, Peter Genero, Leslie Uggams, Joey Heatherton, Chita Rivers, Ben Vereen, Debbie Allen, Hinton Battle, Savion Glover and the Hines Brothers. 1952 he choreographed "Shuffle Along."
He has had his own studio since 1937. "Some of my students were Billie Holiday, Eleanor Powell, Bette Middler, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Lee Marvin," LeTang stated. He worked with Gregory and Maurice Hines as children, and continued to be a guiding force in their careers.
RECOGNITIONS
LeTang Receives Honorary Doctorate
of Dance from Oklahoma City University.
In February of 2002, Henry LeTang was one of nine hoofers who received an Honorary Doctorate of Dance from Oklahoma City University, an award that originated with Robert L. Reed, Jo Rowan and John Bedford.
"It was a milestone in my life," LeTang stated. "Getting a Tony a couple of times does not compare to the feeling that I had when I received that Doctorate. I am sorry our good friends like Peg were not there with us. We have worked and dedicated our lives to the American art of tap. I hope the other colleges will get in line to recognize tap. I am sorry my wife, Ellie, could not be there due to illness," LeTang stated in a previous interview with me.
American Choreography Educators Award
LeTang received the Educator Award at the eighth annual American Choreography Awards in Los Angeles in 2002. "This is one of the most important awards, LeTang said. "For each Broadway show I did, I was nominated, and that gave me a great feeling."
"It is your peers who nominate and vote. The award represents my life work as a teacher and choreographer. From age 7 to 87 is a long time to dance. I love what I'm doing: staging, choreographing and teaching. The people I've been working with have developed into a family. I am happy my work is still recognized. People seem to enjoy the style and commercialism. Now, I am doing master classes all over the country. I am happy that Fayard (Nicholas) made the opening comments and Greg (Hines) put the frosting on the cake," LeTang stated in an interview with me. LeTang was featured shortly afterwards on the cover of Dancer Magazine in January 2003.
LeTang Was a Regular at The St. Louis Tap
Festival For Many Years
The St. Louis Tap Festival is an annual hangout for the hoofers. Once they attend to receive honors, they want to come back every year. They love seeing all their friends and producer, Robert L. Reed, always asked them back. Often there would be 8-10 hoofers there. It was amazing to see them all together, remembering all the stories. They taught classes and students had the opportunity to talk with them. This history was important to the preservation of tap because many are no longer with us. "Henry's work was very rhythmic and you would think there was a hoofer there," Reed said. "I remember his kindness and his professionalism and his willingness to lend a hand to help in any situation. In St. Louis he received the Peg Leg Bates Award and attended and taught for many years."
Le Tang Honored by Tradition In Tap in 2003
Avi Miller, Ofer Ben and Germaine Salsberg dedicated the event to Ellie, Henry's wife, who had passed a few months earlier. It was the first trip back to New York for LeTang in a long while. Classes sold out quickly and another day was added to meet the demand. Debbi Dee, Shea Sullivan and Mercedes Ellington taught classes representing LeTang's work and the award was presented to LeTang by Maurice Hines. Avi Miller recalled that in the early 80's, LeTang's studio was one of the few featuring tap. "I thought I was a trained tap dancer, but to my surprise, when I took the first class with Henry, I could not move or understand any step," Miller smiled. "Nothing! I just stood there stunned, and had to start my tap training from scratch. It was only natural that we wanted to honor him.
He received Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations for "Eubie," followed by another Tony nomination in 1981 for "Sophisticated Ladies." In 1989 he won the Tony for "Black and Blue." LeTang's movies include "The Cotton Club," "Tap," and "Bojangles," He has received many awards and coached and set nightclub and television numbers for many stars.
RECOLLECTIONS
Debbi Dee Remembers Her Classes and Work With LeTang "Henry's routines were carefully choreographed to take a student on a wonderful journey. Each routine would get more intricate in its foot work and movement. He would start with the Shim Sham, then go into 'Seven Across' and keep growing from there. The 7 across routine was the second routine Henry taught. It started with seven traveling variations of a time step into a break. Before moving to the next routine you would have to master the one you were working on."
"There were about 20 routines in all, but I had so much more because of our many years of working together. Henry was more than a teacher and mentor; we were personal friends. We would talk on the phone, sometimes for over an hour. He would love to talk about the times that we spent together at the studio in NY. I was with him at three locations with all the wonderful dancers that came through his doors. We would reminisce of the times that he and Ellie came to my home and studio in Rochester, NY and when I lived with them at their home while I was performing in one of his shows. We had over 30 years of memories that we would re-live with much love. He will be in my soul, for the rhythm he put there. He will be in my mind, for the knowledge he shared with me, and he will remain in my heart for eternity.
Shea Sullivan, Protégé of LeTang
When Shea was 11, her Mom took her to LeTang's studio in New York for a half hour lesson that turned into five hours while visiting from Miami. She even went back the next day. "That is when my 'mentor-protégé' relationship began," Shea said. "I was very fortunate. I always studied privately with him, sometimes 8 and 9 hour sessions. Whew! I can't think of a time when I wasn't smiling from ear to ear when I was around him. My times in and out of the studio with Henry have been the best times of my life."
Shea worked as Henry's assistant all over the country and assisted with the movie, "Bojangles," starring Gregory Hines. "The opportunity to work along side these two gentlemen separately is amazing, but together is something that I felt deep in my soul. The love, respect and history that Gregory and Henry shared was so deep. It was a beautiful, humbling experience that I will never let go."
"Henry has influenced my life in so many ways...not only as a person, dancer, choreographer, but also as a teacher. I am a teacher because of Henry LeTang. I feel him with me when I teach a class. I have had other teachers along the way that have influenced me greatly, but it is Henry's voice I hear when I teach. Never does a class go by that I do not mention him or pass along something of his to my students. He was my biggest fan and I was his. On one of my last visits with him he said he was passing the torch to me. 'You are ready,' he said. I don't take this lightly. He will always be in my heart, soul and FEET."
Edith LeTang - Sister
"Although I appreciate the fact that everyone knew my brother as a Broadway choreographer and Master tap teacher, he was simply a big brother to me. My brother took his first tap classes at Ella Gordon's in Harlem." Following these classes he entered Buddy Bradley's studio.
"Henry always referred to me as "the baby. When I was five years old, he was dancing onstage with The Lees or the LeTang dancers - his own group. It was Henry, Johnny Robinson and Hubert Allen. The chorus girls would look out for me backstage and it was very exciting!"
Although LeTang lived in Las Vegas, he always considered New York City his hometown. "Our parents were very proud of Henry and when he received his Tony, he wished they were with us to see what he had accomplished. He was my brother and best friend."
Sharon LeTang-Niece
"Uncle Henry taught generations, whole families, and a lot of his former students are grandparents now. We all took tap classes with him. My Mom (Edith) went to his studio on 44th Street and I took lessons at his home studio in Mount Vernon, and my son Rels went to his studio on 27th Street."
"Former students now have dance studios of their own, and actors, singers, a lot of people searched online for him. Each person signs their letter with a real name and nickname. He had a pet name for everyone and remembered them all! Once Uncle Henry asked, 'Where do you find these people?' I replied, "They are looking for you!" He laughed and was genuinely surprised."
My uncle also gave life lessons, and he was good at giving advice. He wanted me to keep his name out there, so I started LeTang Biz - Jazz /Blues Promotion & Presentation, since I didn't think I inherited the tap-dance gene.
Uncle Henry loved jazz. He knew and worked with many great jazz artists: Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, Louis Jordan, Lionel Hampton, and Billy Eckstein, were close friends as well."
"My big band favorites were Ellington, Lunceford and Basie and in that order," LeTang said to Melba in a previous interview.
Deborah Mitchell gives LeTang credit
for inspiring her to tap dance
"They even left me in the studio to practice after they had gone home and I used the auto lock when I left." Henry inspired her to continue in the art form and encouraged her in many ways.
Memorial services for LeTang were held in both Las Vegas and New York City. At the end of his life, he lived with his son and daughter-in-law in Las Vegas. His two sons are Henry Jr. and Jon. He died peacefully in his sleep in the hospital following complications from pneumonia. He will be missed.
LeTang was a unique asset to tap. He could originate, fix or repair any routine. His work, efforts, and teaching have kept the spirit of tap alive and growing. LeTang inspired an amazing and grateful three generations of dancers who carry on his work and art. There has never been anyone in the tap world like Henry LeTang.