January 28
Born Today:
Rennie Harris
Hip hop dancer/choreographer Rennie Harris (1964-) began dancing in Philadelphia around the age of 12, inspired by Don Campbell (1951-2020) and his group, The Lockers. Harris founded Rennie Harris PureMovement in 1992 and RHAW (R.H. Awe-Inspiring Works) in 2007, merging hip hop dance with concert dance and he founded the Illadelph Legends of Hip Hop Festival in 1998, helping to pass on the knowledge to the next generation of hip hop dancers. He teaches at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Texas during the school year and has been invited to choreograph for contemporary modern and ballet companies alike.
Also Born Today: Broadway and film choreographer Robert Alton (1906-1957 ) created dances for shows in the 1930s-1950s, including Anything Goes (1934), Pal Joey (1940), and movies The Barkleys of Broadway (1949) and Show Boat (1951). Tap dancer Ludie Jones (1916-2018) formed several dance groups that performed with Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway in the 1940s and a senior tapping group called the Tapping Seniors in the 1980s.
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Today in Dance: On January 28, 1393 King Charles VI of France was nearly killed when several dancers' costumes caught fire during a masquerade ball.
Movie: The Goldwyn Follies released in 1938