October 2
Born Today:
Jimmy Slyde
Tap dancer James Titus Godbolt is known as Jimmy Slyde (1927-2008) and as the “King of Slides,” after his signature move. Initially a violinist studying at the Boston Conservatory, the rhythm tapper found that he wanted to take class across the street at the dance studio regularly hosting the legends of tap dance, such as Bill “Bojangles” Robinson (1878-1949) and Charles “Honi” Coles (1911-1992). He and his partner, Jimmy “Sir Slide” Mitchell created an act that performed with the Count Basie and the Duke Ellington orchestras. When work in the US dried up, he relocated overseas in the 1970s and performed in Paris, returning in the 1980s to perform on Broadway and in a series of tap movies.
Also Born Today: Ballet dancer and former wife of George Balanchine (1904-1983), Tanaquil LeClercq (1929-2000) partially overcame polio to continue teaching dance.