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they used slides as their trademark move. One dance critic, Sally Sommer, explained his slides as such, "He's upstage left and sliding downstage right as fast and smooth as a skier, arms held out to the side, head tilted. He stops the cascade by banking backward, slips into a fast flurry of taps, working quick and low to the floor and ends the phrase by pulling up high and flashing off a triple turn." The act was such a hit, they received invitations to go on the road to perform with big band names of the time, including Count Basie, Duke
Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Barry Harris. Their tapping was part of the bands' songs where they would create the music for many measures and then the band would come back in, and they would trade off back and forth like that the entire act.
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speech, from little connective scoots to long, stage-traversing slalom runs. Slides allowed him to tease the beat, delaying then catching up. They were silences, visually exciting rests, but they also functioned as long notes, as Slyde's physical dynamics, speeding and slowing, suggested crescendos and diminuendos." He was usually the last dancer to perform because he would top any dancer who rivaled him. However, Slyde was a humble man happy to be part of the tap community, who brought a sound-oriented emphasis to tap and called it "a translating thing". The younger generation gained knowledge from him and regarded him as one of the greats including Savion Glover who stated he was "the
Godfather of tap" and "one of the true masters of the art form".
185:, and Derby Wilson. At the age of twelve, Godbolt quit violin lessons at the Conservatory and began tap lessons at Brown's studio with his mother's blessing (she wanted him to do something other than play sports to help contain his energy). At the studio, he studied under Brown himself and a student teacher, Eddie "Schoolboy" Ford, who taught Godbolt the slide. Godbolt connected with another dancer known for slides, Jimmy "Sir Slyde" Mitchell, and they put together an act to take on the road.
206:, and the crowd received them with positive praise including regarding them as "Harlem's All-Star Dancers". He moved to Paris in the 1970s, where he worked intensively with Sarah Petronio. Petronio nurtured the expatriated Slyde out from self-imposed retirement in France, back into a productive and creative fulfillment and became his dancing partner in Tap and Jazz concerts "It's About Time", accompanied by some of the Europe's finest jazz musicians.
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In the 1990s, Slyde started holding jam sessions every week at a jazz nightclub in New York called La Cave. This became an education-based practice where up-and-coming tappers would come and improvise, while older and experienced tappers would mentor them. Among the mentored included dancers such as
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Slyde performed during the 1950s, at a time when rock and roll was emerging and diverting
American interest away from big band music with tap acts. He attempted to find work in other cities including San Francisco, Chicago, and Hollywood on the burlesque and nightclub circuits as well as in movies,
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In the 1940s, Mitchell and
Godbolt started performing at local clubs and on the burlesque circuit calling themselves the Slyde Brothers. This in turn caused Godbolt to be renamed forevermore, Jimmy "Slyde". Their acts included action tricks similar to those the Nicholas Brothers performed; however,
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Slyde was known for being a great rhythm tapper who had impeccable musicality (partly due to his early music training), perfect timing, and slides that made it appear is if he could glide across the floor effortlessly. His slides were essential to his musicality. "The slides took on many parts of
229:". He was part of the 1980s tap revival, which led him to stay in the United States and thrive much like during his early career. Throughout his revival and the resurgence of tap in America, Slyde performed in the films
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but work had dried up in
America. He found a temporary job working as a choreographer for the tap dancers the Crosby Brothers in the 1960s, but in 1966 Slyde was invited to perform at the
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for a brief period of his life. Slyde appeared in several musicals and shows in the 1980s, and he received numerous awards for his talent. He was known for his signature move, the slide.
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to advance as a violinist. However, the
Conservatory was across the street from Stanley Brown's dance studio, which he would visit to watch great tap dancers such as
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Azizian, Carol (October 11, 2001). "On Tap: Dance notables gather in Flint for weekend of hoofing, teaching".
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2001: along with mentee Rocky Mendes, awarded a
Traditional Arts Apprenticeship by the Mass Cultural Council
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on
Broadway in 1989, in which he also performed. As part of the Broadway cast, he was nominated for a
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Slyde was a popular rhythm tap dancer in
America in the mid-20th century, when he performed on the
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Dierks, Donald (January 31, 1984). "Arts Foundation receives grant to hire administrative aide".
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Archival footage of Gregory Hines, Dianne Walker and Jimmy Slyde in 1996 at Jacob's Pillow
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Slyde died on May 16, 2008, at the age of 80 in his home in Hanson, Massachusetts.
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He also appeared on several television shows and in the 1985 television special
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After living, teaching, and performing in Paris, he appeared in the production
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at the age of three. As a child, his mother encouraged him to play the
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James "Jimmy Slyde" Godbolt receives an award for tap-dancing from the
1169:"Traditional Arts Apprenticeships: Dance Traditions, Rhythm tap dance"
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in Europe. He attended with Baby Laurence, James Buster Brown, and
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1993: Choreographer's Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts
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1988: Choreographer's Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts
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Tap! The Greatest Tap Dance Stars and Their Stories, 1900-1955
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1125:"Tops in Tap: This year's Extravaganza honors dancing greats"
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2008: Inducted into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame
934:"Jimmy Slyde, Dancer and a Giant of Rhythm Tap, Dies at 80"
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741:"International Tap Dance Hall of Fame: 2008 - Jimmy Slyde"
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PBS series; season 21, episode 1, aired February 17, 1993
118:(October 2, 1927 – May 16, 2008), known professionally as
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circuits. He was also popular in Europe and lived in
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2003: Fellowship for Creative Arts in Choreography,
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Television special, aired May 19, 1985; Emmy winner
865:"The Majesty of Tap: Jimmy (Godbolt) Slyde concert"
697:(Rev. ed.). New York: Da Capo Press. pp.
690:
1100:. National Endowment for the Arts. Archived from
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1150:Johnson, Robert (May 23, 2001). "Dance Notes".
747:. American Tap Dance Foundation. Archived from
587:1998: Living Treasure in American Dance award,
896:. New York: Oxford University Press. pp.
869:Library of Congress, Performing Arts Databases
817:Library of Congress, Performing Arts Databases
130:known for his innovative tap style mixed with
1227:. Oklahoma City. February 17, 2002. p. 2
557:Television special; aired September 16, 1998
518:PBS series; episode aired 1989; Emmy winner
265:Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program
221:for this performance, and appeared on the
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1311:Jimmy Slyde performing at The White House
634:John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
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1094:"NEA National Heritage Fellowships 1999"
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893:Tap Dancing America: a Cultural History
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455:The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
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1068:"Tap dance duo help preserve art form"
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991:. National Endowment for the Arts. n.d
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985:"Jimmy "Slyde" Godbolt: Tap Dancer"
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591:, Ann Lacy School of American Dance
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1221:"Tap dance greats earn OCU honors"
932:La Rocco, Claudia (May 17, 2008).
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1399:Dancers from Georgia (U.S. state)
1354:20th-century American male actors
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1154:. Newark, New Jersey. p. 43.
839:"The 37th Annual Emmy Honor Roll"
600:, National Endowment for the Arts
549:In Performance at the White House
463:episode dated September 17, 1969
213:(1985), which was later reset in
1123:Hinckley, David (May 26, 2001).
1066:Rogers, Rick (August 20, 2001).
845:. September 24, 1985. p. E2
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571:National Endowment for the Arts
445:episode dated January 13, 1959
16:American tap dancer (1927–2008)
1074:. Oklahoma City. pp. B1–2
890:Hill, Constance Valis (2010).
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801:. Flint, Michigan. p. B1.
778:. Contemporary Black Biography
739:Hill, Constance Valis (2010).
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1364:African-American male dancers
1251:American Tap Dance Foundation
1195:"Awards: Honorary Doctorates"
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626:American Tap Dance Foundation
605:2001: Recipient of the first
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1359:African-American male actors
958:Seibert, Brian (Fall 2008).
598:National Heritage Fellowship
472:Motown Returns to the Apollo
257:Motown Returns to the Apollo
225:album, soloing on the song "
171:Boston Conservatory of Music
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1235:– via Newspapers.com.
1139:– via Newspapers.com.
1082:– via Newspapers.com.
853:– via Newspapers.com.
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1404:Dancers from Massachusetts
1384:American male stage actors
340:(credited as Jimmy Slide)
1374:American male film actors
960:"Jimmy Slyde (1927-2008)"
813:"Jimmy Slyde (biography)"
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1041:"Living Treasure Awards"
689:Frank, Rusty E. (1995).
589:Oklahoma City University
1414:Male actors from Boston
507:"Tap Dance in America"
356:short documentary film
223:original cast recording
1419:Musicians from Atlanta
437:The Billy Daniels Show
1424:Musicians from Boston
1369:American male dancers
1173:Mass Cultural Council
1012:The San Diego Tribune
490:Kennedy Center Honors
227:Stompin' at the Savoy
88:Hanson, Massachusetts
1394:American tap dancers
962:. Three Penny Review
843:The Orlando Sentinel
751:on December 14, 2010
624:2002: Hoofer Award,
607:Charles "Honi" Coles
200:Berlin Jazz Festival
183:Charles "Honi" Coles
157:Godbolt was born in
1129:New York Daily News
1025:"Showbiz Hotline".
871:. December 16, 2015
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116:James Titus Godbolt
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938:The New York Times
537:Great Performances
515:Great Performances
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126:, was an American
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80:May 16, 2008
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1339:1927 births
1302:Jimmy Slyde
1231:January 12,
1179:January 12,
1135:January 12,
1078:January 12,
875:January 12,
849:January 16,
755:January 12,
413:Television
303:Filmography
204:Chuck Green
120:Jimmy Slyde
25:Jimmy Slyde
1333:Categories
1283:January 9,
1257:January 9,
1205:January 9,
1051:January 9,
823:January 9,
673:References
219:Tony Award
153:Early life
128:tap dancer
100:Tap dancer
96:Occupation
57:1927-10-02
916:310715940
717:472781122
349:About Tap
143:burlesque
139:nightclub
109:1948–2008
1098:Arts.gov
989:Arts.gov
966:March 8,
943:March 8,
782:March 8,
745:Atdf.org
661:See also
235:(1984),
215:New York
898:301–302
699:259–261
533:dancer
371:dancer
337:Hoofer
159:Atlanta
69:Georgia
65:Atlanta
1253:. 2022
1201:. 2008
1175:. 2022
1047:. 2011
914:
904:
819:. 2010
715:
705:
640:2005:
596:1999:
427:Notes
421:Title
322:Notes
316:Title
283:, and
189:Career
167:violin
163:Boston
90:, U.S.
71:, U.S.
41:, 2006
646:award
609:Award
554:self
544:1998
523:1993
510:self
504:1989
496:self
484:1987
476:self
468:1985
460:self
450:1969
442:self
432:1959
424:Role
418:Year
403:self
395:2005
388:Slim
378:1989
361:1986
353:self
345:1985
327:1984
319:Role
313:Year
147:Paris
1306:IMDb
1285:2023
1259:2023
1233:2023
1207:2023
1181:2023
1137:2023
1110:2020
1080:2023
1053:2023
997:2020
968:2017
945:2017
912:OCLC
902:ISBN
877:2023
851:2023
825:2023
784:2017
757:2023
713:OCLC
703:ISBN
488:The
263:for
251:and
141:and
132:jazz
77:Died
47:Born
1304:at
383:Tap
244:Tap
39:NEA
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