Before the end of the Civil War, black and white performers were rarely allowed to appear on Stage together, with the exception of Master Juba (William Henry Lane). Master Juba was known as the "Dancinest fellow ever was."Lane was a free born negro born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1825. It is said Lane learned how to dance from a saloon and dance hall dancer "Uncle" Jim Lowe.

    Now living and working in New York's 'Five Points district' namely "Paradise Square" which was packed with Irish immagrants and "Free Negroe slaves." Lane would learn to Jig from the Irish as well as copy all the other dancers styles and creatively mixed these diverse dance styles together. As a Jig and Buck and Wing dancer he was already considered the best dancer of all time. 'Master Juba' was wont to delight the rounders and others who came to New York to see a elephant in the Five Points district, known as Dickens' Dance

House.

    Lane competed in many local dance contests and defeated all comers including the best white Jig dancer of all time 'Jack (John) Diamond' at the Chatham Theatre, and won again at the Bowery Theatre; winning the $500 prize both times in 1844 as most dancers were Jig and Clog dancers. By 1845 Juba beat Diamond every time which allowed Juba to receive top billing in a all white minstrel company called the Ethiopian Minstrels where he was billed as the 'Greatest Dancer In The World'. Juba joined other minstrel groups such as "White's Serenaders." Lane was brought out as a professional dancer with great success throughout the United States, the handbills basically described him as a God of the dance.

    Lane danced agaisnt another Diamond, namely a younger black man named Johnny Diamond who he lost one match to at the Boylston Gardens in Boston, MA. (this is confused with Jack Diamond.) John hung out around the old Fly Market in New York city and danced in the contests during that time. Lane was so impressed by him he took him along with him on many tours. John Diamond was first brought into public notice by the enterprising P. T. Barnum, at Vauxhall Gardens around 1840, when he was just 17 years of age. He created quite a furor and P. T. B. traveled with him all over the country, Diamond dancing matches with whoever came on. Diamond finally died after a triumphant career, in Philadelphia, October 29th, 1857.

    Lane was afterwards introduced to the English public while touring with the Georgia Champion Minstrels (some state it was Pell's Ethiopian Serenaders) and met with a very good reception, and danced before Queen Victoriain Buckingham Palace. The English were quite familiar with Jigs, Reels, Hornpipes, clogs and the like but reported that Juba was very unique, almost as if he created a new form of dancing. An English critic once wrote: " The style as well as the execution is unlike anything ever seen in this country..." Charles Dickens wrote of him: "His leg movement resembled the noises of the fingers on a tambourine." Those noises were a unique tapping sound and what they didn't realize at the time was the creation of Tap Dancing (others would add to this as well.) Lane was one of the most influential dancers in the 19th century and beyond. Lane married, founded a dance studio and remained in England till his death in 1852 (the death date is uncertan but most agree to being 1852).

    There was a famous black dancer named "Tom from Palestine," Texas, that was known for "putting a glass of water on his head and making his feet go like trip-hammers and sounding something like a snare drum, he would 'whirl around and such' while all his movements were from the waist down, without spilling a drop of water. He was known as 'The Jigginest fellow ever was' (sounds like Juba).

   A Juba (Giouba) was also a dance created by slaves featuring hand clapping and foot stomping, referred to as 'patting the Juba.' The word is traced back to its origin in Africa where it is seen in a dance called "Djouba" and in Haiti, where it is called "Martinique."

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