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of this art form like Eddie Rector,
Bill Bailey etc. Rastus would frequent
the Hoofers Club and show many generations of younger aspiring
dancers how to do simple and complex steps as well as professionally
teaching future stars like Bob Hope. Why nobody ever interviewed
Hope on Rastus is beyond me (maybe they did, but I haven't
found it.)
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Legend has it that Rastus was a brown skin negro about 5' 9"
tall and slim. He was born in Louisville or Boston and came to
New York as a grown man around 1903 and would later lived in Philadelphia
or Baltimore. He always wore his many medals on his coat, wore
a derby hat, spats and smoked long cigars and drank white lightnin',
Corn Whiskey or Gin. During his Buck dances he would dance flat
footed, close to the floor and from the hips. Willie Glenn says
"Rastus was always willing to perform at the drop of the
hat" but goes on to say "Trouble was ... you couldn't
get him to quit." Rastus only problem was he was a real dancer,
a dancers dancer if you will and not a comedic or acrobatic dance
performer, which at the time was all that was being promoted.
Rastus was not very fond of the new "Acrobatic" style
of Tap dancing that was emerging and thought it "a waste
of time."
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He was considered a master of Improvisation and Imitation. Audiences
would call out things for him to imitate and would try to stump
him but never did. He could imitate a Train, a Drunk, a Horse,
different nationalities and even himself with great appreciation
by the onlookers or audience. However, he never copied anyone's
style and was very unique in what he did. His stamina was un wavering
as he could dance for over two hours; one hour standing up and
the other sitting down which was no small feet within itself and
is said to have never missed or repeated a step. Some dancers
have mentioned that he could do everything, do it forever and
did it well, a real "HOOFER!!!."
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Competed in many dance contests in the U.S.A. and London. In 1910
he won a Buck dancing contest in old Madison Square Garden. Rastus
even accused Bill "Bojangles"
Robinson of stealing his stair dance routine. Rastus was not
very fond of Robinson and challenged him many times in 'Cutting
Contests,' but Robinson always refused or was busy. He is said
to have passed away in the 1940's in New Haven, CT.
Note:
Any Racial slurs are not the way this webmaster thinks, only used
when repeating a reference to the times.
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