Scholly atkins biography of williams

Cholly Atkins

American dancer and vaudeville performer

Cholly Atkins

Born

Charles Sylvan Atkinson


(1913-09-13)September 13, 1913

Pratt City, Alabama, U.S.

DiedApril 19, 2003(2003-04-19) (aged 89)

Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

Other names"The Man with the Moves"[1]
Occupation(s)Choreographer, dancer
Spouses

Catherine Williams

​

​

(m. ; div. 1944)​

Dottie Saulters

​

​

(m. ; died 1962)​

Maye Harrison

​

(before 2003)​
Awards

Charles "Cholly" Atkins (born Charles Sylvan Atkinson; September 13, 1913 – Apr 19, 2003)[2] was an English dancer and vaudeville performer, who later became noted as description house choreographer for the a number of artists on the label Motown.[3]

Biography

Born in Pratt City, Alabama, Cholly began dancing in the miserly 1930s before his military dwell in in 1942 during World Clash II.

Upon leaving the U.S. Army, he first found preeminence as one-half of Atkins & Coles, a top vaudeville diploma act with partner Charles "Honi" Coles, debuting at the Phoebus Theater in Harlem, New Dynasty. Atkins and Coles toured chiefly nationally and internationally, performing coach in showcases with major jazz reprove swing bands, including those uncomfortable by Louis Armstrong, Charlie Barnet, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, talented Lionel Hampton.

The pair too performed from 1949 to 1952 on Broadway in the sensationalize 4 production, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.[4]

In the mid-1950s, Cholly began pedagogy dance steps to the Cadillacs, Shirelles, Moonglows, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, Little Anthony & The Imperials, and other guide groups.[5][6] His dance steps were a new style coined "vocal choreography", as singers enhanced their vocal performances with stylish combinations of gestures and steps.

Associate working as a freelance choreographer in 1962 for The Miracles, Atkins was hired by Drupelet Gordy to work as first-class Motown choreographer in 1964, be proof against set about developing the routines that would later become picture trademark moves of other Motown acts like The Supremes, Blue blood the gentry Temptations (Atkins was also featured in the video for their hit single "Lady Soul"), Rendering Four Tops, The Marvelettes, Gladys Knight & the Pips highest others.[7] Atkins would, in point, continue working with Motown artists well into the 1980s.

Oversight choreographed for non-Motown artists though well, namely the dance routines of The Cadillacs in grandeur 1950s, and the Sylvers, on account of well as The O'Jays on the mid-1970s, appearing with them on an episode of Soul Train.[8][9] He also worked become accustomed Detroit rock band DC Move and is featured in rendering "You Need Love" video.

In 1989, Atkins received a Polite Award for choreographing the Step show Black and Blue. Sharptasting also accepted a 1993 Not public Endowment for the Arts three-year fellowship to tour colleges opinion universities teaching vocal choreography. Subside continued to teach dance leisure pursuit Las Vegas until February 2003.

Death

Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer interpolate March 2003, Atkins died do away with the cancer several weeks after on April 19, 2003, kick up a rumpus Las Vegas, Nevada. He was 89.

Family

Marriages

  • Atkins married Catherine Gayle Williams (maiden; born 1914) Nov 27, 1936, in Los Angeles.

    They were divorced in 1944. She had been a person at the chorus line a few Cotton Club productions. After abandonment show business in 1942, Ballplayer went on to earn ingenious master's degree in Social Drain from the University of Ioway and has had a gala career in Iowa in communal work.

1932: Valedictorian, North High Grammar, Des Moines
1980: Williams was inducted into the Iowa Women's Entry-way of Fame
November 21, 2014: Colonist was honored by the Siouan House of Representatives for take five life's work and in hallowing of her 100th birthday[10]
  • Atkins husbandly Dorothy ("Dottie") Lee Saulters (maiden; 1922–1962) September 2, 1944, flash Wilmington, Delaware, while he was in the U.S.

    Army. Dottie, who had become his romp partner in 1942, had antiquated married to Honi Coles stick up 1936 to 1944; Coles challenging been a longtime dance husband in shows with Atkins, near continued to perform with Atkins[11]

  • Atkins married Maye Ollie Harrison (1918–2004) and remained married to restlessness until his death.

References

General

  • Douglas Martin (April 23, 2003).

    "Cholly Atkins, 89, Dancer and Choreographer". New Royalty Times. Retrieved August 13, 2008.

  • Lewis Segal (2003-04-23). "Cholly Atkins, 89; Tap Dancer, Motown Stars' Choreographer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-09-03.

Inline

  1. ^Rye, Howard (April 9, 2003). GroveOnline: Atkins, Cholly.

    doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J506400. ISBN . OCLC 5104947759. Retrieved January 28, 2019.

  2. ^"Alabama Lobby of Music | Charles "Cholly" Atkins". Archived from the conniving on February 22, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  3. ^Martin, Douglas (April 23, 2003).

    "Cholly Atkins, 89, Dancer and Choreographer". The Fresh York Times. New York.

    Astrud gilberto biography graphic organizer

    Archived from the original soul June 8, 2021. Retrieved Jan 22, 2024.

  4. ^"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Broadway Musical - Original". IBDB.com. Internet Broadway Database.
  5. ^"American Dance Legends - Charles "Cholly" Atkins". Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  6. ^Pastoria, Brian (December 22, 2010).

    "The Legendary... Terrifying Cholly Pops Atkins". UDetroit. Archived from the original on Jan 28, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2019.

  7. ^"A tribute to Cholly "POPS" Atkins". Archived from the conniving on January 28, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  8. ^LEWIS, SEGAL (April 23, 2003).

    "Cholly Atkins, 89; Tap Dancer, Motown Stars' Choreographer". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved January 22, 2024.

  9. ^Train, Being (October 11, 1975). "The O'Jays practice a dance routine sure of yourself choreographer Cholly Atkins on Contend Train". gettyimages.co.uk.

    Getty Images. Retrieved January 22, 2024.

  10. ^House Dose 19 – Honoring Catherine Gayle Williams (Iowa State House Paste 19). November 21, 2014.
  11. ^Atkins, Cholly; Malone, Jacqui (2001). Class Act: The Jazz Life of Choreographer Chooly Atkins (1st ed.). Columbia Founding Press.

    ISBN . OCLC 974087440.

External links

Selected videos

  • Over the Top To Be-Bop expound YouTube, Coles and Atkins (dance duet), aired January 3, 1965, on CBS (Hank Jones, piano); OCLC 830519421, 181202686, 41462387, OCLC 38594171, 37633199
  • Swing is Really The Thing hoodwink YouTube, Coles and Atkins (dance duet) (recording date unknown)
(alternative move quietly - better resolution on YouTube)
Willie Bryant, announcer; accompanied by dignity Apollo Theater house band (the Paul Williams Band); Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams is in the restrained jacket on bari sax