Black History Month: The Nicholas Brothers

Today's illustration is of Fayard and Harold Nicholas, better known as the Nicholas Brothers. They were a team of dancing brothers who performed flash dancing, a form of tap dance that combined jazz with acrobatics.

The brothers started out as child performers in vaudeville, but they became stars during the height of the Harlem Renaissance. They went on to star in Broadway musicals and Hollywood movies, where they were some of the first Black performers to perform in integrated films. Their careers spanned over six decades.

The Nicholas Brothers’ performance of Jumpin’ Jive with Cab Calloway in the movie Stormy Weather is considered to be the most virtuosic dance display of all time. Fun fact: they didn’t even rehearse the scene, they did it in one take.

My illustration is available as an art print here.

I’ll be back tomorrow with another illustration and story!

-Alleanna

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Further watching:

Video: Lucky Number - Nicholas Brothers (1936)

Video: Down Argentine Way - Nicholas Brothers (1940)

Video: America's Dance Honors - Nicholas Brothers (1990)

Sources:

Celebrating Black History: The Nicholas Brothers - Westbury Arts

Fayard and Harold Nicholas, whose tap dancing made them international stars, are perhaps not well remembered today. However, with class,

Westbury ArtsStanley Turetsky

Nicholas Brothers | Biographies, Movies, & Facts | Britannica

Nicholas Brothers, tap-dancing duo whose suppleness, strength, and fearlessness made them one of the greatest tap dance acts of all time. They developed a type of dance that has been dubbed ‘classical tap,’ combining jazz dance, ballet, and dazzling acrobatics with tap dancing.

Encyclopedia BritannicaRusty Frank

The Official Nicholas Brothers Website

The Nicholas Brothers, Fayard and Harold | Tap Dance Legends

The Nicholas Brothers: Tap-Dancing Royalty Revolutionizing Tap: The Enduring Legacy of The Nicholas Brothers Fayard and Harold Nicholas, better known as “The Nicholas Brothers,” weren’t just tap dancers; they were revolutionary artists who redefined the art form with their virtuosity, athleticism, and infectious energy. From their Vaudeville beginnings to their Hollywood triumphs, they captivated…

Dance Mogul MagazineDance Mogul