In 1943, brothers Harold and Fayard Nicholas slayed Hollywood when they performed an unrehearsed dance routine that’s still being talked about to this day.
These two siblings also deserve extra accolades for having the very first dance act (probably) filmed in one single take. (Sorry Spice Girls – you’re just Wannabe’s in that regard).
The Nicholas Brothers have been inspiring legendary toe-tappers like Fred Astaire, Gregory Hines, and Savion Glover for decades. The reason why is certainly no mystery.
They were the ultimate song-and-dance influencers of their time.
As @peripeteia_1981 on Reddit noted:
“These guys inspired movement used in popping, locking, and B-boying aka Breakdance. Many dancers recognize the importance of these two.”
The Nicholas Brothers were known for their unique “flash dancing” performances (pre-Jennifer Beals) and fearless, full-bodied stunts. They also happened to be some of the first black entertainers to be featured in white mainstream films.
In an age when Jim Crow segregation was the norm, this spoke volumes about their incredible talent.
Astaire once said that the brothers’ performance in the movie Stormy Weather was “the greatest dance number ever filmed.”
Mr. “Crazy Feet” even went so far as to name the Nicholas Brothers his heroes.
The siblings were born in the heyday of vaudeville, back when the Empress of Blues herself, Bessie Smith, toured the country.
Harold and Fayard learned their flashy, acrobatic skills by mimicking what they saw at Philadelphia’s infamous Standard Theatre. That’s where all the best black entertainers and musicians performed during the peak jazz years (1915-1930).
Despite their lack of formal training, the brothers found themselves in New York by 1932, right smack dab in the middle of the Harlem Renaissance.
It was there that Harold and Fayard’s careers really took off, thanks mostly in part to the even more infamous Cotton Club.
In this elite, whites-only establishment, only the most gifted African American entertainers were invited to perform for the wealthy hipsters of the day.
The Cotton Club counted the likes of Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, and of course, the Nicholas Brothers, amongst its rising stars.
We’ve all heard the saying that practice makes perfect, but Harold and Fayard’s high-flying act in 1943’s Stormy Weather wasn’t even rehearsed beforehand. And that’s what makes it so amazing.
That, and the fact that even their shadows can’t seem to keep up with their lightning face pace.
Technically humans aren’t supposed to be able to fly, but that didn’t stop these two brothers from gaining SpaceX-like liftoff.
With gravity-defying moves that could only come from having invisible wings, the siblings launch themselves into the air with stunning grace and ease.
Wait until you see their “split” second landing.
Newcomers and oldtimers alike seem to agree that the Nicholas brothers were the entertainment influencers of their time.
Comments from admirers include this one from Reddit user @L0st_in_the_Stars:
“Harold and Fayard Nicholas, 1943. Gravity defying dancers. Too talented for Hollywood to ignore. Too black for Hollywood to use right.”
But you can see for yourself why the incredible legacy of the Nicholas Brothers still lives on.
Watch while Harold and Fayard let their feet live up to Cab Calloway’s Jumpin’ Jive below!
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