Combining airy grace with a fierce athleticism, the Fabulous Nicholas Brothers set the dance floor on fire as they groove in the 1943 musical film Stormy Weather.
When you ask dance connoisseurs to create a list of the world’s greatest hoofers, Fred Astaire would always be present (if not at the top of the list).
As a dancer, he brought a ballroom finesse and a loose-knit debonair grace to the grounded rhythms of the tap. Yet Astaire himself declared that his own tap heroes were Fayard and Harold Nicholas, two black dancers who became one of the most popular double acts of the mid-20th century.
Skipping to the tune of Cab Calloway’s Jumpin’ Jive for the movie Stormy Weather, the tap dance duo left the audience flabbergasted with their performance, hailing it as one of the most virtuosic film dance routines of all time.
Every twist of their feet and turn of their body as they blend with the orchestra greatly shows their high level of artistry and daring innovations.
The Nicholas Brothers were a team of dancing brothers, Fayard and Harold, who excelled in a wide variety of techniques.
One of them is a highly acrobatic technique known as “flash dancing.” That was their trademark: athleticism.
They showcase utmost elegance in their rigid torso, strength in their swift feet and an aura of ease.
Throughout the clip, they leap hazardously from table to table, jumping exuberantly to the orchestra’s music stands, skipping over their heads without even looking.
One of the members actually had to keep swinging his head to save it from being kicked off from his neck and tried his best to maintain a straight face after as the peril is over.
I should also mention that they also jived atop the piano, answering the call of the witty pianist.
The brothers’ ability to incorporate spins, kicks and flips into the middle of riotously fast and jazzy footwork just proves how talented they are.
One of the dancing duo’s famous tricks, also considered as the climax of Stormy Weather, was their special stunt of sliding down into the splits and back up again without using their hands as support.
They split on the floor, on the stage and while going down the flight of stairs, as if friction and gravity were meaningless.
It may make viewers nervous to watch, but rest assured no eggs were harmed in the creation of this movie!
They managed to do all of these in full evening dress, without a moment’s hesitation flickering in their smiles and charm.
Despite the lack of chance to catch their breaths, their phrasing and execution were overall impeccable.
Fred Astaire once told the brothers that this dance number was the greatest movie musical sequence he had ever seen.
Stormy Weather takes its title from the 1933 song of the same title.
It is based upon the life and times of its star, dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson.
Robinson plays Bill Williamson, a talented dancer who returns home in 1918 after serving in World War I and tries to pursue a career as a performer. Along the way, he approaches a beautiful singer named Selina Rogers portrayed by Lena Horne.
The short video clip ended with The Nicholas Brothers gliding down the staircase, and one final split to complete their routine.
We see why this is so beloved!
Watch the full clip in the link below:
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