Nicholas Brothers Tribute (1991) | Gregory Hines Lou Gossett, Jr | Tap Dance

From The Kennedy Center Honors (1991).
The Nicholas Brothers were a duo of dancing brothers, Fayard (1914-2006) and Harold (1921-2000), who excelled in a variety of techniques, including a highly acrobatic technique known as "flash dancing". With a high level of artistry and daring innovations, they were considered by many to be the greatest tap dancers of their day. Their performance in the musical number "Jumpin' Jive" (with Cab Calloway and his orchestra) featured in the 1943 movie Stormy Weather has been praised as one of the most virtuosic film dance routines of all time.
Growing up surrounded by vaudeville acts as children, they became stars of the jazz circuit during the Harlem Renaissance and performed on stage, film, and television well into the 1990s. - Wikipedia
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[@corrimahanible8165]

Gregory Hines said if they ever made a movie of them they would have to computerized the dance scenes in because nobody since have been able to duplicate

[@avonbellamy205]

The routine they laid down in the movie Stormy Weather is a masterpiece that can never be duplicated; it can only be envied and held up as an example of the highest form of Tap mastery.

[@acampbell2662]

With the help of CGI, it might be possible, but I'm with you, imitated but never duplicated.

[@francesivey7811]

Amen! Amen!

[@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288]

I saw Stormy Weather on DVD a few years ago. When the Nicholas Brothers came down that staircase, Wow, no words! I would love to imagine what a movie theater sounded like with an audience watching those dance routines!! Nicholas Brothers, never will be another!

[@francesivey7811]

i agree! and fred astaire said the same thing@@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288

[@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288]

@@francesivey7811 Gene Kelly was also a big fan of the Nicholas Brothers. Awesome to be so respected by the best in your field! If only the studios had provided more opportunities, but that's the 1930s and 1940s, so... Awesomeness despite obstacles

[@paanne1013]

Harold was only 19 years old in Stormy Weather! Holy Moly!

[@g0ldenhearted1]

This is pure gold. Rest in paradise Gregory Hines, Fayard and Harold Nicholas.

[@breebrooks9603]

There will never be another like them

[@cornellhartfield8731]

Never

[@dznutz217]

So true!!!

[@RodrickColbert]

Ironically, since this show, I am not sure tap has ever been as popular. Those were the top tap dancers in music history all under one roof.

[@paanne1013]

I love that movie and the "challenge" scene is worth watching for sure!

[@christopherwhitfield92]

BEST TAG TEAM IN TAP DANCING HISTORY FACTS

[@garykass114]

@Christopher Whitfield No doubt about that. They were truly amazing.

[@ElleBrOw]

🗣🎤 The shorter Nicholas brother, Harold was once married to Dorothy Dandridge. He was also the choreographer in The Five Heartbeats.

[@caseyjones9716]

Imagine if they were still with us today . . . I worry that tap is slowly fading away. That's a shame. But at least us older folks remember the Nicholas Brothers, Bunny Briggs, Arthur Duncan, jimmy Slide, Steve Condos, Sammy Davis, John Bubble, Sandman Sims, Timmy Rodgers, and of course Gregory and Maurice Hines. Exciting ebullient performers, all class acts. I miss you all.

[@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288]

I wish the movie "Tap" was more available. Gregory Hines tried to revive a lot of tap history with that movie, and Glover picked up the baton. Maybe it has something to do with the foundation or family member who handles Gregory Hines' image?

[@Riogi]

These men are the greatest dancers I have ever seen. I love them. Sadly, they did not get the recognition they deserved due to the colour of their skin. Still, they are legends to so many and their dancing skills will always leave us in a state of awe.

[@camaradiop3731]

One of the brothers said (I can't recall which one) once that, by refusing segregation protocols at one of their gigs, they were whitelisted & Sammy Davis, Jr. was elevated because of their "impertinence".

[@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288]

They appeared in The Pirate with Gene Kelly, and they said that movie made no money. I wondered if the studio sabotaged the movie because of the "integration"?

[@BodaciousWench]

@@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288 I read that Gene did the dance with the brothers so they couldn’t be cut out of the film.

[@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288]

@@BodaciousWench That sounds like something that Gene Kelly would have done. But supposedly the studios had a system for lifting an entire segment of a movie out when it was shown in a Southern market. That way those audiences just didn't see the integrated section. They would get a specially edited version. So disgusting, and so STUPID. That used to happen to Lena Horne all the time. Things are still a mess, but at least they have progressed a little bit. Anyway, enjoy the dance!

[@paanne1013]

@@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288 - It has come a long way since then, we just need to keep moving forward, but never forget the past, because it repeats itself if we do forget...but never dwell on the negative.

[@brianabrom6115]

As of yet there has not been such a dance routine done in Stormy Weather as the Nicolas Brothers.

[@maryarmstrong6501]

AWESOME TRIBUTE, LOVE GREGORY HINES, 😊

[@patriciaorlando2380]

The Nicholas brothers were great dancers .They could sing and act too. But their dancing was tops. So flexible and so fit. Great talent. They were AMAZING 👍👍👍

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

Another classic tap film is the 1989 film "Tap." Starred Gregory Hines, Suzzanne Douglas, Savion Glover. Included many famous hoofers like Sandman, Sammy Davis, Jr., Harold Nicholas, Jimmy Slyde, Bunny Briggs. This was pure delight. Best collection of the great tappers I have ever seen in a commercial film.

[@reelblack]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/onm9mmtnmKiZZ68

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

Thanks, Mike! I love that special feature about the film Tap. Any chance of getting the full commercial film on your channel someday? OK, I see you have responded to someone that it's paid content. I own the DVD and VHS. Just wanted to ensure others can enjoy the full film.

[@annemarieclaudia]

yes! what a great movie!

[@kimberleyphillips6671]

I still get emotional watching them. Beautiful souls❤️

[@garykass114]

I am always spellbound by the Nicholas Brothers!! WOW!!!!

[@tonynicholas5539]

The greatest dancers ever

[@tiffanyhollywood2108]

I smiled with so much joy the ENTIRE time. There is no word that I can think of in this moment that would adequately describe the talent of these brothers. Not trained; Fayard taught himself and then taught his brother, Harold. 😱 Again, there is no word to describe their talent. Thank you for uploading this. Thank you. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@lc6067]

Ditto every single thing you said!

[@francesivey7811]

the Nicholas are the best entertainers this universe will ever know !

[@paanne1013]

Born to be entertainers, they were the best of the best.

[@sifisokaula1870]

That was class I wish people can return to that era

[@byHexted]

Those guys doing a Nicholas brothers tribute were good but it shows just how insanely hard it was to do what they did and how once in a generation it is if your lucky. To be that in sync is insane like these guys had a few issues there

[@telam1744]

They were all winded and "sweaty" I never saw the Nicholas brothers "sweat."

[@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288]

Hines had a very different style. He always intended to show a ragged quality in his dance, and he didn't mind giving away that dance can be difficult and sweaty. I read that, although he got along well with Gene Kelly as an elder statesman of dance, he fundamentally disagreed with Kelly that dance steps should look easy and natural so that the everyman can imagine himself dancing too. No, Hines called his non-choreography "improvography" so that it would look raw and fresh. The great dancers are entitled to their own style. True of the Nicholas Brothers, true of Hines, Glover, and the other greats on that stage.

[@avonbellamy205]

@@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288 that’s why they call it creativity. Because the great ones always come with their own style of doing things and that’s why they’re the great ones. Gregory Hines is one of the best I’ve ever seen do it and he pass the mantle on to Glover. I haven’t seen Glover in years so I don’t know what he’s doing with the art.

[@caroleastmond9064]

Maybe someone could make a good movie, about these two great, wonderful dancers, now since Hollywood is different now, these two brothers were awesome dancers, just awesome!!!💝🎉🎉

[@petercontijr.4846]

I am sorry that I don't have the link, but TMC has a fantastic piece with one son and then two grandchildren who perform as the Nicholas Sisters and they even own a dance studio. It is gratifying that the brothers possessed the dignity and optimism that led to their granddaughters being able to share the legacy in a period that is maybe a little better than their days in showbiz. Few people get this honor and then a tribute from this country's preeminent artists at the Kennedy Center with the President and First Lady in attendance. Someone did their homework here. For all the horrible stuff they probably endured growing up, they got the last laugh. Their legacy has been preserved By their country and imagine how they must have felt when they got a long-standing ovation. I had tears in my eyes. Their time in the sun had come. Few Black entertainers lived the American dream. Against all odds they did. RIP.

[@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288]

Yes, we are overdue for a tap movie!!! Hines' "Tap" is awesome, but that was 1989, right? So overdue! I think LaLaLand was an attempt to revive the movie musical genre, but we know that missed the mark, especially because they used actors with name recognition who are not dancers, then just taught them a few steps. What? Meanwhile, I wanted the whole movie to look like the opening production number on the highway, those were the good dancers! So, yeah, a tap movie please, with good tappers! They are out there, go find them and put them on film!! Please. 🎭

[@t.l.robinson2162]

They were true masters!

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

May TAP ever live on! The Nicholas Brothers, Gregory Hines, Savion Glover…...

[@TimeStepsandParallels]

Impeccable group of talent! Never will there ever be a time as it goes by when Tap isn't considered as an extraordinary artform. This is a prime example of how these gents show America how this is done.

[@TimeStepsandParallels]

Thanks for liking!

[@cornellhartfield8731]

Hail the Kings

[@desleyroberts8674]

Wow They were true pioneers of Tap, How Humble they are too❤🙏🌻🌻🌻🎊🎊👍

[@sandradee4914]

The best of the best there never will be any better♥️

[@saverioman]

For sure. As good as the dancing pair was, it looked like slow motion compared to the Nicholas Brothers.

[@spicyhot2552]

Yes indeed

[@Kasino80]

I love call and response tap dancing. I can watch it for hours.

[@austenrobinson2747]

There will NEVER be ANYONE that will ever come close to these two. Without a doubt the GOATS of tap dance.

[@BUGIIS1]

I so enjoyed watching this. The Nicholas Brothers ruled Tap.

[@rhondaarthur7585]

The NICHOLAS BROTHERS!!!! AWESOME!AWESOME!JUST AWESOME!!!!!! I remember seeing just the scene of them dancing and I just couldn't forget them, their performance was just engraved in my brain. I still have the VHS tape and a DVD. When I want to look at two siblings that you can see truly admired and enjoyed each other and was having sooooo much fun dancing with one another, it just makes you smile with joy. Thank you Mr. Fayard and Mr. Harold, it will never be no OTHER like the two of you, you two were A ONE OF A KIND DUO!!!! 😘😘😘😘💕💕💕💕

[@drtmuir]

Gregory Hines was such a sweet creature. 🥺

[@m.t.shiphopblogandmore...007]

Pure Joy!

[@randywatson4341]

They should of been a bigger thing in Hollywood

[@wendyryder2708]

Yes I agree! Just one UGLY word, RACISM!

[@rubensdeliz]

They were the best. Nicholas Bos. Fantastic, amazing. A million times wonderful. And to top it all off. Gregory Hines was born on February 14th like me. Greetings from Brazil.

[@DisappointedDemocrat]

Beautiful Memories! Awesome to see. 🔥

[@jolynnhill8502]

Such great talent and it is sad that Gregory Hines passed. My mother was 10 years old in 1936 and she would go to the movies to see the Nicholas brothers dance. She loved tap dancing...

[@everettwilson1416]

I will never say never, what I will say is they put a target up there for others will try to shoot at. They are the ones I like the best.

[@decretiahearn2674]

Damn I had to stand up and clap too from my couch 🙏🏾❤️🙏🏾❤️🙏🏾❤️🙏🏾❤️🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@RohgishSun]

I love my people. Thank god I'm somebody that can feed off of our history like a plant to sunlight. big up big bro Mike.

[@sharonsekhon9475]

I interviewed Tony Nicholas - son of to Fayard. His stepfather was equally amazing - a lawyer during the civil rights movement who got people out of jail. Nicholas is generous and kind and worked out of the Tom Bradley Family & Youth Center on W. Pico in Los Angeles.

[@kkampy4052]

That was a worthy tribute to the legends.

[@guy-tn2ud]

I've never liked tap, may as well be lord of the dance to me. But these guys had a boatload of talent, that was entertaining.

[@guy-tn2ud]

Honestly, after they went down the slides at the 7 min. mark, everyone else was making me yawn.

[@finderkeeperrrs]

@@guy-tn2ud ok and?

[@guy-tn2ud]

@@finderkeeperrrs "and" what? I wrote in complete sentences. Do you misunderstand something?

[@georgeb.wolffsohn30]

Absolutely it's the effortless sliding back up again thst amazes me.

[@stonemanblues]

Just Extraordinary, Spectacular 'TALENT". I wish the styles of yesteryear would reappear. Class, Polish, Dressing Up, Respect. But whoa....

[@mrburns1203]

My Favorites. Never to be duplicated. Love Them in Stormy Weather and other performances.

[@brianabrom6115]

A great tribute !

[@MrBamalam1]

I Haven't seen this in years. Thank you for posting this.

[@clovisra]

They and many others talented americans make the US a really great country.

[@veganvocalist4782]

BRILLIANCE 😄 sheer Brilliance 👏🏼

[@sweetlove6916]

Awesome

[@pammwilliamsful]

Classic

[@lorenzocolston8216]

For those who don't know tap dancing was originally titled hoofing!

[@kishiagoins2541]

This is just beautiful!!! Brings tears to my eyes that they were finally getting their just do while they were still alive. ❤❤❤

[@douglas9607]

that was wonderful. chocked me right up.

[@teenatchie2235]

WOW 😀

[@ElleBrOw]

🗣🎤I love stuff like this 💞

[@anniewilkes6011]

RIP Gregory and Lou❤️

[@missapril9889]

That was amazing...so much talent so wonderful...thank you

[@TimeStepsandParallels]

BTW, added this to one of my throwback collections!

[@torshafranklin8546]

Amazing stuff 😎

[@jolynnwhite7946]

Bringing the past to the present raising the drama and glory of talent. Giving the raised their place in time out of time 🏳️‍🌈🧕🏿😍💕🌷🌷🤓😇👌🏾

[@_PAIGE94]

This was great 🙌🏾

[@JanBriggs-pb2oq]

I REALLY HAVE ENJOYED THIS ** GREGORY HINES & MAURICE HINES ARE DIVINELY SPECTACULAR!! YET. THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS. ARE....*** THE KINGS OF. FINE TAP DANCING ** I REALLY DIG. SEEING. MICHAEL JACKSON & MARLON JACKSON. OF THE GREAT LÉGENDARY. ***** JACKSON FIVE ***** DANCE THE ** TAP DANCE STYLE *** MICHAEL ( THE KING OF POP) COULD BALLET , TAP , BREAK DANCE & """ 🌕 MOONWALK""" AND DANCE & PRANCE. **ANY**. STYLE OF DANCING. !!

[@claudetteblair928]

Beautiful ❤❤❤

[@geraldomalheiros3556]

Minha infância e juventude foi assistindo esses musicais , atores e dançarinos geniais , hoje vibrei muito revendo essa homenagem , e vendo Gregori Hines , um dos meus prediletos.

[@jaunhcblack716]

WOW 😲😳

[@sherryengle-xe6fv]

THESE TWO MEN WERE JUST WELL NO WORDS, YOU GET ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@moviegirl8648]

WOW!

[@pamelamcknight6948]

Wow 😍

[@QuicknStraight]

The young guys tapping in this tribute are just not in the same league for style, elegance, flow and personality. The Nicholas Brothers were not just tappers: they were all-round brilliant dancers.

[@43rachelle]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@annabellaboyer643]

Good coractor?They are really great dansers.

[@nr30199]

How do you split over a handkerchief and then split backwards over said handkerchief 🤯🤯

[@user-tf4cv1pc6y]

Великолепно, Коралла снял прекрасный фильм Клуб Коттон

[@horacioruiz936]

❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤😊😊😊

[@coolvoice7]

I know we live in different times with many having an opportunity to receive an education that they use to comprehend the mortifying content of this short but crammed with as much racism, that I lost count, cartoon. The sad thing is the people who watched it way when, thought this was the norm. Today we should know better but there are still those who can’t let go of racism. We need government that will create a sincere education system that teaches people to think for themselves, have the ability to analyse things they see, know right from wrong and, treat people on who they are and not on the color of their skin🕊🕊🕊❤️🇺🇸👍

[@JamesJohnson-rb8ss]

Nothing like them sense...

[@theREALchubert76]

How'd we go from this to Lil Nas X, Sexxy Red, Uzi Vert, etc?

[@BodaciousWench]

Gregory Hines pretending the stage was too hot after the new generation had tapped on it was hilarious and then needing their help to get up from the splits. Ba ha ha

[@AP-gb3eh]

Gregory H

[@80sgyrl82]

06:33-06:46.... what was that?! 🥳

[@booker0110]

At 3.14 who is the beautiful woman?

[@eowenspa2]

Bet this is where that Riverdance bloke Michael Flatulence got his ideas

[@eowenspa2]

Bet this is where that Riverdance bloke Michael Flatulence got his ideas from 2 or 3 yrs later….this was 1991

[@TMProofreader]

Wait a minute. This is from 1991, not 1992.

[@reelblack]

thank you.

[@TMProofreader]

@@reelblack You're welcome.

[@byHexted]

I’m sure they exist, but I’ve never seen a fat tap dancer it seems like you really can’t do that shit without burning a shit ton of calories haha I just tried to even just imitate the type of movements like literally nothing even close and I was out of breath haha

[@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288]

Not true. I'm sure "This is the Army" features a heavy tapper in the number titled "what the well dressed man in Harlem will wear." Not all of that movie stood the test of time, but that number is great, in my opinion. Enjoy.

[@georgeb.wolffsohn30]

The "new generation" of dancers may have done their best, but they need a but more refinement if technique to get anywhere close to Harold and Fayard.

[@eowenspa2]

I agree ,NB in a different league with execution,style,timing ,imagination,it can’t be repeated!

[@telam1744]

The younger generation don't use their upper body much, they were not as graceful, nor classy. They all looked as if they were "Struggling."

[@poppashots994]

Wow... Performed when Prince Charles was born?!?!

[@buckoneal7483]

Not one of those tap dancers you come close to the Nicholas Brothers

[@franzwaltenspuhl8892]

“In the style of” wasn’t in the style of. JS

[@casey4602]

The tribute was weak. Dancers should've done Nicholas Brothers iconic steps like Stormy Weather performance....

[@miagoodas]

Ummmmmm the moves in Stormy Weather are extremely difficult for anyone to truly duplicate!

[@queenreg7]

@@miagoodasthey knew better than to try it.

[@JaiVaka]

Excellent