The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts > Vaudeville Nation

Dance Techniques

The most common Vaudeville act was the song and dance act.  It could be "put over" by any combination of solo, duet, or team performers.  It was especially popular with family acts, since the children could be included in simple dances, while learning other techniques. 

Vaudeville performers worked in the five basic techniques of theatrical dance, as codified by dance director Ned Wayburn.  Musical comedy dance (soft shoe) and tap & stepping were the basic ingredients for any solo or group specialty.  Toe work, from ballet to toe tapping, was popular throughout the vaudeville era.  Exhibition ballroom dance hit its stride in the teens, with the Fox Trot, One-Step, Hesitation and other "modern" dances.  The standard dance act began with an entrance to as many repeats of the 4 "Vamp till ready" measures it took to reach the center of the stage.  Two of three individual dances followed, with an exit sequence. 

Ned Wayburn, and others, developed tab shows for children.  He staged the debut act for Fred and Adele Astaire, who were his students.  These acts were most often seen on the Orpheum circuit of West Coast and Mid-West theaters, since child performers were illegal in New York State.  They include the various Dainty June acts that toured on the Orpheum circuit before Dainty June and Rose Louise became June Havoc and Gypsy Rose Lee.

Tap became distinguishable from tap & stepping in vaudeville, and popularized both techniques.  The development of metal edged and jingle taps made the audio element more important.  Competition, primarily within the African American troupes, led to the addition of more and more eccentric and acrobatic movements.  This competition flowered in the late 1920s and 1930s acts of Bill Robinson, the Nicholas Brothers, Nicodemus, and many others.

For teams, acrobatic, eccentric or characterization elements could be added to any of these techniques to develop a specialty.  Tandem acts, often staged for twins or similar siblings, added shadowing or mirroring to any of the techniques. 

Acrobatic work could range from ballet to circus lifts to living statuary to such characterizational dances as the Apache (for Parisien gangsters), or Tango, popularized by Rudolf Valentino.  Dance teams of differing heights could develop acrobatic movements into rag doll dances.  Eccentric or "flash" elements, such as a ear hugging hitch kick, splits, humps or lifts, could be added to tap or duet work.

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