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blue_lotus13) wrote2006-11-19 11:18 am
blue_lotus13) wrote2006-11-19 11:18 am
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Living in a great big way
On Friday, I was fortunate enough to interview Jeni Legon, a dance pioneer, tap legend and educator who was the first black woman to get signed with MGM. Jeni's 90 and has lived in Vancouver since 1969. I got to go to her house, which is like a museum to old Hollywood. She has pictures of her dancing in various movies, including "Easter Parade" with Fred Astaire and Judy Garland.
Jeni's had a pretty incredible life. She started off dancing at age 13 with Count Basie and his orchestra. She starred in black movies, appeared on Amos and Andy's and taught dance to all kinds of people. She had to conquer a lot of race barriers and was occasionally barred from performing. She was the first tapper to dance in pants and performed moves that were normally only done by men.
At 90, she's still a quick wit and has a great zest for life. She lives with her second husband, Frankie, who is 74. He's a drummer and helps her out with her career and her many public relations duties. Her tap shoes were inducted into the Smithsonian, she was given a doctorate in American Dance from Oklahoma University and she's had numerous books and articles written about her. I found talking to her completely inspirational as she endured a lot of discrimination, but rose above it.
My favourite story from the interview- Once Jeni was dancing at a club and Marlene Dietrich came in. After her number, Marlene came up to Jeni and said, "My darling, you wear the pants better than I do."
At the end of the interview, Jeni gave me a great big hug and thanked me. I left feeling very lucky and very blessed.
Watch Jeni dance with Fats Waller and sing "Living in a great big way"
Jeni's had a pretty incredible life. She started off dancing at age 13 with Count Basie and his orchestra. She starred in black movies, appeared on Amos and Andy's and taught dance to all kinds of people. She had to conquer a lot of race barriers and was occasionally barred from performing. She was the first tapper to dance in pants and performed moves that were normally only done by men.
At 90, she's still a quick wit and has a great zest for life. She lives with her second husband, Frankie, who is 74. He's a drummer and helps her out with her career and her many public relations duties. Her tap shoes were inducted into the Smithsonian, she was given a doctorate in American Dance from Oklahoma University and she's had numerous books and articles written about her. I found talking to her completely inspirational as she endured a lot of discrimination, but rose above it.
My favourite story from the interview- Once Jeni was dancing at a club and Marlene Dietrich came in. After her number, Marlene came up to Jeni and said, "My darling, you wear the pants better than I do."
At the end of the interview, Jeni gave me a great big hug and thanked me. I left feeling very lucky and very blessed.
Watch Jeni dance with Fats Waller and sing "Living in a great big way"
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