Harold Teen (Warner Bros.) (1934)

How To Be a Tap Dancer Taught in 6 Easy Lessons by HAL LE ROY (Star of “Harold Teen’’) LESSON NUMBER THREE The third step in the ‘‘ Harold Teen Hop’’ is a glide. It is my own adaptation to a tap-dance routine of the Charleston glide, and I have frequently found it extremely valuable as part of a dance routine. In doing the glide, the hands play an even more important part than ordinarily. Study the two positions illustrated with today’s lesson and you will see what I mean. The glide begins as the right foot slides in front of the left, the hands swung across the body to the left (see Position No. 8). Then change the position, sliding the left foot in front of the right, with the hands swinging naturally to the right across the body. (See Position No. 9). This is repeated six times. Though this third step is simpler in some ways than the first two steps we have taken up, it requires just as faithful practice to become proficient in it. In the first lesson, I recommended two hours of daily practice. This is the least amount of time one should give to these steps. The more time one gives to practicing, the more rapid progress will be made. Don’t let a day pass without at least two hours of practice. Make it a rule and a habit to go through the steps every day and, if possible, at the same hour. (To Be Continued Tomorrow) How To Be a Tap Dancer Taught in 6 Easy Lessons by HAL LE ROY (Star of “Harold Teen”) LESSON NUMBER FOUR The fourth step in the ‘‘ Harold Teen Hop,’’ is a smart step, full of style and action. As the right foot comes into the first position of the step (see Position No. 10) give a straight down tap. The right foot comes in and then out. Now change to the left foot, and go into the same straight downward tap. (See Position No. 11) Repeat this six times to round out the entire fourth step. Wear light loose clothing, a polo shirt and light dancing shoes. After you have become proficient in dancing, you will feel so completely at ease that you can dance without difficulty in the most formal costume. I have found the use of a blackboard helpful. Some find it easier to study a new step after making a diagram of it. Work the step out from its description in these lessons, and when it is perfectly clear in diagram, it will be much easier to put it into practice. (To Be Continued Tomorrow) Learn Tap Dancing In Six Lessons Taught by World’s Greatest Master Star of Warner Bros.-First National Picture ‘‘Harold Teen,’ by HAL LE ROY > famous stepper in “Wonder Bar,’”’ acknowledged greatest living male dancer. LESSON NUMBER FIVE The fifth step in the ‘‘ Harold Teen Hop,’’ is one of the most ambitious and intricate steps in the routine, but also one of the prettiest to watch, when well done. Begin with the left foot carrying the weight of the body, the right foot out and to the side (see Position No. 12) and poised on the toe. Come back now on the heel of the right for a cramp roll, as this is called, and a toe-heel beat with the right foot, twice in rapid succession. Now change to the opposite posi tion. The right foot is back and carrying the weight, the left foot out and to the side, poised on the toe. (See Position No. 13) The same cramp roll, now, with the right foot, together with the toe-heel beat. Repeat this routine four times. Between the fifth step and the sixth, which we shall take up tomorrow, we have another ‘‘break,’’ as between Steps One and Two. This is known as the ‘‘ Charleston Break.’’ The Charleston break is simply a hop on the left foot, with the tight one back, then change to a hop on the right foot with the left one back. This, repeated four times, constitutes the break, and you are ready to go right into the sixth step of the Hop. Tomorrow in the final lesson of the series, I will give you the sixth and seventh steps together. By this time, those of you who have been practicing daily should have mastered at least the first four steps of the routine and be familiar enough with the fundamental principles of tap-dancing, balance and rhythm to take up the last two without difficulty. (fo Be Continued Tomorrow) Learn Tap Dancing In Six Lessons Taught by World’s Greatest Master by HAL LEROY (Star of “Harold Teen”) LESSON NUMBER SIX The sixth and seventh steps of the Harold Teen Hop form a brilliant and effective conclusion to the entire dance routine. The sixth step is known as the ‘<Crossover Wing Step.’’ The right foot goes into the air as the dancer hops on his left foot. (See Position No. 15) Now bring the left foot down, and come into a wing step with the right foot. Change the position now, left foot in the air as you hop on the right foot, then bring the right foot down and come into a wing fein step with the left. (See Position No. 16) This routine is repeated six times. The seventh step is a rapid toeand-heel beat. The weight of the body, in this step, is on the left foot, with the right foot in the air behind the left. (See Position No. 17) Now tap alternately with the left heel and the right toe, for eight rapid beats. In these seven steps which we have been studying for the past six days, you have a well-rounded and diversified dance routine. Entire series of illustrations available as Mat No. 28—70c— Stills on request Having once mastered the Harold Teen Hop, you can go on and work out elaborations on the various steps, or independent dance routines of your own. The creation of new steps or new combinations of already familiar ones you will find a fascinating thing as you become more familiar with your possibilities as a dancer. The ability to dance is a universal one. Everyone has, in some degree, an instinctive sense of rhythm. How good a dancer of any kind you become depends, more than anything else, on your willingness to practice, work hard, perservere, and on your ability to fight off discouragement. Page Seven