Talent on tap: At 86, LeTang’s list of legendary students includes Hines brothers

Marilyn LaRocque

Monday, May 13, 2002 | 8:23 a.m.

At age 86, Henry LeTang still has that Broadway rhythm.

Walls covered with theater posters, awards and photographs of celebrities from the tap dancing world Maurice and Gregory Hines, Sammy Davis Jr., Sandman Sims, Savion Glover attest to his reputation as a tap guru.

In the hall is a black canvas director's chair, his name and "choreographer" scripted on the back, a memento from the movie "Tap."

Born and raised in New York City, LeTang started dancing at age 7. It is his life.

"I went to a dance recital with my mom," LeTang said during a recent interview. "And I told her that's what I wanted to do. But she wanted me to play the violin. It was the Depression, and there wasn't enough money for two kinds of lessons. So my godmother said she'd pay, and every Saturday I went to tap classes.

"All I wanted to do was hoof."

LeTang began touring when he was just 15.

"Big movie theaters had stage shows," he said. "And Sophie Tucker asked me to team up with her son, Bert, for her act."

By age 18 LeTang had opened his own dance studio. Among dancers eager to learn from LeTang were the Mayo Brothers, who later performed with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis; and the Dunhills, who worked with Danny Kaye; and Danny Thomas.

"My first pupils who became big stars were Betty Hutton and Clifton Webb," LeTang said.

When boxer Sugar Ray Robinson retired and wanted to go into show business, LeTang taught him. Lenny Bruce took lessons from LeTang. And, of course, there were the Hines brothers.

Touring with "Guys and Dolls," Maurice Hines acknowledged the impact LeTang has had on his career.

"Henry is a never-ending influence," Hines said. "He is really the ultimate dancing master and dancing teacher. He gives you more than steps. He gave me the love of dance. Without him I never would have become a choreographer."

LeTang is an acclaimed choreographer. His creativity danced across the screen in "Cotton Club," "Tap" and "Bojangles," for which he received an Emmy nomination.

For the stage, LeTang choreographed "Black and Blue" (which earned him an Antoinette Perry Award of Actors Equity and a Tony), "Sophisticated Ladies" (Outer Critics Circle Award) and "Eubie!" (Drama Critics Award). He established the tap program at Oklahoma City University, from which he received an honorary doctorate and a Living Treasure in American Dance Award.

LeTang and his wife, Ellie, moved to Las Vegas 10 years ago and opened a dancing school that attracted performers and teachers from across the country. Two years ago he moved the studio to his home.

During one session last week, two dancers were warming up in front of the studio's mirrors: Carisa Grillo, 15, a student at Las Vegas Academy who's been dancing since age 3 and has studied with LeTang for a year; and John Stevens, who received his bachelor's degree in performing arts from Arizona State University last year. He started tap a few weeks ago. Both want careers in performance.

LeTang watched them, then sat at an upright piano and started playing a jazzy version of "I Want to Be Happy," a skill he learned by ear because hired pianists were often no-shows.

Grillo whizzed into a routine of rapid-fire taps, twirls and kicks, then bent over to touch the floor with one hand, one leg extended behind her, her years of experience obvious. Stevens was working on steps he learned the previous lesson.

LeTang stopped playing and went over to him, verbalizing the tap sounds: "Deedle-dum, ba-dum, da-dee-da-dum, stomp, stomp."

"Get the rhythm in your head and hear it in your feet," LeTang said encouragingly. "When you turn, just put your arms out and forget about them."

He demonstrated what he meant, and didn't miss a beat.