Service set for dancer Atkins

Monday, April 28, 2003 | 9:32 a.m.

A memorial service for Tony Award-winning choreographer Cholly Atkins has been set for 2 p.m. May 5 at Palm Mortuary-Eastern.

Atkins, whose birth name was Charles Atkinson, died April 19 in Las Vegas of pancreatic cancer. He was 89 and a Las Vegas resident of 28 years.

Atkins was best known for teaching what he termed "vocal choreography" dance moves to Motown stars, including the Supremes, the Temptations, the O'Jays, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips.

In the 1950s Atkins was one-half of the jazz tap dance team of Coles and Atkins. His partner was the late Charles "Honi" Coles. In the '40s Atkins teamed with William Porter to form the tap dance act The Rhythm Pals.

Atkins also worked with Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway and Nat "King" Cole. He performed on Broadway, in Hollywood films and in Las Vegas at the Flamingo in the 1950s.

Atkins won his Tony for best choreography in 1989 for the Broadway musical "Black and Blue." He never retired, continuing to teach dance until late last year, when he got pneumonia. He was diagnosed with cancer in February.

He is survived by his third wife, Maye Atkinson, a son, a daughter and a grandson. The family said donations can be made in Atkins' memory to Cancer Care, 275 7th Ave. Floor 22, New York, N.Y., 10117-2821.