Cholly Atkins Explained

Cholly Atkins
Birth Name:Charles Sylvan Atkinson
Alias:"The Man with the Moves"[1]
Birth Date:13 September 1913
Birth Place:Pratt City, Alabama, U.S.
Death Place:Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Occupation:Choreographer, dancer
Spouse:

    Charles "Cholly" Atkins (born Charles Sylvan Atkinson; September 13, 1913 – April 19, 2003)[2] was an American dancer and vaudeville performer, who later became noted as the house choreographer for the various artists on the label Motown.[3]

    Biography

    Born in Pratt City, Alabama, Cholly began dancing in the late 1930s before his military service in 1942 during World War II. Upon leaving the U.S. Army, he first found fame as one-half of Atkins & Coles, a top vaudeville dance act with partner Charles "Honi" Coles, debuting at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. Atkins and Coles toured extensively nationally and internationally, performing in showcases with major jazz and swing bands, including those led by Louis Armstrong, Charlie Barnet, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, and Lionel Hampton. The pair also performed from 1949 to 1952 on Broadway in the stage 4 production, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.[4]

    In the mid-1950s, Cholly began teaching dance steps to the Cadillacs, Shirelles, Moonglows, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, Little Anthony & The Imperials, and other vocal groups.[5] [6] His dance steps were a new style coined "vocal choreography", as singers enhanced their vocal performances with stylish combinations of gestures and steps. After working as a freelance choreographer in 1962 for The Miracles, Atkins was hired by Berry Gordy to work as a Motown choreographer in 1964, and set about developing the routines that would later become the trademark moves of other Motown acts like The Supremes, The Temptations (Atkins was also featured in the video for their hit single "Lady Soul"), The Four Tops, The Marvelettes, Gladys Knight & the Pips and others.[7] Atkins would, in fact, continue working with Motown artists well into the 1980s. He choreographed for non-Motown artists as well, namely the dance routines of The Cadillacs in the 1950s, and the Sylvers, as well as The O'Jays during the mid-1970s, appearing with them on an episode of Soul Train.[8] [9] He also worked with Detroit rock band DC Drive and is featured in the "You Need Love" video.

    In 1989, Atkins received a Tony Award for choreographing the Broadway show Black and Blue. He also accepted a 1993 National Endowment for the Arts three-year fellowship to tour colleges and universities teaching vocal choreography. He continued to teach dance in Las Vegas until February 2003.

    Death

    Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2003, Atkins died of the cancer several weeks later on April 19, 2003, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was 89.

    Family

    Marriages

    1932: Valedictorian, North High School, Des Moines

    1980: Williams was inducted into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame

    November 21, 2014: Williams was honored by the Iowa House of Representatives for her life's work and in celebration of her 100th birthday[10]

    References

    General

    Inline

    External links

    Selected videos

    Willie Bryant, announcer; accompanied by the Apollo Theater house band (the Paul Williams Band); Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams is in the checked jacket on bari sax

    Notes and References

    1. Book: Rye, Howard . GroveOnline: Atkins, Cholly . April 9, 2003 . 10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J506400 . 9780231504126 . 5104947759 . subscription . January 28, 2019.
    2. Web site: Alabama Hall of Music | Charles "Cholly" Atkins . https://web.archive.org/web/20110222144519/http://www.alamhof.org//charlesatkins.html . February 22, 2011 . January 28, 2019 . dead.
    3. News: Martin . Douglas . April 23, 2003 . Cholly Atkins, 89, Dancer and Choreographer . The New York Times . New York . 2024-01-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210608191350/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/23/arts/cholly-atkins-89-dancer-and-choreographer.html . 2021-06-08.
    4. Web site: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Broadway Musical - Original . IBDB.com . Internet Broadway Database.
    5. Web site: American Dance Legends - Charles "Cholly" Atkins . January 28, 2019.
    6. News: Pastoria . Brian . The Legendary... Incomparable Cholly Pops Atkins . UDetroit . December 22, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150128131816/http://udetroit.com/article.php?article_id=19 . January 28, 2015 . dead . January 28, 2019.
    7. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20150128113249/http://www.rontyson.com/chollyatkins.html . January 28, 2015 . A tribute to Cholly "POPS" Atkins . January 28, 2019 . live.
    8. News: LEWIS . SEGAL . April 23, 2003 . Cholly Atkins, 89; Tap Dancer, Motown Stars' Choreographer . Los Angeles Times . Los Angeles . 2024-01-22.
    9. Web site: The O'Jays practice a dance routine with choreographer Cholly Atkins on Soul Train. . Train . Soul . October 11, 1975 . gettyimages.co.uk . Getty Images . 2024-01-22 . The O'Jays practice a dance routine with choreographer Cholly Atkins (Charlie Atkins/Charles Atkins) on Soul Train episode 153, aired 10/11/1975. (Photo by Soul Train via Getty Images)..
    10. House Resolution 19 – Honoring Catherine Gayle Williams . November 21, 2014 . Iowa State House Resolution . 19.
    11. Book: Atkins . Cholly . Malone . Jacqui . Class Act: The Jazz Life of Choreographer Chooly Atkins . 974087440 . 1st . Columbia University Press . 2001 . 9780231504126 .

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