The Hoofers Club
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The Lady Hoofers Tap Ensemble is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your secure, online contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.
Donations also accepted via check made out to: The Lady Hoofers Tap Ensemble. For our mailing address, please email [email protected].
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Our giving levels pay tribute to some of the trailblazing heroines of tap history. From vaudeville to Hollywood, from the Apollo Theatre to the Cotton Club, these women were the original lady hoofers.
• Hoofer (noun): slang for a professional tap dancer, known for their skill and “tap or die” attitude.
• Mabel Lee (1921-2019) - a dancer during the Harlem Renaissance, Mable Lee is known for her contributions to the world of vernacular jazz dance and her advocacy for social change and inclusivity, particularly Asian American representation.
• Jeni LeGon (1916-2012) - one of the first Black women to become a solo tap dance artist, Jeni LeGon also challenged gender roles by performing in pants.
• Eleanor Powell (1912-1982) - widely considered the only woman who could outdance Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell was one of MGM’s top dancing stars during the golden age of Hollywood.
• Cora LaRedd (10980-1968) - a Black dancer, singer, and comedian, Cora LaRedd regularly performed as a soloist at the Cotton Club, often for all-white audiences.
• Alice Whitman (1900-1968) - the youngest member of the Whitman sisters, an ensemble of four Black tap dancers, “Baby” Alice Whitman was considered the “Queen of Tap” in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
• Hoofer (noun): slang for a professional tap dancer, known for their skill and “tap or die” attitude.
• Mabel Lee (1921-2019) - a dancer during the Harlem Renaissance, Mable Lee is known for her contributions to the world of vernacular jazz dance and her advocacy for social change and inclusivity, particularly Asian American representation.
• Jeni LeGon (1916-2012) - one of the first Black women to become a solo tap dance artist, Jeni LeGon also challenged gender roles by performing in pants.
• Eleanor Powell (1912-1982) - widely considered the only woman who could outdance Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell was one of MGM’s top dancing stars during the golden age of Hollywood.
• Cora LaRedd (10980-1968) - a Black dancer, singer, and comedian, Cora LaRedd regularly performed as a soloist at the Cotton Club, often for all-white audiences.
• Alice Whitman (1900-1968) - the youngest member of the Whitman sisters, an ensemble of four Black tap dancers, “Baby” Alice Whitman was considered the “Queen of Tap” in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
The Lady Hoofers Tap Ensemble is supported by the Philadelphia Cultural Fund and receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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