Dean Collins
Encyclopedia
Dean Collins was an American
dancer, instructor, choreographer, and innovator of swing
. He is often credited with bringing swing dance, or Lindy Hop
, from New York to Southern California
. Collins worked in 37 or 38 films as well performing live and on television.
He grew up in Newark
, New Jersey
and learned to dance along with his two older sisters. At the age of 13 he was "doing amateur contests in Newark". He was soon dancing at the Savoy Ballroom
in Harlem
, New York
. In 1935, he was named "Dancer of the Year" by The New Yorker
."
He moved to Los Angeles
in 1936. He worked as a janitor at Simon's Drive-In Diner. At night, he danced at the Diana Ballroom and Casino Gardens. Worried that his Jewish name would hinder his career, he adopted the name "Dean Collins", derived from a wallet he found.
His career started when he was hired by RKO pictures to choreograph the dancing in Let's Make Music, filmed in 1939 and released in 1940. In 1942 he appeared in the "Soundies
The Chool Song released 3/23/42. He and his partner were billed as "Collins and Colette", and music was recorded by Spike Jones
.
He eventually danced in or choreographed nearly forty Hollywood movies, including an appearance in the classic Hellzapoppin'
(1941). He also taught dancing in Los Angeles from the 1930s until his death in 1984. During this time, he taught many people including Shirley Temple
, Joan Crawford
, Cesar Romero
, Abbott and Costello
, Sylvia Sykes
, and Arthur Murray
.
Dean's wife Mary believes that he contributed a unique, smoothed out style that eliminated the bounce. According to jazz dance historian Peter Loggins, Dean's style changed and evolved over the many decades, returning toward the end of his life to the Lindy Hop he learned in the Savoy Ballroom in the 30s.
The Collins style seen in Hollywood films was the main source for what became known in the 1990s as Hollywood-style Lindy Hop
.
He also popularized an original version of the Shim Sham
, now called the Dean Collins Shim Sham.
Collins is often mentioned in discussions of origin of West Coast Swing
. When his wife, Mary Collins, was asked if he was responsible for the emergence of the dance, however, she said that Dean insisted there were "only two kinds of swing dance - good and bad".
Some dancers who knew Dean, such as the wife of fellow legendary dancer Willie Desatoff, claim both Dean and Willie saw West Coast Swing
(often incorrectly associated with Hollywood-style Lindy Hop
) as "an abomination to the dance floor.".
Jewel McGowan
, called by her contemporaries the "greatest female swing dancer ever", was his dance partner for eleven years. She appears with him in Buck Privates
(1941), Ride 'Em Cowboy
(1942), and many other films.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dancer, instructor, choreographer, and innovator of swing
Swing (dance)
"Swing dance" is a group of dances that developed with the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s-1950s, although the earliest of these dances predate swing jazz music. The best known of these dances is the Lindy Hop, a popular partner dance that originated in Harlem and is still danced today...
. He is often credited with bringing swing dance, or Lindy Hop
Lindy Hop
The Lindy Hop is an American social dance, from the swing dance family. It evolved in Harlem, New York City in the 1920s and '30s and originally evolved with the jazz music of that time. Lindy was a fusion of many dances that preceded it or were popular during its development but is mainly based...
, from New York to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. Collins worked in 37 or 38 films as well performing live and on television.
He grew up in Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and learned to dance along with his two older sisters. At the age of 13 he was "doing amateur contests in Newark". He was soon dancing at the Savoy Ballroom
Savoy Ballroom
The Savoy Ballroom, located in Harlem, New York City, was a medium sized ballroom for music and public dancing that was in operation from March 12, 1926 to July 10, 1958. It was located between 140th and 141st Streets on Lenox Avenue....
in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. In 1935, he was named "Dancer of the Year" by The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
."
He moved to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in 1936. He worked as a janitor at Simon's Drive-In Diner. At night, he danced at the Diana Ballroom and Casino Gardens. Worried that his Jewish name would hinder his career, he adopted the name "Dean Collins", derived from a wallet he found.
His career started when he was hired by RKO pictures to choreograph the dancing in Let's Make Music, filmed in 1939 and released in 1940. In 1942 he appeared in the "Soundies
Soundies
Soundies were an early version of the music video: three-minute musical films, produced in New York City, Chicago, and Hollywood between 1940 and 1946, often including short dance sequences. The completed Soundies were generally released within a few months of their filming; the last group was...
The Chool Song released 3/23/42. He and his partner were billed as "Collins and Colette", and music was recorded by Spike Jones
Spike Jones
Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny and other Warner Brothers cartoon characters, performed a drunken, hiccuping verse for 1942's "Clink! Clink! Another Drink"...
.
He eventually danced in or choreographed nearly forty Hollywood movies, including an appearance in the classic Hellzapoppin'
Hellzapoppin' (film)
Hellzapoppin' is a 1941 Universal Pictures adaptation of the musical of the same name directed by H.C. Potter. The cast includes Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson , Martha Raye, Mischa Auer, Shemp Howard, and The Six Hits.The credits for the movie assert that "any resemblance between Hellzapoppin and a...
(1941). He also taught dancing in Los Angeles from the 1930s until his death in 1984. During this time, he taught many people including Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple Black , born Shirley Jane Temple, is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia...
, Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
, Cesar Romero
Cesar Romero
Cesar Julio Romero, Jr. was an American film and television actor who was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years...
, Abbott and Costello
Abbott and Costello
William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 1950s...
, Sylvia Sykes
Sylvia Sykes
Sylvia Sykes is a swing dancer, dance instructor, judge and choreographer. In particular she is considered by most to be the leading authority on the dance Balboa....
, and Arthur Murray
Arthur Murray
Arthur Murray was a dance instructor and businessman, whose name is most often associated with the dance studio chain that bears his name....
.
Dean's wife Mary believes that he contributed a unique, smoothed out style that eliminated the bounce. According to jazz dance historian Peter Loggins, Dean's style changed and evolved over the many decades, returning toward the end of his life to the Lindy Hop he learned in the Savoy Ballroom in the 30s.
The Collins style seen in Hollywood films was the main source for what became known in the 1990s as Hollywood-style Lindy Hop
Hollywood-style Lindy Hop
Hollywood-style Lindy Hop is a variety of Lindy Hop, an American vernacular dance. It is also sometimes referred to as Dean Collins or Smooth-style, but these terms also sometimes refer to different styles of Lindy Hop....
.
He also popularized an original version of the Shim Sham
Shim Sham
The Shim Sham Shimmy, Shim Sham or just Sham originally is a particular tap dance routine. It is credited to Leonard Reed, who originally called it Goofus, or to Willie Bryant...
, now called the Dean Collins Shim Sham.
Collins is often mentioned in discussions of origin of West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing is a partner dance with roots in Lindy Hop. It is characterized by a distinctive elastic look that results from its basic extension-compression technique of partner connection, and is danced primarily in a slotted area on the dance floor...
. When his wife, Mary Collins, was asked if he was responsible for the emergence of the dance, however, she said that Dean insisted there were "only two kinds of swing dance - good and bad".
Some dancers who knew Dean, such as the wife of fellow legendary dancer Willie Desatoff, claim both Dean and Willie saw West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing is a partner dance with roots in Lindy Hop. It is characterized by a distinctive elastic look that results from its basic extension-compression technique of partner connection, and is danced primarily in a slotted area on the dance floor...
(often incorrectly associated with Hollywood-style Lindy Hop
Hollywood-style Lindy Hop
Hollywood-style Lindy Hop is a variety of Lindy Hop, an American vernacular dance. It is also sometimes referred to as Dean Collins or Smooth-style, but these terms also sometimes refer to different styles of Lindy Hop....
) as "an abomination to the dance floor.".
Jewel McGowan
Jewel McGowan
Jewel McGowan was a dancer of Lindy Hop, a form of swing dance, in the 1940s and 1950s. She is known among dance aficionados as the frequent partner of dancer Dean Collins. Jewel was considered by her fellow Los Angeles dancers to be the best female swing dancer who ever lived. In addition to their...
, called by her contemporaries the "greatest female swing dancer ever", was his dance partner for eleven years. She appears with him in Buck Privates
Buck Privates
Buck Privates is the 1941 comedy/World War II film that turned Bud Abbott and Lou Costello into bonafide movie stars. It was the first service comedy based on the peacetime draft of 1940. The comedy team made two more service comedies before the United States entered the war...
(1941), Ride 'Em Cowboy
Ride 'Em Cowboy
Ride 'Em Cowboy is a 1942 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello.-Plot:The author of best-selling western novels, Bronco Bob Mitchell , has never set foot in the west. A newspaper article has exposed this fact to his fans, and his image is suffering because of it. He decides to make...
(1942), and many other films.
External links
- http://www.swingdancecouncil.com/halloffame2.html Dean Collins at Swing Dance Council site
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY9iGPmtOl0 Interview with Dean Collins including dance performance with his wife.
- http://jassdancer.blogspot.com/2009/03/thing-about-dean.html "The Thing about Dean" by jazz dance historian Peter Loggins
- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032700/fullcredits "Let's Make Music" credits at Internet Movie Database