ELEANOR POWELL TEACHES TAP

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 159, 2 April 1937, Page 16

ELEANOR POWELL TEACHES TAP

]£LEANOR POWELL started a tapdancing school on the .set of "Born to Dance,” a new M.G.M. musical extravaganza. which will give her the title of “teacher of the most unusual dancing classes in the world.” During her dancing career both on Broadway and in Hollywood, and even while touring, she says, she Ims made if, a point to start dancing classes among her co-workers.

"I think my most unusual class was at flip Beverly Wiltshire Hole! in Beverly Hills,” says the star of “Born to Dance.” “Here my class was composed of the boll hops in the hotel who arranged their free time so that I could give them ten minutes instruction every night after I returned from the studio. “While working in ‘At Home Abroad' last summer in New York my class started with the chorus hoys and girls who were in the show. Then gradually the orchestra joined in. and soon Hie stage hands were doing limo steps. 1 still get loiters from some of them telling me just what steps they're having trouble with.

“In Atlantic Pity, during my summer vacations, before I had learned rap dancing. I used to have an acrobatic and ballot class which included school children with whom 1 had made friends during my previous vacations. Our practice hall was on the beach. "Mv largest number of classes has been here at M.-G.-M. One consists of the mak.e-un and hairdress girls, while another takes care of the dross extras on the set. 1 guess my most famous class included Virginia Bruce, Janies Stewart, Frances I.iyigford. Sid Silvers and Juanita Quigley, who had to learn to dance for a sequence in the picture. “But.” concludes Eleanor, “my most conscientious class is the group that includes all the prop men on the set."