Howard Sims facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Howard B Sims Sr. ( Sandman Sims )
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Sims dancing in his signature sandbox
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| Born | January 24, 1917 |
| Died | May 20, 2003 (aged 86) |
| Occupation | tap dancer |
| Years active | 1942 - 2003 |
| Spouse(s) | Solange A. Sims, 1959–2003 (his death) |
| Children | Diane Sims-Jones Howard B Sims Jr. |
Howard "Sandman" Sims (born January 24, 1917 – died May 20, 2003) was an amazing African-American tap dancer. He started his career in vaudeville, which was a popular type of stage show. Sandman Sims was known for a special way of dancing. He used a wooden sandbox that he made himself. He would sprinkle sand in it to change and make the sounds of his dance steps louder. This unique style earned him the nickname "Sandman." He once said his sandbox was like a "Stradivarius" – a very famous and valuable violin.
From the 1950s until 2000, Sims was a regular at the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. He was known for comically helping acts that weren't doing well off the stage. He used a hook, broom, or other funny props. He was also part of the Hoofers Club in New York City, a place mainly for black tap dancers.
In the 1980s, tap dancing became popular again. Sandman Sims became a "cultural ambassador" for the United States. He performed his dances all over the world. He was in the 1989 dance movie Tap with stars like Sammy Davis Jr., Gregory Hines, and Savion Glover. In the movie, he showed off classic "challenge dancing." Sims also appeared in a 1990 episode of The Cosby Show. He played Rudy's tap dancing teacher and had a fun dance-off with Cliff (Bill Cosby).
A critic from The New York Times, Anna Kisselgoff, wrote about a play based on his life. She said, "Sims is a virtuoso among virtuosos—in a class by himself." This means he was incredibly skilled and unique. She compared his sand dancing to Philippe Petit, a famous high-wire walker.
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Early Life and Unique Dance Style
Howard Sims was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on January 24, 1917. He was one of 12 children. His family soon moved to Los Angeles, California, where he grew up. Sims said his family was "a whole big dancing family." He learned to dance from his father and started tap-dancing at age 3. His mother even put steel taps on his shoes because he kept wearing out the toes! He and his brothers danced on the sidewalks of Los Angeles from a young age.
When he was 14, Sims was arrested for loitering (hanging around) because he was peeking into a dance school window. But he danced his way out of trouble! He convinced a judge that he was there for a good reason – to learn about dance.
From Boxer to Dancer
Even though he was a talented dancer, young Sims wanted to be a professional boxer. But after breaking his hand twice, he decided he needed a different job. Sims had noticed that boxing fans liked how he danced in the rosin box before getting into the ring. They especially liked the sound his dancing made as he moved the rosin around. This made him think about dancing as a career.
Sims tried different ways to make the rosin box sound. He glued sandpaper to his shoes or dance mat, but it caused too much wear. Finally, he found the perfect solution: loose sand in a low-sided box. "People went for the scraping sound," he said. "So I made a sound board by sprinkling sand on a flat platform. That was in 1935." His sandbox became his special trademark. Some places even told him, "If you don't bring your sandbox, don't come at all."
Street Dance Challenges
In those days, dancers often carried their tap shoes with them. If they met another dancer on the street, they would throw down their shoes as a challenge. This street dancing culture was similar to how break dancing became popular much later. It was called "challenge dancing," where dancers tried to outdo each other. Sims said these challenges were also like "open air dance schools" where dancers learned from each other.
Even though he performed in vaudeville shows, Sims didn't become famous in Los Angeles. In 1947, he moved to New York City with his boxer friend Archie Moore.
Harlem and the Apollo Theater
When Sims arrived in Harlem, he kept dancing on the street. But there were many other talented dancers. He saw people who danced on dinner plates or on newspapers without tearing them. Sims performed on street corners while working other jobs. Then he found the "Amateur Night" stage at the Apollo Theater on Wednesdays. He quickly became well-known there.
He won the Amateur Night competition a record-breaking 25 times! After that, the Apollo made a new rule: performers could not compete after winning four first prizes.
The Apollo's "Executioner"
By the mid-1950s, Sims was hired as the Apollo's stage manager. Soon, he started his famous role as the Apollo's "executioner." He would chase Amateur Night contestants off the stage if the crowd didn't like them. He used a shepherd's crook (a hook), a broom, or other props. He wore funny costumes, like long underwear or a clown suit.
But backstage, he was kind to the defeated contestants. He would tell them how he had been booed off the stage ten times before he finally finished his own act. Sims was the "executioner" until 1989. He told The Washington Post, "I'm their protector, not the executioner. Because that audience can get really hostile." He saw audiences throw bottles and even horseshoes at performers! When The New York Times asked him about his role, he said, "I tell them to work on their act and come back," encouraging them to try again.
Hoofing and the Hoofers Club
Even with his job at the Apollo, Sims kept dancing on the street. He would challenge any dancer he saw. This was how dancers became known in New York. Dancers also learned from each other during these challenges.
Sims's dancing style changed when he met the "hoofers" in Harlem. Hoofers practiced a different kind of tap dance. Sims explained that tap dancing focuses on the heel and toe. But hoofers "use the whole foot." His routines became rich in sounds and textures because of this new technique and his sandbox. Sims said, "The feet are a set of drums."
The Hoofers Club was a very important place for tap dancers. It was where new and experienced black male tap dancers met. They shared steps, learned from each other, and challenged each other. Dancers had to be creative and find their own style. A rule at the club was: "Thou shalt not copy each other's steps — Exactly."
Sims often explained the difference between tap and hoofing. He usually called himself a hoofer. In 1949, after the death of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Sims helped start the Original Copasetics. This was another group of tap dancers. They helped bring back tap dancing in the 1970s and 1980s.
Tap Dance Revival and Global Impact
Tap dancing became less popular in the late 1940s. Many reasons caused this, like vaudeville shows going out of style. Sims said that "[t]ap didn't die... It was just neglected."
With fewer dance jobs, Sims found other ways to earn money. He taught dance, even though he never had formal lessons himself. He taught future stars like Gregory Hines and Ben Vereen. He also taught footwork to boxing legends Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali. He ran a café and worked as a carpenter and mechanic. Even during tough times, Sims always provided for his family after marrying in 1959.
Tap's Comeback
In the late 1960s, people started to feel nostalgic for tap. Sims's dance skills were wanted again. In 1969, he was in Tap Happening, a popular show that ran for several years. The interest in tap dancing grew. In 1972, Sims danced in Best of the Hoofers. He said in 1977, "Hoofing is not a dying art form," and he was right!
In 1979, the film No Maps on My Taps came out. It showed Sims in a three-way dance challenge with fellow tap stars Chuck Green and Bunny Briggs. The film also reunited him with bandleader Lionel Hampton.
In 1980, Sims performed for 2,600 fans at Lincoln Center during the Newport Jazz Festival. Later that year, he taught his hoofing techniques to new tap fans. In 1981, he performed with Cab Calloway in a show called Stompin' at the Savoy. He also danced at the American Dance Festival, with and without his sandbox.
By 1982, Sims was touring to promote No Maps on My Taps. He performed with Bunny Briggs and Chuck Green, backed by Cab Calloway. Even with regular performances, Sims never stopped doing street-corner challenges. He encouraged younger dancers and taught them his moves.
National Recognition
The National Endowment for the Arts gave Sims a $5,000 National Heritage Fellowship in 1984. Sims joked, "I thought I was making noise all these years. Now they're calling it culture." He used the money to teach dance to children in Harlem. He used a parking lot instead of a studio, just like he learned dance on the street. Sims loved to teach. His son said Sandman would "stop every kid he saw and show them a step and get them to copy a step. He enjoyed that more than performing in front of an audience."
The Apollo Reopens
The Apollo Theater in Harlem, where Sims was the "executioner," had been closed for almost ten years. After a big renovation, it reopened in 1985. This brought more attention to the Apollo and Sims's role there.
In 1986, Sims starred in The Tap Tradition and received great reviews. He also appeared briefly in a play about his life called The Sand Dancer. He traveled to Los Angeles to perform in Essence of Rhythm with other tap stars.
Sandman Sims was a guest on Late Night with David Letterman in 1987. It's Showtime at the Apollo, a TV show of the Apollo's Amateur Night, started broadcasting in 1987. This made Sims's "executioner" role known to many more people.
In 1988, Sims had a very busy year. He toured the world as a cultural ambassador for the U.S. State Department. He visited over 50 countries in 11 months!
By 1989, Sims was more popular than ever. He told the Associated Press, "I can't fulfill all the work they give me." Tap dancing was also becoming very popular again. The movie Tap showed Sims's amazing footwork to new audiences.
In 1990, Sims played a character named "Mr. Sims" on The Cosby Show. He was Rudy's dance teacher. Cliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) challenged "Mr. Sims" to a dance-off, which Sims easily won. Later that year, Sims performed at another tap-dance festival at the Apollo Theater.
Sims was a featured performer at the third annual celebration of National Tap Dance Day in 1993. In 1998, he was honored for his contributions to the art of hoofing.
In Popular Culture
Sandman Sims, especially his role as the Apollo Theater executioner, is often mentioned in African-American culture.
- In 2000, he was mentioned in The Boondocks comic strip. A character said, "Where is Sandman Sims when you need him..." after a bad joke.
- In 2010, artist Holly Bass and other dancers performed a play about Sims's life at the Smithsonian Institution's American History Museum.
- President Barack Obama once sang on the Apollo Theater stage. He later joked, "Sandman did not come out!" meaning he didn't get booed off.
Personal Life
Howard Sims had a first marriage and a daughter named Diane Sims. He later married Solange, his second wife. They had a son together, Howard Sims Jr., and also had five grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
In his later years, Sims sometimes joked about his birth year. When a fan asked how old he was, he once replied, "Any number can play."
Sims passed away on May 20, 2003, in New York City. He had been suffering from an illness called Alzheimer's disease. A memorial service for Sims was held at the Apollo Theater on May 28, 2003.
Filmography
- No Maps on My Taps (1979) – Himself
- Uptown: A Tribute to the Apollo Theatre (1980) – Himself
- The Cotton Club (1984) – Hoofer
- Motown Returns to the Apollo (1985) – Himself
- The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (1987) — Himself
- It's Showtime at the Apollo (1987–2000) – Himself / the "executioner"
- Harlem Nights (1989) – Crapshooter
- Tap (1989) – Sandman
- Tap Dance in America (1989) – Himself
- The Cosby Show (1990) – season 6, episode 19, "Mr. Sandman" – Mr. Sims
