Ida Forsyne facts for kids

Ida Forsyne was a famous African-American dancer. She was born in 1883 and lived until 1983. People called her the 'Queen of the Cakewalk'. She performed all over the world, even in Europe and Russia.

Ida Forsyne's Early Life

Ida Forsyne grew up in Chicago, Illinois. Her home was right across from a theater. She loved watching the shows from her fire escape. When she was 14, Ida joined a traveling show. She sang a song with another performer. The show ran out of money, and Ida got stuck far from home. Her mother helped her get back.

Ida Forsyne's Amazing Career

In 1898, when Ida was 15, she joined a dance group called Black Patti's Troubadours. She danced in shows in New York and New Jersey.

In 1902, Ida joined the Smart Set Company. This was a show with all Black performers. In 1903, she was in a show called Darktown's Circus Day. By 1904, she had her own solo dance act. This was in The Southerners, which was one of the first shows with both Black and White performers.

In 1906, Ida toured Europe with a group called the Tennessee Students. She was sometimes called "Topsy" during this tour. Her picture was even on the front of the show's program! In London, Ida performed her special "sack dance." She danced in a potato sack while ballet dancers performed behind her.

After her London tour, Ida worked for the Marinelli Agency for nine years. This was a very successful time for her. She performed at the famous Moulin Rouge in Paris. She even danced for the Royal Family! People all over Europe loved her performances.

Ida became famous for her energetic kazatsky dance. This is a fast Russian dance. She learned and created her own version of it in Moscow in 1911. She said she "stole all the steps I could." She wanted to be different from other performers. People called her the "greatest Russian dancer of them all." Ida helped make Russian-style dancing popular in America.

She stayed in Europe until 1914, just before World War I started. The famous writer Langston Hughes thought she was one of the best dancers in Harlem.

When Ida came back to the United States, she was in her thirties. Her Russian dancing style was no longer popular. She found it hard to get dance jobs. Ida also felt that her darker skin color made it harder to find work. She called this "Black prejudice."

From 1920 to 1922, Ida worked for another performer, Sophie Tucker. Ida was her personal maid. At the end of Sophie's shows, Ida would come out and dance. This helped get more applause. At that time, there were strict rules. Black performers were not allowed to be on stage with White performers. They also couldn't watch the show. Sophie Tucker did not want Ida to wear blackface makeup. She let Ida watch the show from backstage.

In 1924, Ida returned to the Black vaudeville circuit. This was a special group of theaters for Black performers. When she tried out for shows in Harlem, she was not hired. Many clubs preferred dancers with lighter skin. Ida also did not like wearing skimpy costumes. She traveled with other famous performers like Mamie Smith and Bessie Smith. With Bessie Smith, she earned $35 a week. She was able to do some of her Russian dances again. She stopped touring the South in 1928.

Ida stopped dancing in the early 1930s. She then worked as a house helper and an elevator operator. But she did appear in a few movies! These included A Daughter of the Congo and The Green Pastures. In 1955, there was a special birthday event for Ida. She was in her seventies, and she showed off her dance skills. In the 1960s, people who studied dance interviewed Ida. They wanted to learn about her amazing career.

Ida Forsyne's Contributions to Dance

In 1951, Ida Forsyne helped create the choreography for a ballet. It was called "Cakewalk" for the New York City Ballet.

Ida Forsyne's Personal Life

Ida's cousin, Ollie Burgoyne, was also a dancer. Ollie performed in vaudeville shows and on Broadway. They even appeared in a show together in 1919. In her later years, Ida was active in the Negro Actors Guild.

Ida Forsyne was married three times. Her husbands were James Frank Dougherty, Usher Henry Watts, and Arthur Belton Hubbard.

Ida Forsyne lived to be 100 years old. She passed away in 1983 in a nursing home in Brooklyn, New York.