Ludie Jones facts for kids

Ludie Olivia Jones (born January 28, 1916 – died October 3, 2018) was an amazing American dancer. She was a big part of the Harlem Renaissance, a time when Black art and culture thrived. Ludie started tap dancing when she was very young.

Her dance career began in the 1930s and lasted through the 1950s. Then, she made a comeback in the 1980s! Ludie Jones kept dancing and teaching tap dance even when she was very old.

Who Was Ludie Olivia Jones?

Early Life and First Dance Steps

Ludie Olivia Jones was born in New York City on January 28, 1916. She was one of five children in her family. Ludie started dancing when she was just three years old. A family friend showed her the Charleston and the Time Step.

Soon after, her mom signed her up for dance lessons. By the time Ludie was eleven, she was already teaching tap dance at Emma Kemp's studio!

Dancing on Stage: The Early Years

Ludie Jones became part of the dance group for Lew Leslie's show, Blackbirds of 1934. She even got to dance in London! After her tour, she formed a dance team called the Lang Sisters. She danced with Peggy Wharton and Marion Worthy Warner.

The Lang Sisters performed in many places with famous musicians like Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, and Louie Russell. In 1941, Ludie started another group called The Three Poms. This group included Sylvia Warner and Geraldine Ball.

The Three Poms were an opening act for Cab Calloway's Band. They showed off different dance styles, with Ludie as a rhythm dancer. The group also performed on Broadway in Ethel Waters' show, "One Meatball." The Three Poms stayed together until the 1950s. They also performed for United Service Organizations (USO) shows around the world.

A New Path and a Return to Dance

In 1955, Ludie Jones found it hard to find tap dancing jobs. So, she started working as a telephone operator for the New York Telephone Company. She worked there until she retired in 1978.

But Ludie's love for dance never left! In 1982, she started a dance group called the Swinging Seniors. This group toured nursing homes and senior centers. Later, they became known as the Tapping Seniors.

Back in the Spotlight

In 1984, Ludie Jones was featured in a show called "Shades of Harlem." It played at the Village Gate. The Paducah Sun newspaper wrote that Ludie's tap dancing was a "special feature" of the show. They said she was a "Harlem Renaissance lady from the original Cotton Club" and that she "continues to stun audiences with her vigorous tap routines."

Ludie toured internationally with "Shades of Harlem." New York Times also noticed her performance. They wrote that she was "clearly a tap dancer who enjoys being back in the spotlight" with her solo dance, 'Perdido.'

Later Years and Legacy

Ludie Jones kept teaching tap dancing even when she was in her nineties. The St. Louis Tap Festival honored her in 2008. In 2016, she was added to the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame.

Ludie Jones passed away on October 3, 2018. A dance historian named Delilah Jackson said that Ludie was thought of as "one of the greatest tap dancers in Harlem." She was very important in keeping that style of dance alive.