Overview

"In the 1920s and 1930s, Edwyna """"Salt"""" Evelyn and Jewel """"Pepper"""" Welch learned to tap dance on street corners in New York and Philadelphia. By the 1940s, they were black show business headliners, playing Harlem's Apollo Theater with the likes of Count Basie, Fats Waller and Earl """"Fatha"""" Hines. Their exuberant men's-style tap performed in men's attire earned the respect of their male peers and the acclaim of audiences, though they were paid less than black male dancers. Based on extensive interviews with Salt and Pepper, this book chronicles for the first time the lives and careers of two overlooked performers who succeeded despite the racism, sexism and homophobia of the Big Band era."

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9781476662701

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[I] was knocked out by the rare photos and ads... Willis paints an intriguing picture of what show business was like for these two ladies. This is helped immeasurably by the author's interviews with Salt and Pepper themselves. --Classic Images

Author Information

Cheryl M. Willis was selected as the National Dance Educator of the Year in 2000 and toured the United States and Canada presenting workshops on the creative dance process. As a writer, she has published numerous articles and book chapters on Tap Dance and in her teaching field of Creative Movement. She lives in Vancouver, Washington, USA.

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