Leon Collins (February 7, 1922 - April 16, 1985) was a famous black American tap dancer.
Collins was born in Chicago, Illinois. He began tap dancing at an early age on the streets. He would go on to perform with many big bands until the 1960s when tap dancing all but died out.
He worked as a car restorer for a decade until the late 1970s when tap dancing had a revival. He began tap dancing again and openned a dance school The Leon Collins Dance Studio . He had a few bit parts in the movies and is known for merging tap dancing with classical music.
He came down with lung cancer and died of it in Boston.
A documentary called Songs Unwritten, was filmed about him shortly before he became ill.
One of his former tap dance students, Dianne Walker has become well known in the tap dancing world as Lady Di.
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Last updated: 10-11-2005 01:52:48
