His first true break came around the year 1892, when he was hired for a small part in the show The South Before the War. Robinson was a member of the show for just over a year before having to leave his role due to his aging and growth. By 1898, Robinson had returned to Richmond and enlisted as a drummer for the American-Spanish war, but was in New York as an entertainer once again by 1900. Known for his singing, it wasn’t until he competed in a buck-and-wing dance contest that he gained popularity for the style. From that point, Robinson worked in a multitude of venues and with varying dance partners.
When vaudeville greatly decreased in popularity, Robinson furthered his experience by dancing on Broadway. By 1930, Robinson introduced to Hollywood with roles in films. Although a greater advance than dancing on stage, blacks were still assigned to inferior roles, such as servants. While many took those roles and played them as instructed, others such as Robinson saw opportunity. While “some black actors neglected to individualize or take ownership of their roles,” Robinson imbued his assigned roles with his own unique personality, giving them a presence all their own (Fain 53). Most often in modern times he is remembered for his movies made with Shirley Temple, of which there were four, and more …show more content…
Many of his ideals and influences can be seen in his choreography. However, it is also important to discuss his unique style present in his routines. Robinson was known for using wooden taps to give a unique sound, dancing more on his toes as opposed to the flat footed style, and his all-too-famous stair routine. As noted previously, Robinson also danced the buck and wing style of tap. This was distinguished by movement focused below the waist, wooden soled shoes, and dance movement that was more toward the balls of the feet, all of which are exhibited by