Paul Draper | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Portrait_of_Paul_Draper,_Jr._LCCN2004662835.jpg) Paul Draper (1932) Photo by Carl Van Vechten | |
| Born | Paul Nathaniel Saltonstall Draper October 25, 1909 |
| Died | September 20, 1996 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Tap dance Choreography |
| Years active | 1932 - 1990 |
| Notable work | Sonata for Tap Dancer |
| Spouse | Heidi Vosseler |
| Children | Pamela, Susan, Kate |
| Parent(s) | Muriel and Paul Draper |
| Relatives | Ruth Draper aunt Raimund Sanders Draper brother |
Paul Draper Jr. (October 25, 1909 – September 20, 1996) was a noted American tap dancer and choreographer. Born into an artistic, socially prominent New York family, the nephew of Ruth Draper was an innovator in the arts. His passion and unique style led him to international stardom. One signature piece was Sonata for Tap Dancer, danced without musical accompaniment.[1]
Draper was a natural dancer. He took six tap dancing lessons at Tommy Nip's Broadway dance school in 1930 before performing solo in London in 1932. He enrolled in the School of American Ballet and realized the possibilities of combining tap and classical ballet, forming his unique style. By 1937, he was performing at such venues as the Persian Room at the Plaza Hotel and the Rainbow Room. Carnegie Hall followed, then Broadway and a film version of William Saroyan's Time of Your Life (1948). In 1940, he teamed up with Larry Adler, a virtuoso harmonicist. The two became a world-famous act, performing together until 1949. They appeared as regulars at City Center in New York. The act disbanded when they were blacklisted as Communist sympathizers. In response to these charges, Adler moved to the United Kingdom. Draper moved to Geneva, Switzerland for three years.
When he returned to the US, Draper performed on Broadway and in other venues from about 1954. Draper taught in the theater department at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1967 to 1978 as the Andrew Mellon Chair in the School of Drama.[2] His live performances decreased during this period of teaching, but he did occasionally show up at American Dance Festival.[2]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Independentwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Dunning, Jennifer (September 21, 1996). "Paul Draper, Aristocrat of Tap Dancing, Is Dead at 86". The New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2015.