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Date of Birth
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Howard "Sandman" Sims
Life of Howard "Sandman" Sims. -
Personal Description of his style
"First I glued sandpaper on my shoes, and I wore my mat out. Then I glued sandpaper on the mat and wore my shoes out. Then I put loose sand in a box with a sounding board that can be miked, and on that board I am the world's greatest sand dancer." He added, "The hoofer uses the whole foot.… In tap, you use the toe and the heel.… The steps are not taught: You create them as you go along. You never do the same thing twice. It's not the steps, but the sounds." Read more: Howard "Sandman" Sims Bio -
Sand Dancing invented
Around this time in Sims' adolescence he developed his signiture "sand dancing" techinque, which involved dancing on a board with sand on it or on a stage with sand. He originally wanted to beome a boxer, but when he broke his hand, he noticed people said that "they prefered to see me in the rosin box than in the ring". -
Arrival in Harlem
Arrived in Harlem after being in obscurity and developed into a local personality. Began performing at the Apollo theatre and worked as an "executioner", a man who would comedically chase unpopular performers off the stage. Was initially ill-received but persisted and won 25-straight amateur contests (a record setter). -
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Tap going out of style
During this time, as tap was gong out of vogue in America, Sims struggled in his profession and had to take on other jobs. Such jobs included teaching dance at the Apollo, operating a cafe, and working as a mechanic. More notably, he also taught future dancers Gregory Hines and Ben Vereen, as well as taught the boxers Mohammed Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson how to deftly move their feet. At this time started a group called the Hoofers who performed on the streets. -
Tap Happening
Starred along side several veteran tap dancers in the production Tap Happening, where they opened for he performance. Each show was a "challenge" show where performers would compete against each other in a street dance competition style. -
No Maps on My Taps
Featured in the documentary by George T. Nierenberg -
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Tap revival
During this decade, tap was brought back into the spotlight and Sims was brought back with it. He traveled the world as a U.S. State department rep and was given the unofficial title of "tap ambassador". -
National Heritage Fellowship
Awarded to him by the Folk Arts Program of the National Endowment for the Arts. He employed his winnings to transform part of a Harlem parking lot into an outdoor dancing school for children. -
Homage play The Sand Dancer
Sims's career was paid homage in The Sand Dancer, a verse play written by Sandra Hochman, which combined dialogue, dance, music, and filmed images. The play, in which Hochman equated Sims to a poet, was presented in New York in 1986, and featured Sims in a cameo appearance. In her New York Times review, Anna Kisselgoff noted Sims' "brief solo" in which he "delights us when he suddenly springs out to dance upon his traylike box covered with sand." -
Times - Jack Anderson
In Times, he was described as "one of our finest dancers" and "an innovator in a traditional art" by Jack Anderson. After reveiewing The Tap Tradition, Anderson noted how, "Mr. Sims moved deftly. Often, he let his feet just whisper to the floor. Then his taps started chattering and at times he punctuated his phrases with bright bursts of sound". -
Tap
His most significant screen role was in the homage Tap, starring dancers like Sammy Davis Jr, Gregory Hines, and Savion Glover. Also was involved with a production documentary by PBS, Tap Dance in America, in which he was featured. -
Cosby Show "The Sandman"
Starred as Rudy's tap dance instructor who faces off with Bill Cosby in a good-natured challenge. -
Date of Death
Died in The Bronx at 86. "'m in show business not for a season, but a reason.… I want to just dance my way away at the end."
