Tales from long ago

A chance meeting at the Full Belly Deli has kindled a new friendship. We are both dancers from the ‘50s and ‘60s era in New York. Her name is Lynn and she says she likes to read “dancer talk,” when she reads my column — so here goes.

I was in rehearsal with the dancers on the Perry Como TV show. They were all “true gypsies.” Some had been in Broadway musicals, like Lynn, others did modeling, worked in Industrial Shows, summer stock or did musicals that went on the road. I came from Hollywood and Las Vegas. My reason for moving to New York, was it was the center of the dance world. More truthfully a new form of dance was coming into favor, called jazz dance. It’s the style Gene Kelly did. I had good ballet training, and my body was just aching to learn more about jazz dance and Luigi was the answer. His style suited me perfectly and after a jillion classes, I became a pretty good jazz dancer.

One day, during a break in the Como rehearsal, we were more or less playing around; each doing something they we were good at. In a fast series of moves, I spun around twice, dropped to my knees, through my head back, extended my right arm in back of me and froze. Ah hah, the beginner in the cast caught their attention. Everyone was taken by surprise, The most inexperienced dancer in our group asked, “Can I use that in my act?” I was stunned. “Of course,” I replied modestly and immediately my hat size increased three inches.

The chance meeting Lynn is pure joy. We each have achieved our dreams. We did what we came into this world to do. Lynn’s achievements exceed mine by a mile, having so many featured spots in Broadway Shows. My career was more of a hodgepodge. I began as a featured dancer at the Moulin Rouge in Hollywood. In one production number I was in a brawl in which I beat up six sailors single handedly, rescued the gorgeous redheaded waitress, immediately took her onboard my sailboat, a storm came up, the sailboat of course sank, we both drowned, and we did it two shows a night. Oh well.

I also worked in a night club in a basement a block from Times Square, and the trio act I was with flopped completely at the Pink Pony Bar in Barstow. What is important, I have been a dancer, dance teacher and a choreographer. Orllyene and I married 60 years ago, and we have three grown children, six grand-children, and seven great – great grand children.

In addition, I have been given the opportunity to have written for The Record-Courier for more than 10 years. First with “Travels With Ron” and now, “The Senior Scene.” It hasn’t all been lolly pops and butterflies, but I have no complaints.

Ron Walker can be reached at walkover@gmx.com