Maria Chisolm

Maria Chisolm

DANCING WITH DADDY

I hear the sounds of the tap tap dancer. Memories from my childhood.

He wore a black suit and bowtie. A top hat and a twirling cane with white

rubber tips and a smile, always a smile for the camera.

He had jokes to tell and songs to sing and yes, there were showgirls with

flashy head dresses, pantyhose legs with low cut and high cut skimpy wear.

Joe Chisolm

Peg Leg Bates

Lon Chaney

The Clark Brothers

Sammy Davis Jr. and

Gregory Hines

are a few names that were black tap dancers. I hear the sounds. Tah Tap. Tah

Tah Tah Tap.

Ya know when I was a little girl I used to watch my father tap. He had

people to speak with. Autographs to sign. Busy. Busy. Busy in the lime light

of show business around the world.

One day he took my hand and we danced. He taught me how. I had black

patent leather shoes, a mini skirt and a white blouse with my hair always pulled

back.

We had rehearsals over and over again. "Can you hear it?" He'd ask. "Can

you feel it?" He'd ask. I would struggle, trip, and fall then lose count. I wanted

to get it right and I did. I heard the rhythm and was able to impersonate the routine

that he created. "That's it!" He said. "Come on! Make it real! Here we go!

Here-We-Go!"

Tah Tap. Tah Tap. Tah Tah Tah Tah Tap! And Ooow!

TeeTee TeeTee TeeTee Dap!

Tic-e-dee Tic-e-dee Tic-e-dee Tic-e-dee Bah!

And slide. Dah Dah!

"Bring it back."

Click Click Bah!

"Posture." He reminded me. "Focus and count. 1 and 2 and 3 and 1 and 2

and 3 and 1 and 2 and 3. Loosen up. Relax. Move. Move. Move. Dance!" Yes,

I was dancing with Daddy!

Ticky Ticky Ticky Ticky Tah!

Tah Tah Tah Ooow!

Ticky Ticky Ooow!

Bah Ooow. Bah Ooow!

Ticky Ticky Bah!

Tah Tah!

"Don't curve your shoulders." He said. "Where are your arms? Balance

Darling. Focus and count. 1 and 2 and 3 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 1 and 2 and 3.

Hips! Let's see those hips! Yes I know you have blistered feet but keep smilin'.

Always smile for the camera cause that's show business little girl!"

He was Mr. Entertainer for the rest of his life. The write ups. The pictures.

It was the extravaganza of it all with showgirls and flashy head dresses,

pantyhose legs with low cut, and high cut skimpy wear.

Yet in time people slow down. Being three thousand miles away we got

the call to say, "Your father is falling into a dream. It's cancer. Please come."

"Don't stop breathing." I said to myself on the plane. "Just don't stop

breathing." But he did. Just a few hours before we got there. And as I

viewed him in the chapel room at rest, I saw a perfect picture of success.

I saw vulnerability, family and friends. I saw gentleness, freedom, and quiet.

And the quiet led my passivity to remember how we danced years ago.

Ticky Ticky Tah, Tah Tah Tah Tah Tah