The Art of Stage Dancing

Description

Edward Claudius Weyburn or better known as Ned Wayburn was a young artist, an actor, choreographer, musician, stage director. He came from Pennsylvania and goes to New York to continue living his dreams in Broadway. He is determined to amuse them with his mastery in playing the piano like what he did in his hometown.

Unfortunately, upon arriving in New York, he saw no piano in the theater and worse, someone has copied his act and performed it all over the city. He was devastated to know that he has no career, and he has no money. He tried to find gigs from agent to agent in search for his big break. He now realizes that the Broadway, as they call, the “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”.

He was fortunate to eventually get what he wanted. One of the great Broadway stars of the 1890s, was amazed by his talent in playing the piano. May Irvin hired him to accompany her giving him satisfactory pay. That big break made Wayburn the first exceptional choreographer in Broadway.

He was also a director from 1901 to the 1920s, he was one of the kings of Broadway. His performances draw many audiences in the Broadway. He impeccably synchronized chorus-line dancing, with attractive young female dancers. He hit the peak of his break when he directed the Ziegfeld Follies from 1916 to 1923.

Wayburn bought a theater but much to his dismay, was closed four months after. He had a divorce and was nearly imprisoned for failure to pay alimony.

He opened a dance school, it was a Broadway institution, training dancers. He was believed to discover acrobatic dancing (modern Americanized ballet), specialty dancing, and ballroom dancing. The Art of Stage Dancing is a book full of images of Broadway stars way back whom Wayburn had taught and worked with, in his career.
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