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Leon James (dancer)

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Leon James
BornApril 27, 1913
New York City
DiedJuly 30, 1970 (aged 57)
New York City
OccupationDancer

Leon James was a prominent American Lindy Hop and jazz dancer. A performer during the 1930s and 1940s with the Harlem-based Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, he and his dance partner Willa Mae Ricker were featured in a photo essay in the August 23, 1943, issue of Life magazine, demonstrating air steps.

In 1935, James and Edith Matthews won the Harvest Moon Ball.[1]

Due to poor eyesight, James was not drafted during World War II.[2]

During the 1950s and 1960s, James partnered with Al Minns to promote the dances they helped to pioneer, appearing at dance events, in short films, and on TV.

Filmography

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "1935 Harvest Moon Ball Amateur Dance Championships". Sonny Watson's Streetswing. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  2. ^ Pritchett, Judy; Manning, Frank. "Leon James". Archives of Early Lindy Hop. Retrieved February 23, 2019.