The 1930s BS Chorus

The “B.S. Chorus” is a classic tap dance routine known to date back to the 1930’s (perhaps even earlier!). It is a basic one chorus, 32 bar chorus, dance comprised of four steps and a repeating break. Anyone who can already do a basic Time Step and Shuffle will find this dance a pure joy.

Back in the 1920s, when tap dancing had really come into its own, Vaudeville was a great place to work. Vaudeville was basically a variety show, and tap dancers were among its most popular acts. Tap dancers who performed in Vaudeville had a travelling life. They would get jobs (“bookings”) on a circuit of theatres -- The Orpheum Circuit, for example. This circuit had theaters all across America, and it could keep the dancer busy for a long time. The dancer would perform anywhere from 2-5 shows a day, and work in each theatre for a half week (known as a “Split Week”) to a week. Now listen to this! Back in the 1920s, there were so many Vaudeville theaters in America, that a dancer could work for FIVE years without ever playing the same theater twice! Yes, it’s hard to image. It sure explains why dancers like Fred Astaire and Bill Robinson got so good -- they had a fantastic training ground from the time they were kids!

In the years of Vaudeville, there was a common formula for constructing a tap dance, and it was called “three and a break.” Simply put, you would do one step, say a Time Step, three times and then a break. Then you would do another step three times and then your break, another step three times followed by your break, and then, at last, your big finish step. Ta da! Your routine was complete. (The Time Step was always your first step, because that would set the tempo for the local orchestra.)

So there you go. Now it’s your turn to join the legacy of tap dancers before you - learn and perform this classic tap dance routine, “The B.S. Chorus” (Boy Scout...). Enjoy and happy tapping!