The Dancing Man – Peg Leg Bates

The Dancing Man – Peg Leg Bates: screening with filmmaker Amber Edwards in partnership with Coronado Island Film Festival

At 12 years old his leg was amputated on his mother’s kitchen table. At 40 he was a world renowned tap dancer and a regular on the Ed Sullivan show. He is “The Dancing Man – Peg Leg Bates.” As a disabled African American, Clayton Bates fought discrimination on two fronts, eventually rising to become jazz dance royalty.

Stunning archival film clips and commentary by tap greats such as Honi Coles and Gregory Hines demonstrate that Peg Leg Bates was far more than a novelty act. Determined to be financially independent, Bates saved his money and opened a Catskill resort that welcomed African Americans. R & B legend Ruth Brown sums up his influence on African American culture in his time: “In those days, there were two great things for Black people. One was that Peg Leg Bates was going to be on TV, and the other was that Joe Louis was going to fight.”

Produced by Dave Davidson & Amber Edwards; directed by Dave Davidson. (1992, 30th anniversary remastered print.)