Tapping into Five Points

Credited by some with inventing tap dance as a form, Master Juba (also referred to as Boz’s Juba, given name believed to be William Henry Lane) lived and performed in the Five Points neighborhood of Manhattan. He began dancing in saloons, mixing Irish jig steps and movements with folk dancing passed down from his ancestors.

An engraving from Charles Dickens’ American Notes (1842)

Charles Dickens wrote about Master Juba: “The corpulent black fiddler, and his friend who plays the tambourine, stamp upon the boarding of the small raised orchestra in which they sit, and play a lively measure.” This, among other notices of his form, led him to also perform on stage more formally.

Juba’s innovations, performances, and notoriety laid the foundation for many dancers after him who continued to develop tap styles.