Is there something that you had passion about when you were growing up that because of school or the necessity to survive you went down a path other than you initial passion?
When I was young I wanted to be a Carol Burnett dancer on her variety show. I know I'm dating myself but what the hell I don't look it! :-P There was only one black male dancer on the show and they always had him in the back. I just knew that if I was dancing on the show they'd have to put me in the front because I was so good. I can remember my brother saying to me that he thought I was going to join the Navy because of the Navy movies that I used to watch. Little did he realize, the navy movies that I was watching were of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly portraying seaman and I used to watch those movies because I loved the dancing. Here's a clip of one of Carol Burnett's show's with the Jackson 5 performing. You'll see the black dancer in his normal spot in the back or far off to the left.
Although the show didn't have that much soul ...yeah that was what we said at the time...I still wanted to dance on it. You didn't see many black dancers at all on TV during these times. Now these clips show some black dancers with soul. If you want to go straight to the dancing go to about 2:40 mins
When I was young I wanted to be a Carol Burnett dancer on her variety show. I know I'm dating myself but what the hell I don't look it! :-P There was only one black male dancer on the show and they always had him in the back. I just knew that if I was dancing on the show they'd have to put me in the front because I was so good. I can remember my brother saying to me that he thought I was going to join the Navy because of the Navy movies that I used to watch. Little did he realize, the navy movies that I was watching were of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly portraying seaman and I used to watch those movies because I loved the dancing. Here's a clip of one of Carol Burnett's show's with the Jackson 5 performing. You'll see the black dancer in his normal spot in the back or far off to the left.
Although the show didn't have that much soul ...yeah that was what we said at the time...I still wanted to dance on it. You didn't see many black dancers at all on TV during these times. Now these clips show some black dancers with soul. If you want to go straight to the dancing go to about 2:40 mins
13 comments:
LOL a Carrol Burnett dancer? You and that other dancer would have been fighting for the one black male position they had on the show. It would have been cutthroat. I will go back a little further.
I always wanted to be on Stormy Weather or Cabin in the Sky where as black man you know you were going to be on the screen for more than 5 minutes and everyone seemed to be really enjoying themselves, each other and their talents.
I have wanted to be a writer since I was in the sixth grade. It has taken me a while, but I finally finished my first novel. If I could quit my job right now and make a living writing, my life would be complete.
Awesome videos!
I wanted to be a doctor...
What a great post! I think it has inspired me to write about what I wanted to be when I was little... a writer and a teacher...
These are some GREAT clips, bruh. A couple of them I've never seen or don't recall ever seeing. I think a lot of people have these dreams in their heads as kids that somehow take a detour along the way to adulthood.
The first time I saw Sidney Poitier in To Sir With Love, I thought I wanted to be a teacher. I thought this because he was so convincing in the role... so single-minded & determined, & eventually he really got through & changed the direction of those kids lives. That's a mad powerful thing, yo!
As I became older, I realized Sidney wasn't a teacher, but a HELLA ACTOR just playing one. So I then I wanted to be an actor my whole 8th grade year. Only they didn't give black boys any lead roles in those school plays.... only small, insignificant ones. So, that killed my dream. I figured if I couldn't even land one of the leads in a JR HIGH production of Guys & Dolls, then what chance did my black azz have in Hollywood? Smell me?
Meanwhile, a part of me still remains a teacher (even in small ways), & for that, I thank Mr. Poitier.
Just like like that lone black dancer on the Carol Burnett Show
inspired you, Sidney inspired me.
Hey, we end up doing what we do... & as long as we TRY to do as best as we can well, maybe that's the gift we give to the world.
One.
D you telling your age! No problem my brotha I can certainly identify with the Carol Burnett Show and the Tom Hanson Dancers (I think that was the name), yes I wanted to dance too.
My passion has and always will be to do something in television other than ending up on the evening news as headlines.LMAO!
Talk Show Host, Radio Personality a movie actor hell maybe the wardrobe Mistresss. Teaching is also my passion.
I did wish to be a underwear model. Surprised? lol
i wanted to dance but my mother killed my spirit.
Really interesting D. :)
I always wanted to be a movie star lol. ;)
WOW
I enjoyed those clips. particularly the swing dancers. LOL I know folks dancing in the club today trying to "walk it out" are not having nearly as much fun as those folks did back then.
Hey D, growing up I wanted to be just like Eddie Murphy's character (Marcus Graham) in my favorite movie, Boomerang. He was an advertising exec. I ended up getting my degree in Journalism with an emphasis on Public Relations and Advertising. I wish the economy were in better shape... if it were, I would be working in the industry. Unfortunately for many companies, the advertising and public relations are the first to go when revenue drops...
Yo! Where my comment at, yo! I wrote a long-azz reply to this piece, like two weeks ago, and now it's gone.
Won't repeat myself. Just saying, I relate, & you're not alone. I thought I wanted to be a teacher, after seeing To Sir With Love, then thought I wanted to become an actor after realizing Sidney was ACTING the role of teacher. Sometimes we end up becoming something outside of our dreams, & that's ok, too.
My original reply was much more in depth.
Oh well.
One.
i wrote one too and it didn't show up. i guess it's just one of those things man...
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