Tracy Everitt / Videos

"Steam Heat" is the opening number in Act II of the 1954 Tony Award-winning musical "The Pajama Game," with score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. Tracy Everitt choreographed this routine and danced with 17yo Liza Minnelli for the Judy Garland Show Christmas episode. It was taped on December 6 and broadcast on December 22, 1963.

In 1963, Tracy was already a seasoned Broadway veteran. He made his Broadway debut in the original production of "West Side Story," then went on to "The World of Suzie Wong," "Bye Bye Birdie" and "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." Therefore, Tracy Everitt's first foray into acclaim as a nationally known TV choreographer began before he met Liza Minnelli. He was featured as a tap dancer on Merv Griffin, for which he was acclaimed by Fred Astaire's choreographer(the truly great Hermes Pan) as the best tap dancer alive, except for Fred Astaire. Later on he did another TV show tap dancing solo, and again won acclaim. But those were as tap dancers. In this video with Minnelli, he takes off his tap shoes--thus losing 80% of his power to perform effectively at his best in his best medium- and take on the mantle of dancing as an eccentric, "comic-jazzy" dancer. He succeeds.

Tracy Everitt as a Ballroom / Tap Dancer, PART I (Night and Day)

To the timeless "Night and Day", Tracy dances with legendary champion Sandra Cameron. Notice the lovely tap dancing throughout the piece (thanks to Hermes Pan). Hermes Pan write a letter to Tracy Everitt, saying he was "the best tap dancer I have seen in many years".

Tracy Everitt as a Ballroom Dancer, PART II (I'm Old Fashioned)
Tracy Everitt with great champion Sandra Cameron

Tracy Everitt as a Ballroom Dancer, PART III (Smoke Gets in Your Eyes)
Tracy Everitt dances "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" with great champion Sandra Cameron. The extremely fast section involves the art of tap here also. And again, thanks to Hermes Pan's influence. Mr. Pan sent Tracy Everitt a fan note saying he was "the best tap dancer he had seen for many years" when Tracy solo'd on Merv Griffin show with choreography by Paul Draper (with Tracy contributing), and dance arrangement by Marvin Hamlisch.