ALDE LEWIS
Actor ~ Dancer ~ Choreographer ~ Director
by DALE RICARDO SHIELDS
Alde Lewis, Jr., began his career as a modern dancer with Dianne McIntyre’s Sounds in Motion Dance Company in New York City. He credits the late tap veteran Charles “Honi” Coles for inspiring him to become a tap dancer after Mr. Coles offered to mentor him early in his performing career. Coles, a veteran performer of stage, film, concert stage, and winner of both Tony and Drama Desk Awards for his performance in the Broadway musical My One and Only was in semi-retirement at the time and working at the world-famous Apollo Theater. He suggested that Lewis become a tap dancer after seeing him win the coveted Amateur Night at the Apollo contest as a dancer.
Morris Lane (photographer)
Career Highlights
- Broadway Career: He was an original cast member in the Tommy Tune-directed Broadway musical My One and Only (1983) and famously originated the role of “Otis” in Bob Fosse’s final Broadway production, Big Deal (1986).
- Film Credits: Lewis appeared as a featured dancer in director Francis Ford Coppola’s 1984 crime-drama film The Cotton Club.
- Early Breakthrough: After performing modern dance early on, he won the coveted Amateur Night at the Apollo contest, which catalyzed his transition into professional tap dancing.
- Leadership & Entrepreneurship: He serves as the Managing and Artistic Director of A. L. Efficacy Movement Inc., a non-profit dance and theater organization, and is the President and CEO of EMVAD TV, a Black-owned video-on-demand streaming service dedicated to celebrating the African diaspora.
Mr. Lewis went on to have extensive credits in dance, film, television, and theatre as an actor, dancer, director, and choreographer. An original cast member in the Broadway musical My One and Only, Lewis originated the role of “Otis” in the musical Big Deal, Bob Fosse’s last Broadway production. He toured with the Sophisticated Ladies national touring company and was the featured Tap Dancer in Cab Calloway’s Cotton Club Revisited. Lewis has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway and regional theaters as well. He was in the cast of Francis Ford Coppola’s film The Cotton Club.
In addition to his work on the stage, Mr. Lewis is credited as an Executive Producer and actor in the feature film Arbiter Roswell, directed by Wendell B. Harris and starring Steven Soderbergh. Now as a curator, producer, and presenter for The Paul Robeson Theater in Houston, Texas, Lewis in addition to adding musical playwright to his credits seeks to mount his original musical play, Dee’s Days of Tap Dancing in Time, of which he both penned the book and lyrics, in the very near future.
“Alde Lewis Jr, Founder / Artistic Director of A. L. Efficacy Movement (ALEM), directs a professional modern dance/theater production ensemble. Through the ALEM ensemble, we pay tribute to the centuries-old bodies of work of the African American artist…the poets, dancers, entertainers, writers, actors, singers, and choreographers. Through the use of excerpts from their classic works and the stories of their lives, we bring new audiences a powerful message of perseverance, community, power, and love. Melding modern, ballet, tap, and jazz dance with storytelling, spoken word/poetry propelled by the power of live instrumental and vocal performance, ALEM brings forth a unique motion and sound experience of storytelling, conveying our message of success through efficacy.”
“Alde Lewis, (Mr. Magix, relationship advisor) gives a standout performance the minute that he literally stands up from his chair. His Magix has a suave air and dry sense of humor, with tap-dancing feet that create acapella music. The title song and very long tap and soft-shoe number by Yazbeck and Lewis is the showstopper. The audience reaction indicated that the piece wasn’t long enough – give ’em more.” —
by Shera Cohen The Spotlight inc
“Mr. Lewis stops the show cold in the second act…”
– New York Times
A. L. Efficacy Movement
The A. L. Efficacy Movement Founder, Alde Lewis, has a passion for sports, Golf in particular, and The Fine Arts. Having initially performed concert dance as a professional with Dianne McIntyre’s Sounds in Motion Dance Company and as a guest artist wherever the legendary Tally Beatty was choreographing commissioned projects, commercial theatre came calling. Ironically, it was a Tally Beatty who called Mr. Lewis for an off-off-Broadway production of “Louis” (Armstrong) and a regional Pre-Broadway Production of “Mahaliah!” to set the stage for the directional path of his career. Going on to star in Cab Calloway’s “Cotton Revue Revisited” national tour Mr. Lewis turned to Broadway when cast as one of the Black male chorus dancers in the original production of “My One and Only”. Consequently, the Film “The Cotton Club” came on the docket. Then Bob Fosse’s office called without an audition needed to see of his interest in portraying the role of “Otis” in the last original production of Bob Fosse’s life…The Broadway Show “Big Deal.” Later in his life’s journey, a request for a performance at Carnegie Hall was part of that path taken. In the midst of his journey, Mr. Lewis encountered his mentor for the Broadway scene. It started with becoming a first-place winner of Wednesday’s Amateur Night contest at the famous Apollo Theater. It was none other than the Greatest of Tap Dancers, Charles “Honi” Coles. In 2003 as a means to give back to the community, Mr. Lewis created a nonprofit that would encompass his diverse passions. In so being, here we are moving with great tempo bringing forth the fruit of the labor of love for each.
Swing, Baby, Swing!
Swing, Baby, Swing! (excerpt) Choreography: Carla Earle Dancers: Hindolo Bongay, Ashton Booth, Atriana Dearmon, Leandre Douglas, Sydney Felton, LaKendra Howard, Darius Johnson, Anaya Judson, Alde Lewis*, Jeffrey Louis, Venishia Marthrel, Kierra McKay, Tony Merriwether, Jeremy Mitchell, Olivia Olivares, Shamond Powell, Leanna Sparacino, Samantha Taborda, Brenden Winkfield Singers: Veronica Carroll, Anthony Hurman, Alex Kennedy, Cecil Shaw, Kijanna Wiseman Music: Issac Boney, David Donaldson, Alvin King, George and Ira Gershwin, Harry Akst, Grant Clarke, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills Lyrics: Norma Miller Writers: Dwight Baxter, Andrea Cody, Carla Earle, Norma Miller, Sister Mama Sonya Lighting: Tiffany Schrepferman Co-producers: Dwight Baxter, Brandon Bridges, Andrea Cody Photo by James Wiseman *Alde Lewis performs courtesy of the newly relocated A. L. Efficacy Movement, a nonprofit organization for dance and theatre in the Houston area.
The Tap Dance Kid Arrives at Ensemble – 2025
“Alde Lewis recalls dancing on Broadway with Tommy Tune as his director and choreographer. As a young man he won a dance contest at Showtime at the Apollo. He spent a couple years on the road traveling with Cab Calloway. He was in Francis Ford Coppola’s film The Cotton Club. He was the featured tap dancer in Big Deal, the last Broadway show Bob Fosse directed and choreographed.
Starting this week, his lengthy resume expands as he takes to the Ensemble stage to play the part of Daddy Bates, the grandfather to a 10-year-old girl (in this production) who wants to tap in Tony Award-winning The Tap Dance Kid written by Charles Blackwell, Henry Kreiger and Robert Lorick.”
Lewis says he is self-taught for the most part as a tap dancer. He had a few classes when he was young, he says, but they were part of the package that had him taking ballet as well. Growing up in Flint, Michigan, he says he entered a lot of dance contests and won them.
He moved to New York City and on a dare went to the Apollo and entered the dance contest and managed to win it. He caught the eye of the famous tapper Charles “Honi” Coles who encouraged him to take up tapping because of the “syncopation” he saw in Lewis’s dancing style.
“At one point I was considered one of the top tap dancers in the world. Eileen [Ensemble Theatre Artistic Director Eileen Morris] wanted to do The Tap Dance Kid because she knew that I was staying here in Houston now,” Lewis said.
Even though the Ensemble show is called The Tap Dance Kid, Lewis said “the major tapping in the show is going to be by Granddad.”
MARGARET DOWNING is the editor-in-chief who oversees the Houston Pressnewsroom
Alde Lewis and Zamira Williams hit the boards in The Tap Dance Kid. Photo by Carlos Figueroa @JPEGSbyCarlos
Alde Lewis – The Beat
ShowBiz Stories
Apollo theater Broadway Dance
Broadway dancer and master tapper Alde Lewis, tells his personal and true story about his professional journey from Michigan to Broadway.
Dancing with the likes of Bob Fosse, Tommy Tune, Honi Coles.
What a journey!
My purpose is to be the presence of Almighty God’s Peace in any and all environments
and situations of life.
I dance because I’m asked to move and create continually in order to inspire by God.
I’ve come to accept that’s what truly moves me.
“All else is fluff…”
“A revelation was given to me by God back in 2003 that created a paradigm shift in thought and practice. Sitting at my dining room table a thought came across my mind that said, “In the want of nothing, you’ll have everything. Then and only then will you know Me in the fullness of the I Am that I Am!”
Throwback @ 6 years old
