It all started with a tap-dancing turtle…
The Top-Hatting, Tap-Dancing Turtle!
Cue the lights! Cue the music! It’s time for the show!
The regular sea turtle comes out of the water once a year to lay its eggs and then returns to the sea. But what if it wanted to do something different Instead? That got me thinking about other possibilities. And of course if the turtle was going to stand out by dancing, then it had to stand out visual as well. I thought the pink made a nice contrast to the green, and it was only natural that I gave it a hat and cane as well.
After the fun I had drawing the turtle, I started riffing ideas about other sea creatures that could dance.
Octopus Moves
Dr. Ramit Patel led a team researching an Octopus who appeared to be waving its tentacles around in a form of modern interpretive dance.
Dolphin Dancers?
Betty Quibble once took her dance troupe on a North American tour in 1924. While crossing the Atlantic by liner, her girls practiced their routine every morning while on deck. Soon it became apparent that a school of dolphins were mimicking some of the moves, and even improving some of them. This led to Betty incorporating some of the dolphin’s ideas into her choreography, which led to a vastly improved show, although her dancers never did get the hang of the flips.
What’s Next?
From Turtles to Tuna…and Terrapins to Tiger Sharks…You name it - I can draw it for you!
I put out a Cartoon Newsletter featuring a whole ocean of characters and cartooning tips. Add your name and best email address to the orange box below and I’ll wing a copy your way.