Dancer's Series: Steps
Artist
Jack Mackie
MediumBronze, concrete
Dimensionsvarious
ClassificationsInlay
Credit LineSeattle Department of Transportation 1% for Art funds (formerly Engineering Department) 1% for Art funds, private businesses in the Broadway Local Improvement District
Description: The artist created eight sets of inlaid bronze shoeprints arranged in the pattern of a couple's dancing feet. The shoeprints are designed to be "step by step" movements from the tango, waltz, lindy, foxtrot weave, rhumba, and mambo, as well as two dances, the Busstop and the Obeebo, created by Mackie. Inlaid bronze arrows and "R" and "L" (right and left) labels on the feet indicate the dance's proper foot movements. A plaque beside each set of dance steps gives the name and rhythm of the dance; for example, the tango is "slow, slow, quick, quick, slow," while the rhumba is "quick, quick, slow." This artwork is located on the sidewalk along Broadway, which is the core of a busy shopping and entertainment district.
The dance steps titled Busstop was invented by the artist as a line dance for one, with the thought “you get on a bus all alone, after all.” In the eighties, Mark Ukelson a special education teacher organized dance tours of Dancer’s Steps in which he lightheartedly taught participants the dance steps.
Location: (multiple) Along Broadway Avenue East, between East Pine Street and East Roy Street