Born in
Pratt City, Alabama, Cholly began dancing in the late 1930s before his military service in 1942 during
World War II. Upon leaving the U.S. Army, he first found fame as one-half of Atkins &
Coles, a top vaudeville
dance act with partner
Charles "Honi" Coles, debuting at the
Apollo Theater in
Harlem,
New York. Atkins and Coles toured extensively nationally and internationally, performing in showcases with major jazz and swing bands, including those led by
Louis Armstrong,
Charlie Barnet,
Count Basie,
Cab Calloway, and
Lionel Hampton. The pair also performed from 1949 to 1952 on
Broadway in the stage 4 production,
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. In the mid-1950s, Cholly began teaching dance steps to the
Cadillacs,
Shirelles,
Moonglows,
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers,
Little Anthony & The Imperials, and other vocal groups. His dance steps were a new style coined "vocal choreography", as singers enhanced their vocal performances with stylish combinations of gestures and steps. After working as a freelance choreographer in 1962 for
The Miracles, Atkins was hired by
Berry Gordy to work as a Motown choreographer in 1964, and set about developing the routines that would later become the trademark moves of other Motown acts like
The Supremes,
The Temptations (Atkins was also featured in the video for their hit single "
Lady Soul"),
The Four Tops,
The Marvelettes,
Gladys Knight & the Pips and others. Atkins would, in fact, continue working with Motown artists well into the 1980s. He choreographed for non-Motown artists as well, namely the dance routines of
The Cadillacs in the 1950s, and
the Sylvers, as well as
The O'Jays during the mid-1970s, appearing with them on an episode of
Soul Train. He also worked with Detroit rock band DC Drive and is featured in the "You Need Love" video. In 1989, Atkins received a
Tony Award for choreographing the Broadway show
Black and Blue. He also accepted a 1993
National Endowment for the Arts three-year fellowship to tour colleges and universities teaching vocal choreography. He continued to teach dance in Las Vegas until February 2003. == Death ==