, ▁California , ▁C rag un ▁was ▁one ▁three ▁sons . ▁ ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁college ▁li br arian ▁▁ ▁As ▁a ▁child , ▁he ▁was ▁very ▁interested ▁in ▁both ▁music ▁and ▁dance . ▁At ▁age ▁five , ▁he ▁began ▁taking ▁tap ▁dance ▁less ons ▁. ▁▁ ▁A ▁few ▁years ▁later , ▁C rag un ▁decided ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁professional ▁dan cer ▁after ▁his ▁father ▁took ▁him ▁to ▁see ▁Sing in ' ▁in ▁the ▁Rain ▁( 1 9 5 2 ), . ▁Donald ▁O ' Con nor , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁stars ▁of ▁the ▁film , ▁became ▁C rag un ' s ▁" first , ▁absolute ▁id ol ." ▁In sp ired ▁to ▁em ulate ▁O ' Con nor ' s ▁lyr ical , ▁bal let ic ▁style ▁of ▁tap ▁dan cing , ▁C rag un ▁took ▁bal let ▁classes ▁▁▁ ▁As ▁a ▁te en ager , ▁C rag un ▁received ▁a ▁scholar ship ▁to ▁the ▁Ban ff ▁School ▁of ▁Fine ▁Arts ▁in ▁Ban ff , ▁Al berta . ▁He ▁studied ▁there ▁with ▁Betty ▁Far ral y ▁and ▁G wen eth ▁Lloyd . ▁When ▁Alexander ▁Grant , ▁was ▁visit ing ▁Ban ff , ▁he ▁was ▁im pressed ▁by ▁C rag un ' s ▁skills . ▁ ▁He ▁suggested ▁C rag un ▁apply ▁to ▁the ▁▁ ▁Royal ▁Bal let ▁School ▁in ▁London . ▁▁ ▁C rag un ▁spent ▁one ▁year ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Bal let ▁school , ▁working ▁with ▁Er rol ▁Add ison ▁and ▁Harold ▁Turner . ▁At ▁age ▁ 1 7 ,