. ▁As ▁Col es ▁& ▁At kins , ▁their ▁routine ▁opened ▁with ▁a ▁fast - p ac ed ▁song ▁and ▁tap ▁number , ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁precision ▁swing ▁dance , ▁a ▁soft ▁sh oe , ▁and ▁a ▁tap - ch allenge . ▁Their ▁partners hip ▁last ed ▁nin ete en ▁years . ▁ ▁Col es ▁placed ▁tap ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁of ▁concert ▁art ▁when ▁he ▁performed ▁in ▁the ▁J off rey ▁Bal let ' s ▁production ▁of ▁Ag nes ▁de ▁M ille ' s ▁Con vers ations ▁about ▁the ▁Dance . ▁ ▁Col es ▁made ▁his ▁Broadway ▁debut ▁in ▁Gent le men ▁Pre fer ▁Bl ond es ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 . ▁He ▁also ▁appeared ▁in ▁B ub bling ▁Brown ▁Sug ar ▁and ▁My ▁One ▁and ▁Only , ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁received ▁both ▁the ▁Tony ▁and ▁D rama ▁Des k ▁Award ▁for ▁his ▁performance . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁Col es ▁taught ▁dance ▁and ▁dance ▁history ▁at ▁Y ale , ▁Corn ell , ▁Duke , ▁and ▁George ▁Washington ▁University . ▁ ▁Col es ▁was ▁a ▁close ▁associate ▁of ▁tap ▁dan cer ▁Br enda ▁B uf al ino , ▁who ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁helping ▁him ▁re build ▁his ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁The ▁American ▁T ap ▁Dance ▁Orchestra ▁was ▁and ▁founded ▁by ▁B uf al ino ▁along ▁with ▁Tony ▁Wa ag ▁Col es ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁as ▁a ▁tax ▁ex empt ▁ 5 0 1