Josephine Baker first went to Paris in 1925, at age 19.
She traveled to Paris to perform in the show La Revue Nègre.
In La Revue Nègre Josephine Baker introduced the French to a dance style called ‘The Charleston’.
Josephine Baker doing The Charleston:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=064oYkj1LBw
Jazz music and dance, as well as African art styles, were beginning to gain popularity in France at the time.
This openness towards African styles created a pathway for Josephine Baker’s enormous success.
The star dance of La Revue Nègre was the ‘Danse Sauvage’, in which Josephine Baker performed a pas de deux while wearing only a feather skirt.
The ‘Danse Sauvage’ shocked viewers with its very primal and erotic performance.
The dance was very polarizing: some saw it as vulgar, while others saw it as a beautiful expression of human sexuality.
Established her in the minds of the French as the “Black Venus”
Josephine Baker became known as a symbol of freedom in dance and expression, when in reality she was playing to the expectations of her viewers.
Josephine Baker performed on stage with an entirely different persona than she displayed in her life.
She was once again extremely well paid, and spent most of her money on jewels, clothing, and animals.
One of her many pets was a cheetah named Chiquita. Josephine would sometimes bring Chiquita onstage with her for a performance, adding an extra level of excitement to the show.
Josephine enjoyed such a high level of success that there were dolls made to resemble her, as well as costumes, perfumes, and hairstyles that were created to emulate her.
La Revue Nègre was a success and toured all over Europe.
Josephine then went on to star in La Folie du Jour.
It was in La Folie du Jour that Josephine Baker performed her famous ‘Banana Dance’.
Josephine Baker also starred in multiple movies during her time in Paris, including Zou-Zou and Princess Tam-Tam in the 1930’s.
Link to clip of Josephine Baker’s “shadow dance” in the film Zou-Zou:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVPJD3kaKRQ