Dudley Eugene Williams was born in East Harlem, New York City, on August 18, 1938.
His father was carpenter Ivan Leroy Williams and his mother Austa (nee Beckles).
After his initial application for admission to the music division to study piano was submitted past the deadline date, he enrolled for dance at the High School of Performing Arts in New York, graduating in 1958.
[1][2] Straight after graduation, Williams established The Corybantes, a dance troupe which toured union halls and army bases.
[11] In 1996,[11] with Carmen de Lavallade and Gus Solomons Jr., he co-founded and performed with Paradigm, a dance company devoted to showcasing mature dancers.