A virtuoso tap dancer, Robinson perfected a high speed, low to the ground, a cappella style of dance that was characterized by elegance, precision, and clarity of sound.

In a career spanning over 70 years, he started performing on the street, then in nightclubs, and finally in national and international tap festivals.

The elements of successful busking consisted of the ability to catch the attention of passersby, build a crowd, and then pass the hat.

The competition required fierce demonstration of dancing prowess, like a gunfighter riding into town and challenging the local champion, with the winners getting better corners.

[3] Although he had no formal dance training, this competitive zeal influenced Robinson's style, and Broad and South became his corner at the age of 13.

He also danced and played in a tramp band (washboard, washtub bass, and kazoo), and when he was older, he busked in clubs.

Robinson earned enough money by busking to buy his own clothes, contribute to paying for the family groceries, and to go to the Earle Theater.

[6] Separating from the Army, he began his career in Philadelphia with booking agents Eddie Suez and Bernie Rothbard of the Suez/Rothbard Agency.

"Howard and LaVaughn" performed in clubs owned by Frank Palumbo and opened for Cab Calloway, for Tommy Dorsey's Band, and on the same stage at the Apollo Theater with Ella Fitzgerald.

As tastes in music changed and the era of Swing came to an end, Robinson had the opportunity to work with John Coltrane and Charlie Parker.

[2] Teaching a generation of tap dancers, he taught a series of études that he developed over the course of his career, and he included elements of Telephone in his classes.

Coming from a street tradition that emphasized speed and flash, his mature style developed from close observation and imitation of the dancers of his day with particular interest in fast dancing.

Employing his innovative subdivision scheme, even when Robinson used patterns common to many tap dancers, the steps fit into these complicated structures on the microscopic scale.

So combinations that would be slow, broad gestures in other works become quick, fleeting details in his highly complex, intricate, infectious compositions.