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Lady Di is Born!
Dianne "Lady Di" Walker was born in Boston, Massachusetts on March 8, 1951. -
Lady Di Contracts Polio
At just 15 months old, Lady Di contracted polio and spent several months first in a hospital and then in quarantine. -
Lady Di is Released from Quarantine
After spending a few months in quarantine, Dainne is sent to a dance academy to strengthen her legs. She started studying with Ethel Covan who favored ballet, but Lady Di's real interest was tap dancing. -
Starts Studying with Mildred Kennedy
Mildred Kennedy ran the Kennedy Dancing School in Boston and she was an accomplished professional tap dancer. Kennedy performed in both New York and New England vaudeville shows for several years. Her high expectations for her students led them to be the best that they could be and push them to their limits. -
Lady Di's Mother Remarries
Dianne's mother remarried when she was ten years old, forcing her to leave the Kennedy school and move to the Edwards Air Fore Base in Los Angeles County California. Dianne finished elementary and middle school while there until her step-father was transferred to Okinawa, Japan where she started high school. -
Walker Moves Back to Boston
Dianne moved with her mother and step-father back to Boston where she completed her final year of high school. -
Dianne Marries Rodney Walker
At the ripe age of 18, Lady Di married Rodney Walker and together they decided to raise a family. -
Lady Di Starts Tapping Again
Lady Di met her new tap teacher and mentor, Leon Collins in 1978 after being introduced to him by the vaudeville tapper Willie Spencer. Collins taught her the core of his teachings through four different routines which Walker quickly mastered. Shortly after starting her studies with Leon, Walker began teaching the Children's class on Saturdays -
Collins & Company is Founded
Leon Collins, C. B. Hetherington, Pamela Raff, Dianne Walker, and their pianist Joan Hill form Collins & Company, a dance school for aspiring artists in Boston. -
Walker is Tasked With Finding Three Young Dancer's for a Promo Tour
Lady Di was tasked with finding three young dancers for George Niremberg's documentary film "No Maps On My Taps" who could portray younger versions of dancers Chuck Green, Sandman Sims, and Bunny Briggs. She discovered Dwayne Jones (Green), Rashan Burroughs (Briggs), and Derick Grant (Sims). Grant went on to become a principal dancer with the Jazz Tap Ensemble, star in "Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk" on Broadway and write the musical "Imagine Tap!" -
Walker Attends Jan Goldberg's "By Word of Foot II" Festival
After attending this festival Lady Di was stunned and saddened at the lack of black dancers in the festival. She returned home to Boston with a renewed vigor to teach and help revive tap for all young people. -
Walker Attends Tip Tap Festival in Rome, Italy
Leon Collins was Hospitalized in 1985 and could not attend the festival. Instead, he asked Lady Di to take his place and perform his now classic work "Flight of the Bumblebee" to the tune of the same name by Rimsky-Korsakov. This was her first big gig as a tap soloist. -
Walker is Featured in "Great Performances: Tap Dance in America"
Walker introduces her elegant movements to the world using the sounds of the up-tempo Latin "Perdido." One of her signature moves used throughout the piece was a double time step lifted on the tips of her toes. Other moves consisted of scissors, stop time rhythms, and trench steps.
