Honi Coles was a great much loved Tap dancer that, through many partnership associations, developed his own unique style of Tap. The most famous of these partnerships was his last partnership, 'Coles and Atkins', the act that started around mid 1940's and brought him the most success. This partnership took synchronised Tap Dancing partnership class acts to new high levels of excellence. This partnership was to be short lived because of the war, but both dancer came back together to perform again.

Honi spent lots of time in the Hoofers Club and gained a great reputation, which enabled him to find work easily. He had many disappointing early partnerships, which didn't work out, but this only gave him experience, which would become invaluable in his later years.

The 'Coles and Atkins' partnership was very popular in the Apollo and other venues around the surrounding states of America. After a lull in Tap he came back with his partner Cholly Atkins in 1962 and found the same appreciation they had experienced years before.

He was often told that he could have been a great solo performer because his Taps and technique at the time were second to none. Apparently, Honi says that he had tried this with little success for one reason or another. Through cutting contests on the street and influence from his experiences in the Hoofers Club Honi Coles was well versed in all forms and styles of Tap.

Honi introduced new Tap rhythms and had a fresh approach to Tapping that many tried to emulate. It is said that Honi influenced the Bee Bop era. Drummers are believed to have listened to what he was doing and copied what they heard. This contributed to drummers being a little busier than usual in bands, but this had an adverse effect on Tap dancers as they were in effect taking all the beats and filling the spaces Tap dancers used to fill.

Later on in life when Honi Coles could no longer dance and he became the great Tap dance official who was always called upon to be master of ceremonies in many of the great Tap events in the latter part of his life.