The Eisenhower Auditorium has played host this semester to a multifarious range of individuals — from a former Attorney General to a legendary jazz musician to a blithely lethargic game show host to a Tony Award-winning master of the performing arts.

The latter, tap dance icon Gregory Hines, graces the Eisenhower stage at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Laura Sullivan, head of public relations for the performing arts, feels Hines' tap-dancing technique is aimed at pleasing his audience. "Hines has such an appealing personality," Sullivan said. "On stage he is able to develop a wonderful rapport with the audience and it feels like you're right at home with him."

The art of tap stretches back to the slaves of the pre-Civil War American South. It is a complicated craft that combines elements of several different dance methods, including swing, bebop and the Irish jig.

Hines, 55, has been perfecting his own tap skills since the age of three. As he grew older, he began performing with his older brother, Maurice, who together formed the Hines Kids dancing duo, which toured the nation in the '50s and early '60s. Hines' father, Maurice Sr., joined the family troupe in 1964, making it Hines, Hines and Dad. After a few years of performances both in major American cities and abroad, the team disbanded, in part to accommodate Gregory's theatrical aspirations.

Hines wasted no time before parading his talents on the Broadway stage. Almost upon arrival, he quickly scored a role in The Last Minstrel Show, and shortly after its close nabbed the title role in a Broadway smash-hit biopic of famed composer Eubie Blake. The performance, in addition to unprecedented recognition and acclaim, also garnered Hines his first of four Tony Award nominations. He would eventually win the coveted honor in 1992 for I.

The theater, however, accounts for only a single facet of Hines' wide artistic range. In 1979, Mel Brooks petitioned the performer to play the role of Josephus in his cinematic mock epic History of the World, Part I.

Hines has since appeared in 21 major motion pictures, in addition to several made-for-television films and a recurring role as Debra Messing's suave love interest, Ben Doucette, on the NBC hit comedy series Will & Grace. Seemingly uninterested in free time, Hines has extended his vast repertoire to feature film directing (Bleeding Hearts and the upcoming The Red Sneakers), producing (Bojangles), and recording music (Gregory Hines).

Yet Hines himself maintains: "I always come back to dance. That's what I do. It's who I am. My intention is to dance until I can't anymore." The two-hour show (with intermission), originally slated for Sept. 15, was postponed due to the tragic events of Sept. 11. It will showcase the diverse talents of Hines and special guest artist Mary Cleere Haran as well as an eight-member team of musicians and singers in seven musical dance numbers. And maybe one more too. As Sullivan suggested, "If you tap dance, bring your shoes, you might just get a moment in the spotlight with Mr. Hines."