"Percussion Discussion" Interview by Lisa Swenton-Eppard

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Interview with

Lisa Swenton-Eppard

Of Percussion Discussion

1. What is the name of your company?

Percussion Discussion is my parent organization housing Capitol Tap, District Tap, and Percussion Discussion Productions.

2. How many years has your company existed? 

Capitol Tap is currently celebrating our tenth anniversary season!  District Tap is in our fourth season.

3. Where is your company based?

Both companies are in residence at Knock On Wood Tap Studio in Washington, DC.

4. What are the age range of the dancers in your company?

Capitol Tap welcomes tap dancers ages 9 to 25 with at least two years experience.  District Tap is for advanced level tap dancers ages 18 and up. Admission is via audition only.

5. How often do your dancers meet to rehearse? Perform? 

Capitol Tap rehearses four hours a week over two days and enjoyed 18 performances last season.  District Tap rehearses once a week for two hours a week with 10 performances last season. 

6.  When you began, what was your primary motivation/goal/mission for starting a Tap dance company? 

Our home studio’s original youth tap ensemble, Tappers With Attitude, closed in 2010 after their 19th season.  I was an assistant director during their last eight seasons, and when the closure was announced, the dancers and families approached me about starting my own ensemble.  That’s when I reached out to our now assistant artistic director, Baakari Wilder, and our now technical director, Susan Kilbourne, and invited them on this journey, both of whom are still with me.  It was never a goal of mine to own my own business, but here I am ten years later with two tap ensembles and a production company!  Fun fact:  Baakari was the first dance captain for Tappers With Attitude before leaving to become the dance captain of Broadway’s “Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk”, later assuming the lead role from Savion Glover, earning a Bessie Award.  

7.  As time has moved on, how has that mission evolved? 

Our focus has remained the same since the beginning:  to shape and support the next generation of tap dancers, musicians, historians, technicians, improvisors, educators, and performers.

8. What has been the biggest challenge of starting a dance company? 

Because I am the founder/director/owner, I am wholly invested in the success of this business that exists in support of this art form, and I have had to maneuver my way over the past decade through finding a balance of administrative time vs. studio time for the companies, while also juggling being an adjunct professor and faculty at various studios, with my main focus remaining my own family of my husband and two children.  I was quoted in Dance Magazine on this very subject, and the tough realities of starting/running a dance company aren’t as openly discussed as much as they need to be.  Our art form’s future is dependent on tackling the issues of finances, creativity, growth, and so much more as we continue to progress into new territory. 

9. What has been your proudest moment in directing this dance company?

Ms. Yvonne Edwards, the co-founder of our home studio (celebrating their 25th anniversary season this year as an exclusively tap dance studio) and their original youth tap ensemble, is now 85 years young, and she is always reminding me that she is proud of what I’m doing for the art form and for continuing what she started.  I trust her judgement about the trajectory I’m navigating because she’s the first one to tell me otherwise!  

10. What words of advice would you offer to someone who is starting their own tap dance company?

I’ve been very fortunate to be surrounded from the beginning by those who honor this art form, value the history, and revere all those who came before us.  This continues to center my guiding principles and determine the decisions that get made.  I’d encourage anyone wanting to start their own tap dance company to ask tough and necessary questions of those already doing the work, and determine the goal of taking on this responsibility.  Define your purpose at the outset, and refine it with trusted mentors.

Baakari and I each bring our own set of strengths.  Some overlap, and many do not, and that’s our secret sauce.  Don’t try to be all things to all people, hire those who help fulfill the specific needs of what you’re working towards.

11. Do you have any current projects the company is working on that you want to promote?

Capitol Tap is currently celebrating our tenth anniversary season and we have a big gala planned this spring, teaming up with our home studio who are celebrating their 25th anniversary! 

12. Describe your company in one word!  

Copasetic.

"The Lady Hoofers" Interview by Kat and Katie

Interview with Kat and Katie

Of Lady Hoofers Tap Ensemble

1. What is the name of your company?

 The Lady Hoofers Tap Ensemble

 

2. How many years has your company existed? 

Founded in September 2011, we are currently in our ninth season.

  

3. Where is your company based? 

 Philadelphia

  

4. What are the age range of the dancers in your company?

 Our First Company and Apprentice dancers are generally in their 20s and 30s. Our Youth Ensemble is comprised of pre-professional dancers ages 10-18.

  

5. How often do your dancers meet to rehearse? Perform? 

 Like most artists in the gig economy, our dancers juggle performing, teaching, and a wide variety of “day jobs.” And our Youth Ensemble dancers are busy with school, dance classes, and other activities during the week. As such, we rehearse together every weekend with additional sessions as needed, plus lots and lots of “remote” rehearsal sessions with the help of technology!

 

We produce two mainstage concerts each year: THE TAPCRACKER in December, our original, all-tap, all-women version of the holiday classic, and ON TAP, our spring concert, which features new choreography, guest choreographer commissions, and improvisation by our dancers. We also do a number of smaller performances throughout the year—generally from 6 to 8— including private events and fundraisers, dance and music festivals, and community Pop Up events throughout the city to connect with audiences who wouldn’t normally get to experience live dance.

  

6.  When you began, what was your primary motivation/goal/mission for starting a Tap dance company? 

 Kat: I grew up dancing with the New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble under the direction of Deborah Mitchell. She instilled in me and all her dancers a sense of professionalism and a sense of class (and an aversion to putting dancers onstage in jeans that I’m still getting over—haha!). She did so much for the tap community: training the next generation while upholding tradition, and providing employment for dancers (and choreographers) in a world where opportunities for tap dancers are few and far between.

 

When I returned to the U.S. after completing my graduate work in London, I found that there were a lot of great tap dancers in Philadelphia but none of them was doing the kind of work I wanted to do. For starters, I love to tap in heels! So I wanted to bring together a group of artists who shared my love of both rhythm tap and Broadway or musical theatre style tap, drawing influences from other dance forms.

 

I never envisioned myself running a company—I co-produced one show with another tap dancer for the Philadelphia Fringe Festival (now FringeArts) in 2011 mainly because I wanted to dance. We brought in musicians, built a small stage in my dad’s garage, sold out, and broke even by $11.

 

I started out just wanting to dance—and dance in heels!—but now I’m more interested in providing a platform for tap artists.

 

7.  As time has moved on, how has that mission evolved? 

Since that original show, we’ve grown into a full-fledged arts organization, with part time administrative staff (and an official paid intern!), an advisory board, and three companies: our First Company, comprised of professional dancers; our Apprentice Company, comprised of talented pre-professional high school and college-aged dancers; and our Youth Ensemble, comprised of 10-18 year olds from PA, NJ, and DE who audition for us each season and perform in our annual production of THE TAPCRACKER.

 

This past summer, we had a number of strategic planning meetings to reflect on the success of our current programming and the challenges we face, in addition to where we are as a company, and where we would like to be. We revised our mission statement and hired our first professional graphic designer to redesign our logo. Since rebranding, we’re especially excited for the 2019/2020 season and for gearing up for our 10th anniversary just around the corner!

 

8. What has been the biggest challenge of starting a dance company? 

Kat: Where to begin??? The most difficult part has been managing my time: this is a labor of love for all involved, but I feel strongly about paying our dancers for their time, and am learning, as I have gotten older (and have added motherhood to the many demands on my time), that there needs to be a balance. There is always more that we want to do, but we have to prioritize, delegate, and sometimes let certain things go.

 

Speaking less philosophically now, I have also become friends with many of the dancers in our company. We’re at each others weddings, baby showers, etc., and when we’re hanging out socially, we can be friends. But at rehearsals—especially if we’re pressed for time—I have to be the boss lady. And I don’t always want to be in charge, but it’s more stressful for everyone involved if we don’t have someone taking the lead.

 

Katie: I agree managing my time is the biggest challenge. As Managing Director, I handle most of the behind-the-scenes administrative work that people don’t realize goes into running a successful company. Kat and I pride ourselves on professionalism and organization. We have had several theaters and businesses comment that they enjoy working with us because of it! But it’s not easy planning out the rehearsal and performance schedule for 30+ dancers who are juggling day jobs and school, handling the accounting (I never imagined our annual operating budget would increase as rapidly as it has!), designing marketing materials, maintaining multiple social media accounts… the list goes on!

Tap dance has been such a big part of my life, and I’ve been involved in administrative capacities for years. In high school as Assistant Director of Footprints Tap Ensemble (last month’s Operation Tap Takeover company!), in college as Assistant Director of InSync Dance Theatre (now H2 Dance Company), and now with The Lady Hoofers. I can’t help but get involved because I love it so much. But I’m also a full-time college writing professor, run a literary magazine, and have a husband and dog at home. Balancing it all is a challenge! 

9. What has been your proudest moment in directing this dance company?

Kat: This past January, we were invited to perform in the New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble’s 25th Anniversary Concert. Having grown up dancing with the company, this was a huge honor made all the more exciting by the fact that we ran into Savion Glover backstage. The dancer’s sign in sheet was a who’s who of great names in tap: Brenda Buffalino, Tony Waag, Evan Ruggerio, Karen Callaway Williams, Maurice Chestnut, Mercedes Ellington, and of course Deborah Mitchell herself, and my name and The Lady Hoofers name was on the list. I was so proud that I stole the sign in sheet after the show and brought it home to frame.

 

Katie: In THE TAPCRACKER, our Youth Ensemble performs “The March of the Tower Guards” which was choreographed by my teacher, Sarah Cook Flynn. She’s the Founder of Footprints Tap Ensemble and originally created the piece when I was a high school senior dancing with Footprints. We performed it in The Nutcracker on Broadway in 1999, and were the only student group in the production performing our own choreography. The Nutcracker was played by Mike Minery, and the whole experience was such a thrill—traveling to New York City, performing on a Broadway stage, taking master classes from dancers such as Omar Edwards and Jimmy Tate, attending a tap jam at Cafe 41 hosted by Jimmy Slyde… I realize now I’m talking about my own past experience as a dancer! But Sarah instilled in me a great appreciation for tap history and for knowing your own roots as a tap dancer, and being able to pass that on is truly special. Having the opportunity to share her choreography with our own Youth Ensemble dancers each year and watching them bring the piece to life time and time again fills me with such pride.

 

10. What words of advice would you offer to someone who is starting their own tap dance company?

 Kat: In assembling your team, be sure to find people who share your values and your idea of professionalism. Katie and I work so well together because I trust her to send out a press release that reads exactly how it would if I had written it myself and vice versa. Also don’t count on dancing all that much yourself once the administrative work takes over! I produced the first official Lady Hoofers concert because I wanted to dance, but nowadays at performances I’m usually so busy doing development work, liaising with our front of house staff, thanking our volunteers, and doing last minute costume checks for our dancers that I generally miss the company warm up and need to take a few minutes by myself to get my head in the game before I take the stage.

 

Being the Artistic Director means that I am usually the public face of the company so I’m constantly running around the entire theatre and changing shoes as I go: sneakers to oversee the load in, high heels for my curtain speech, ballet flats for sneaking up to the balcony to watch from the house, then back into heels to mingle with audience members during intermission, then finally into my tap shoes if I’m performing in the second act, then back into heels again to greet people after the show, then sneakers to strike. 

 

Katie: Don’t be afraid to start small, build slowly, and ask for help. As Kat said, we work very well together, and part of our partnership is that when one of us has a big idea, the other is there to keep us grounded and ensure we think through the practical aspects of reaching each goal. It has allowed us to take measured risks that have paid off along the way. We also recognize the strengths of our dancers both on and offstage and are able to use their expertise in marketing, costumes, videography, etc. We’ve also learned that it’s worth casting a wider net for support when we don’t have the skills in-house. We attend local conferences or sessions hosted by non-profits or granting agencies related to working in the arts, we have hired an accountant and a graphic designer in the past year, and we’re constantly seeking feedback from our dancers, students, and audience members to ensure we’re moving in the right direction.

 

 11. Do you have any current projects the company is working on that you want to promote?

Kat - We each have pet projects for the 2019/2020 season that we’re excited about. I’m working on ethnographic research in breastfeeding, it’s normalization, and racial disparities in maternal healthcare (a little known fact about me is that I did my graduate work in anthropology). I’ll be conducting interviews with local moms and working with two of our dancers to create an original musical score using— wait for it— the sounds of an electronic breast pump, which functions basically as a metronome. Since the birth of my son in 2018, I’ve spent many a long rehearsal pumping breastmilk in a spare office or breastfeeding my son backstage so I want to choreograph something that draws from these experiences.

 

Katie: One of our dancers, Meg Sarachan, is a filmmaker specializing in dance documentaries and films, and in 2015 we produced “Dollar: A Rhythm Tap Short Film,” which she directed. In 2020, we’re planning to film my choreography set to an instrumental version of the song “Room Where It Happens” from the hit musical Hamilton. The piece involves many ins and outs, and features all of our dancers onstage at once for a big finish. I’m envisioning filming some of the smaller sections outdoors in historical locations around Philadelphia, and the final sequence onstage. We’re still in the early planning stages of this project, but I can’t wait to dig into some storyboarding next month.

 

This week we’re preparing for our third annual production of THE TAPCRACKER, so that has been taking up much of our time. But we’re starting to prepare for our spring concert ON TAP as well, including new choreography by both Kat and myself, reprising our 2017 premiere “...and Away” by guest choreographer Caleb Teicher, and a world premiere work by our 2020 guest choreographer Robyn Watson—Philadelphia native who served as dance captain for the Broadway musical Shuffle Along and has been training with Savion Glover for the past 8 years. We keep very busy—never a moment to rest!

12. Describe your company in one word! 

Kat - Loud :)

Katie - Non-stop

"Footprints Tap Ensemble" Interview by Danielle, Becca, and Shelley

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Interview with Danielle, Becca, and Shelley

Of Footprints Tap Ensemble

1. What is the name of your company?

Footprints Tap Ensemble

2. How many years has your company existed?

25 years

3. Where is your company based?

Libertyville, IL (about 40 miles north of Chicago)

4. What are the age range of the dancers in your company?

10-18 years old

5. How often do your dancers meet to rehearse? Perform?

Our dancers have regular company rehearsal once a week and have a weekly tap class. They are also required to maintain ballet and some form of jazz as well. From July - November we have rehearsals 2-4 days a week to prepare for our annual show. On average we perform once a month from December - June.

These questions I asked Becca Snow Footprints current Artistic Director, dancer 1996 - , Danielle Brooks Footprints current Co-Director dancer , and Shelley Hoselton owner of Talent Forum and Executive Producer of Footprints Tap Ensemble who has been around for all of the last 25 years.

6. When you began, what was your primary motivation/goal/mission for starting a Tap dance company?

Footprints was founded by Sarah Cook-Flynn in 1994. She was with Footprints from 1994-1999.

Shelley Hoselton: “The motivation was someone who was very hungry to be able to work with tap dancers, put them together and make them have a common goal. Someone who really felt that she had something to give. And to share the history of tap and make them understand that tap dance itself creates a bond. The rhythm itself pulls people together. To be able to take them to where she felt she had gotten to. Sarah started with just three dancers and it built until Footprints became a strong force and once she left it became a force that carried on with guidance, but not just a director that propagated it. It was something that was a sisterhood, later brothers entered the field, but it was a sisterhood that they had a common goal and that underlying rhythm was a driving force and they really fed off of each other just to be able to make music together.”

7. As time has moved on, how has that mission evolved?

When Sarah left Footprints became directed by the dancers and guided by a Business Manager, Gerrie Reese-Jones. Footprints alumni came back to set choreography on the company later on and eventually Footprints alumni came back to guide as Directors. First company members (we have three levels Footprint Workshop (beginner), Footprints II (Intermediate), Footprints (Advanced) ) lead most of their own rehearsals, we are talking about high schoolers here. They also have the opportunity to choreograph their own pieces, pick costumes, and set tech for their pieces. They really own their annual show called Tap Jam.

Danielle Brooks: “I would say through the first couple years of the company it wasn’t enough to call them traditions, but it’s nice to see even now we still talk about things that took place in the beginning of the company. Even me and Becca being in the same room, we were never actually in the company at the same time, but there’s a lot of over lap of knowledge we learned and were able to carry on and even when we come back and we teach, there are some many similarities while also you can clearly define a difference between the two of us. That has to do with the tap teachers we have here (Talent Forum, Footprints home studio) as well as opportunities that this company is given us such as YTEC (Youth Tap Ensemble Conference, a program offered every July by the Chicago Human Rhythm Project).”

Becca Snow: “I think too it’s grown with social media. We are evolving in the sense of who we are and who we are sharing our story with. Every year we get better because we are sharing more and we are pushing each other to do more technique wise and our storytelling tap dance wise and choreography and everything.”

Shelley Hoselton: “I think a rarity is also the fact that as we say Once a Footprint, always a Footprint and ironically here’s two Footprints alumni right here in the room. One almost an FP original (Becca), Danielle is an FP in-between, but it’s true Footprints support Footprints. We have a tap technician here, Mark Yonally, who has maintained footwork, but through the history of Footprints, there’s always been a Footprint there making sure those traditions, certain warm-up skills, certain things that you have done over the years maintains. The drive of carrying forward has been propagated by Footprints itself which is very unique, you don’t normally see people paying it forward. It takes a fire to make people want to prove themselves. The FP originals felt that fire when Sarak Cook-Flynn left Footprints and they have been passing the torch ever since. They can say loudly yay we are worthy.”

8. What has been the biggest challenge of starting a dance company?

Money. We are a 501(C)(3) non-profit company so we do a lot of fundraising to be able to give these dancers the opportunity to put on their own show, and go to tap conferences such as YTEC and whatever other opportunities come our way. In the past Footprints have traveled to New York, St. Louis, and as far away as China to perform. We want to be able to continue to grow and provide these opportunities to our dancers and that takes money.

Shelley Hoseleton: “Money. I say money, but it takes a village. It takes people willing to give their time. Everybody sitting at this table right now. None of us makes a fortune at what we are doing. We have peanuts, but we are wealthy beyond compare with what we help produce. It takes people willing to put that (money) behind and believing in the kids. A lot of times people just don’t believe in what they are doing. Having a company takes more than just holding a dance class because you are making people commit to something that they have to honor or they’ve let their company members down.”

Danielle Brooks: “Everlasting support helps keep it going.”

9. What has been your proudest moment in directing this dance company?

Danielle Brooks: “ Being that it wasn’t that long ago since I was in Company, I think it’s nice to feel familiar in this space. You get to see from nothing to this full blown show. I think this year it’s been a lot more student involved with how the show is going and I think since it wasn’t until my year out of Company that I actually got to fully plan a show, but to be able to help them do it while they are in Company, it’s like is has come full circle from what I was always told was the value of this company which was being self-directed and I think we have done a good job this year of trying to help them fell that this was way more self directed then it has been in the last couple of years. If I could give my pride a facial expression it would be all of the dancers right after that curtain closes as they are coming off the stage. If you were standing there, it’s that face, the expression that all of them have on their face. They are so proud of what they did. They are so happy. That’s all you could ever want to give them.”

Becca Snow: Becca closed her eyes for most of this as she was visualizing these moments while she was telling it to me. It was great. “The moments when the dancers are on stage and it just, all that hard work pays off and it just clicks. They’re listening to each other, the piece just feels right, they are in that moment and they’re performing beyond the steps. It gives you chills. They get it. The other thing too is when they are laughing and having fun and you know that outside of the studio you’ve help to create those lifelong bonds. That’s something that goes beyond the company itself. The friends that I made 25 years ago in this company I’m still friends with.

Shelley Hoselton: “Because we have taken the liberty of, I say Footprints lead Footprints, but we also reached into the professional community. We’ve reached into having the best master tappers in the world touch Footprints by our participation in YTEC at the Chicago Human Rhythm Project. Footprints learned the Shim Sham Shimmy from Leonard Reed himself. The networking and their relationships with other pre-professional tap companies and they see all of them, how they are making their successes and what gives me the pride is when I see all of them know and respect Footprints. It really is a sense of pride to be part of Footprints whether you go on to tap on not. You are going to be a strong powerful person just because of your involvement. You are going to understand working with people, but others who they have admired coming back and saying, “Man they are just burnin’ it up” That’s huge, you know. I love seeing relationships, there’s nothing better. What you (Becca) talked about, that bond and people you’ve known for 25 years, you can’t beat it. Having people that you talk to around the world that know who you are and respect you for your art as kids. These kids are respected around the world and that’s amazing.”

10. What words of advice would you offer to someone who is starting their own tap dance company?

Danielle: “Do it. Nike said it best, Just do it. I would also say that no matter what the outcome is, it’s never a failure. It’s always going to be a learning experience and if it doesn’t work out the first time, that doesn’t mean that it’s a no go. Take whatever you learned and bring it into the next opportunity. This community (tap community) is so big, it needs more growth, it will always need more growth. Anyone trying to start a company makes a difference whether it’s big or small it makes a difference.”

Becca: “Go big or go home. You won’t regret it. Anytime I tell someone I’m a tap dancer they’re like “Oh my God! I love tap! I tap danced when I was 7” and they love it . So I think that anybody who starts a tap company and has something to offer, anybody who joins that tap company will have a good experience whether or not they’re in it for 10 years or 6 months. They will always look back on it and think I was in a tap company and it was great.”

Shelley: “You’ve got to take risks. You’ve got to take chances. You’ve got to invest. You’ve got to know that’s it’s worth the time, the money, and the trouble to go for what you have a vision to do in the field to make it great. Don’t make it mediocre. I hear people saying that tap is a dying art all the time and I’m like man you don’t know my house, you don’t know Talent Forum and Footprints, you don’t know Chicago, you don’t know North Carolina, you don’t know Minnesota, you don’t know Canada, you don’t know Tokoyo, Tap is not a dying art. You’re just not looking in the right place. I think what’s kind of cool about tapis you can start at any age and you can dance until your 80 and there is a bond that you do share. Tap dancers around the world know the shim sham. It’s an international language and when you have it it’s in the pocket. There’s many dances shared and that’s not common in most dance forms. It’s a unique art.”

11. Do you have any current projects the company is working on that you want to promote?

Yes our 25th anniversary show, Tap Jam 2019, is coming up Sunday November 10, 4:30 pm. Vernon Hills High School. Tickets can be purchased online at:

https://27151.danceticketing.com/r/?tid=2036&sid=0&message&fbclid=IwAR3z_S Kov-UDDOP4Txb2O0-tXUDaA8ZeLR8CqMtWn22xyAUt71phtY2wZ0A

Our special guest artist is Star Dixon. We also will have guest performances from Chicago Tap Theatre.

12. Describe your company in one word!

Danielle: Family
Becca: Inclusive
Shelley: Evolutionary

"Tap Attack" Interview by Jo Scanlan

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Interview with Jo Scanlan

Of Tap Attack

1. What is the name of your company?

Tap Attack

 

2. How many years has your company existed? 

12 years

 

3. Where is your company based? 

Tap Attack is based in the UK and we have 4 centres nationwide (North, Midlands, South West and South East).

 

4. What are the age range of the dancers in your company?

We have different programs for the dancers, so our youngest are our Mini Associates who start at age 8 and then we go up to our Senior Associates and Company who are up to 26.

 

5. How often do your dancers meet to rehearse? Perform? 

We have different groups that will train with us: All of our Associates come to us once a month, our Company meets on average every 2 weeks, but depending on what we are working towards can then be once a week and then for the whole weekend. We usually train on Sundays as our dancers come from all over the UK. This is easier as they are all at different points in their lives (some are students at school and college whilst some have also graduated and have jobs).

  

6.  When you began, what was your primary motivation/goal/mission for starting a Tap dance company? 

At the time of my training Europe was still quite quiet on the tap scene so I would travel to America to train. I feel very privelliged to have been able to take classes with some of the best tap dancers that have included Henry Le Tang, Bunny Briggs, Harold Cromer, Fayard Nicholas, Arthur Duncan, Robert Reed. The immediate thing that struck me from spending time with these incredible people was the feeling of being part of something very special. All were equally keen I needed to go back to England and share what I had learnt and from who. I continued to travel for many years and met more teachers who were a big influence including Barbara Duffy, Heather Cornell and Chloe Arnold. These women showed me that I could create something in my own country and have aims and dreams. During this time I wanted dancers in England to experience what I had and be part of a community. The initial goal was just to create workshops that tap dancers could attend and to take these around the UK as so many classes only took place in London. It became apparent quite quickly that some of the dancers wanted to receive more training in tap dance, so after seeing many successful youth companies in America, I hoped I could create similar. I have always loved to teach and share what I love and I would say my goal has always been that and to inspire another generation to continue.

  

7.  As time has moved on, how has that mission evolved? 

Things moved pretty quickly! The 1st year we had just 13 dancers in the company, by year 2 it grew to 25. A couple of years later I realized that as our dancers got better that it was hard for new dancers to successfully auditon and also as I wanted to keep the company fairly small that we were meeting too many dancers with potential and we couldn’t not train them. This lead to the introduction of the Associates program, a monthly training session with a strong focus on technique and musicality and with opportunity to perform with the company once a year. As more dancers began to travel to train with us, we then felt we should go to other areas. This has now resulted in the Associate program being in 4 different areas and with different age groups (Minis, Juniors, Mids and Seniors), taking us up to almost 300 tap dancers.  

 

8. What has been the biggest challenge of starting a dance company? 

Admin! No one ever mentioned that there would be so much admin to do! I love to spend time in the studio creating and teaching rather than being sat in my office but with so many dancers to look after and also so much additional work with workshops and performances for the dancers I do spend a lot of time with my laptop. Thankfully in the 5th year I found the most amazing admin lady to work with me and now I wonder how I even managed before. The other thing that sometimes is tricky is getting the dancers together. With them all living in so many areas of the UK it can be hard to add in additional rehearsals when we have performances coming up.

  

9. What has been your proudest moment in directing this dance company?

There have been a lot of moments over the years, we have performed at some incredible events and on tv but I think my personal proudest moment is the growth in dancers. What I never thought about was if a young dancer joined us that they would then eventually become an adult. I am so proud that so many of our dancers are now teaching and choreographing and working alongside me. At one audition we did I realized that the faculty was actually all former company members and that was a very proud moment. Seeing their passion and them passing their knowledge on to our dancers is very inspiring.

 

10. What words of advice would you offer to someone who is starting their own tap dance company?

Take help that is offered and don’t be too proud. I took along time to accept help as I wanted to do everything myself. There is only so much 1 person can do and by releasing some of the jobs will allow you to spend time on the part you actually love rather than things you aren’t so keen on.

 

11. Do you have any current projects the company is working on that you want to promote?

We are currently working towards our annual Celebration Dinner  Dance, this is a chance for all of our dancers to perform together. Some of the dancers are also training to attend the World Tap Championships at the end of November. Our Company dancers are currently working on an immersive cinema version of Singin’ in the Rain to be performed at different venues in December, they are also working towards a gala which is being held in Italy in November.

 

12. Describe your company in one word! 

Family

"Reverb" Interview by Leah Silva

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Interview with Leah Silva

Of Reverb

1. What is the name of your company?

Reverb Tap Company

 

2. How many years has your company existed? 

We are going into our 5th year!

 

3. Where is your company based? 

Reverb Tap Company is based in Southern California.

 

4. What are the age range of the dancers in your company?

We have dancers ranging in age from 10-20 years old.

 

5. How often do your dancers meet to rehearse? Perform? 

For rehearsals, we meet once a week, often averaging 15-20 hours per month.

We have approximately 10-15 performances throughout the season.

6.  When you began, what was your primary motivation/goal/mission for starting a Tap dance company? 

I was very fortunate to grow up in a time (1990’s) in Southern California, when there were many options for young dancers who wanted more training and opportunity in Tap Dance.  I, myself, was in a youth tap company, “Sound Effects”, led by Christy Hernandez. It was not only an amazing training ground in learning so much about this art form that I ADORE, but also provided WONDERFUL performance opportunities and was instrumental in establishing my connections with other youth, artists, professionals, and mentors.

 

Fast forward to when I became a Mom and my daughter was a young passionate tap dancer herself. I saw something in my daughter Bella which reminded me so much of myself at that age! I wanted a non-competitive space for her that was reminiscent of what I once had.  I looked around to see what was out there that I could get her plugged in to. There was nothing… no youth tap companies in Southern California such as what was available to myself and so many other young budding artists years prior. At that point, I was teaching and choreographing at local dance studios, and had a professional tap company at this time. I was also dealing with a very serious injury and looking for another outlet to express my own creativity. Thus the best “perfect storm” happened.

 

My mission was to create a company dedicated to serving the next generation of tap dancers. To create a space where they could be challenged and their technique could flourish, where they could be in community with other dancers whom are just as passionate about this art form, where they could perform consistently and for audiences of all different backgrounds, where they can be knowledgeable of the masters and be able to learn from them while getting a true sense of their legacy. Where respect for this art form is established by studying footage together with the students, maintaining the integrity of the footwork, teaching historical pieces, and making sure they feel a connection to all whom have come before them and paved the path so they can now stand in their tap shoes with pride. I wanted to pour everything I have learned (and continue to learn) into students whom were hungry for more. Through this process, also then expanding our audience base by having these students become true tap ambassadors and thus exposing more people to the art form we know and love!

 

7.  As time has moved on, how has that mission evolved? 

The mission is the same but we have since added a couple new elements!

 

Over the years, I have recognized a need for more great tap teachers! Teachers whom understand musicality in depth, know how to clearly communicate their ideas to a room of students, and be able to truly teach! This next generation of students are SO smart, and so strong in their own abilities yet come out of years of training often with no idea of how to pass on all that knowledge! We have since implemented a teacher training program to help our students be equipped and ready for a career as a teacher, should they choose that!

 

New to this year, we are adding the element of production! We have seen several of our dancers be interested in film, event planning, etc. We want our dancers to be well rounded entrepreneurs! We will be teaching them the process of building a show and helping them to build their own this year!

 

8. What has been the biggest challenge of starting a dance company? 

 All of the admin… essentially everything outside of the creative process! It truly is a 24/7 job every single day, with no time off.  All the phone calls, emails, production planning, budgeting, scheduling, etc!  We may see the dancers once a week, but we are investing ourselves into their future every single waking moment. When I see these kids growth not only as artists, but as human beings, it makes it all worth it!

 

9. What has been your proudest moment in directing this dance company?

Through the years, the training and hard work of Reverb has allowed the dancers to be recognized and thus represent tap dance to a wider variety of audiences through multiple facets of performances. For example, they were the featured entertainment for the Television Academy’s Emmy Awards Governors Balls, where they danced with live music performing for so many of the entertainment industry.  Their “Hamilton” film was an official selection as well as featured at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

 

When we started this company, we just worked hard with no expectation of where this journey would take us and these students.  We are so proud to look back and already see so much growth and so many places this art form has taken them!

 

10. What words of advice would you offer to someone who is starting their own tap dance company?

Be genuine and open to the process. When you take on starting a company, its more than choreography and being creative. Its more than the steps. Its mentoring, advising, and being a part of your dancers lives.

 

At times, it’s exhausting and defeating. It will often deplete everything you thought you had in you. Remember your purpose. Remember the bigger picture! Keep those moments of growth and positivity tucked closely to your heart when you find yourself going through tough times.

 

Give of yourself humbly to the dancers, so they can share humbly with their audience.

 

11. Do you have any current projects the company is working on that you want to promote?

We have the student developed Reverb Tap Company show coming in 2020! We have a Reverb Tap Company documentary that is in the Post Production stages! We will also be on location shooting our next Reverb Music Video, so be on the lookout!

 

12. Describe your company in one word! 

Community.

"Touche Taps" Interview by Shaina Schwartz

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Interview with
Shaina Schwartz

Of “Touche Taps”

1. What is the name of your company?

 We are “Touche Taps”!

2. How many years has your company existed? 

 This is our 5th season. 

 3. Where is your company based? 

 We are based mainly out of Boston/Greater Boston and we frequently perform in Southern New Hampshire. 

 4. What are the age range of the dancers in your company?

 We have two companies- Touche Taps (19-30yrs) and Touche Teens (12-18yrs) and we perform and rehearse both separately and together depending. 

 5. How often do your dancers meet to rehearse? Perform? 

 We meet 2-3 times a week and have at least one or two shows a month. 

6.  When you began, what was your primary motivation/goal/mission for starting a Tap dance company? 

 When I initially created TT it was mainly an opportunity for young dancers to expand on their tap training outside of their respective dance classes. My first company was 14 kids! I would bring in guest artists for master classes and workshops because at the time I didn’t have the advanced skills down pat and felt like I still had so much to learn (I still feel that way!) I would also perform as a soloist as “Touche Taps” and would invite my friends to come on gigs with me as they came up. 

 7.  As time has moved on, how has that mission evolved? 

 Now I have officially divided the group into two separate companies. TT is adults looking to dance and learn while Touche Teens is more of a training/apprentice program for 4-5 incredible kids. 

8. What has been the biggest challenge of starting a dance company? 

 Fundraising! Fundraising! Even with a budget it feels like there’s never enough. We self produce all of our shows—for our next show I am doing 90% of the choreography as well as writing 60% of the music from scratch with multiple composers. Finding out how to give every person who works with me the monetary honorarium that they deserve is a major strategic endeavor. 

 9. What has been your proudest moment in directing this dance company?

 Every year we have self produced an evening length work, and every year they have gotten tighter and more cohesive. I find that the longer we work together both as dancers and learners, the stronger i become as a leader. Last fall we raised over $2800 for our fall production which has inspired our newest work to be presented this October! 

 10. What words of advice would you offer to someone who is starting their own tap dance company?

Try to dance with your friends first. See what it’s like to lead a group of people you know, trust and admire, to really test your capacity for structure and organization. It’s not just about having #dope choreography! It’s about knowing your stuff backwards and forwards, and being a positive and productive leader.

11. Do you have any current projects the company is working on that you want to promote?

Touche Taps will be performing at Beantown Tap Fest in August and then Our next full production will be in October at the Dance Complex in Cambridge. 

12. Describe your company in one word! 

This is so hard....

- Educational

- Joyful

- Grassroots

"Speaking In Taps" Interview by Aaron Tolson

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Interview with Aaron Tolson

Of Speaking In Taps

1. What is the name of your company?
Speaking in Taps 

2. How many years has your company existed? 
7 years

3. Where is your company based? 
Massachusetts and New Hampshire 

4. What are the age range of the dancers in your company?
9-20

5. How often do your dancers meet to rehearse? 
Twice a month
Perform? 
About once a month 

6.  When you began, what was your primary motivation/goal/mission for starting a Tap dance company? 
When I had my first company I formed it to have people to dance with. What I learned was that there was a need for young tap dancers to be guided down a career path. I then started Speaking in Taps to train young dancers, to help them decide whether they want to be a professional dancer or not. 

7.  As time has moved on, how has that mission evolved? 
It actually hasn’t changed too much. Some people successfully audition for the company and stay for years while others join and realize it’s not for them. The company helps them decide what role tap will play in their lives. 

8. What has been the biggest challenge of starting a dance company? 
At first it was that I was taking on all the responsibility. Over the years, I have improved delegation skills and given my Dance Captains a lot of responsibility. I’ve also learned that this is so important in teaching them leadership skills.


9. What has been your proudest moment in directing this dance company?
There are so many. They (The moments) actually aren’t seeing them perform in big shows like DC Tap Fest or Tap United, but rather the little achievements in rehearsal. Watching them grow and get better is the best. 


10. What words of advice would you offer to someone who is starting their own tap dance company?

I would recommend setting the guidelines before the company is formed. This way expectations are set and people are all on the same page before any problems arise. 

11. Do you have any current projects the company is working on that you want to promote?
May 17th-19th - Our Fabulous Variety Show in East Hampton NY
June 22nd - Concord NH Market Days
August 9th - Beantown Tap Fest in Boston NH
August 10th - Tap United in North Andover MA
November 23rd & 24th - Live Free and Dance Festival

12. Describe your company in one word! 
Fun! 

"Nevertheless, we feel free" (Essay By: Angelica Lasala)

Winning Essay for National Tap Dance Day

May 25th, 2017

By: Angelica Lasala

Last week, on the commute home from work, I call Matt, affectionately known to many in the tap community as "Matt the Shoe Guy," from Dancing Fair.

 

I place an order for new tap boots — my first major purchase after graduating from college.

 

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Lately, I've been thinking a lot about how indebted I am to tap dance, how in the midst of starting my career as a young journalist, I feel like I'm not doing enough to give back to an art form that has given me and countless others around the world so much.

 

I think about all the classes I should be taking, the friends in the tap community I've been meaning to catch up with, my numerous failed attempts to start a manuscript of essays on tap dance and culture.

 

But every day, when I microwave leftovers in the empty office kitchen at my 9-to-5, I improv. The guilt and inadequacy I feel as an imperfect student of this art form dissipate, allowing me to love tap dance as it was meant to be loved: freely.

 

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Matt and I discuss design options. He offers to mail me multiple swatches of brown leather.

 

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A note on freedom:

 

Tap dance is rooted in liberation. African-American slaves worshipped with body percussion when plantation owners took their drums away. Nineteenth-century Irish immigrants and growing Asian and Latinx populations alike transcribed the rhythms of their motherlands, adding their own voices to the art form's narrative.

 

As an American-born Filipina who stuck out in the dance competition world with shorter legs, skin a shade darker than suntanned tights, and eyelashes that didn't curl the way my teammates' did, I found solace in a YouTube video a friend and mentor once showed me.

 

In it, the great Jimmy Slyde says: "The more you swing, the more that you'll find out you have something in common."

 

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I ask Matt if embroidering a volcano on the outside of each heel is possible.

 

"Absolutely," he says.

 

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More on freedom:

 

I've always found it counterintuitive how tap, which creates noise, calms the cacophony of my mind so well.

 

I'm anxious by nature, spewing thoughts and feelings and schemes like lava, quaking like the heart of a volcano when I try to rein it in. Sometimes I hate that I'm like this. Sometimes I try to pretend that I'm a hill instead.

 

Tap dance has taught me not to fight the lava so much — to not fight who I am so much. There's beauty in syncopation, in the ebbs and flows of changing tempos, in the volatility of an unexpected accent.

 

Again, tap dance is rooted in liberation. We owe it to ourselves and this art form we hold dear to not let our self-doubt keep us off the wood.

 

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Matt and I, perfect strangers before this call, end up talking on the phone for around a half hour about the ways in which tap dance and the people in it have enriched our lives.

 

He's got orders to fill; I'm stuck in traffic.

 

Nevertheless, we feel free.

WORKING WITH GREGORY by Barbara Duffy

 

Everyone I know who met Gregory Hines has a story. They remember their experiences of what he said to them and where they were when they first met him. They remember every detail because he had a very personable way about him. He had a way of making everyone feel as though they mattered.

I first met Gregory in 1988, when I was dancing with Brenda Bufalino’s American Tap Dance Orchestra. We were showcasing in a small 42nd Street space and, while we were dancing, Gregory and Honi Coles walked in. My heart raced as two of the great masters of tap came to watch us! Afterward, Gregory shook my hand, looked me straight in the eye, and told me I was a good tap dancer, a thrilling moment for me that I’ll never forget. 

When Gregory taught master classes at Woodpecker’s, home of the American Tap Dance Orchestra, he often asked me to assist him. That’s how I became familiar with his rhythms. (For young people reading, this was way before youtube!) I always loved how he could communicate what he felt through his dancing, whether it was anger, joy, pain—any range of emotions.

In 1996, I received a call from Gregory asking me if I would like to dance with him. Mark Mendonca and Cyd Glover were also going to be in the piece for a TV show presented every year called Gala for the President. He said we would be dancing at the Ford Theatre in Washington, DC, to honor President and Mrs. Bill Clinton. Naturally, I was thrilled that he would ask me. He was so casual about the whole thing, wondering if I was free on those dates. You can bet I was, without a doubt, free on those dates! 

Mark Mendonca, Cyd Glover, Gregory Hines, Barbara Duffy

Mark Mendonca, Cyd Glover, Gregory Hines, Barbara Duffy

I flew out to Los Angeles to rehearse, approximately a month before the gig. We rehearsed for three weeks, about two hours a day. The atmosphere in the studio was always playful and relaxed. Gregory didn’t walk in as the choreographer; rather, we were all tap dancers working out together. He didn’t so much prepare choreography for the rehearsals, but came in with a groove in mind. He created the steps in the moment, from a tune that he liked, maybe something from the band Urban Nights or the composer Phillipe Masques. When he did create a step, he liked to play around with it, trying it in different ways, until he settled on what he thought would work best. 

We ended up using a tune called “See You in July” by The Jazz Masters, again because of the groove, not necessarily the melody. During the rehearsal process, he hired a composer to use that groove and create a new melody that would work with the dance. After hearing many versions, Gregory wasn’t satisfied. With less than a week to go, before the performance, (he was still in LA), Gregory called me and asked me to meet with his composer/pianist Rick Cutler, here in New York. I showed Rick the dance, counted the bars, and he created a beautiful, open, laid-back melody, sometimes even using Gregory’s tap rhythms as backup. The music ultimately had Gregory’s funky feel to it: smooth, relaxed with some solid rock solos. Gregory loved what Rick wrote and decided to call it “Boom.” A great raconteur, Gregory used to say that word, “boom”, a lot when he told stories.

“Boom” contains a lot of turns and classic Gregory moves, such as his backward turn with his leg up in the air and his rhythmic variation on a pressed third (which is a ball–heel–heel, also called a three-beat cramp roll). He loved to repeat his patterns. I’ve never heard anyone hear rhythm like Gregory could. He often began a phrase on the two of the bar, rather than the one. He also had some “simple” steps that are very open with lots of space, but rhythmically complex. He’d take a step and put it into a triplet, move it to a double time pattern in a kind of a roll, then come out of it with something hard hitting, using it as punctuation.

During the piece, he gave all of us, including himself, a chance to solo and improvise, but overall, there was always a feeling of ensemble dancing, like he was one of us, and all four of us were part of an entire group experience. Gregory was a total non-diva, a true team player in “Boom.”

It seemed like endless waiting until we got on stage. I should have been a nervous wreck, dancing with Gregory, and on live national television for the President of the United States! But because of his relaxed manner, I wasn’t nervous at all! He was joking around with us and exuded such confidence in us, that we knew we were just going to go out there and hit! Our ensemble was tight and we blended very well, with our individual styles coming through in Gregory’s choreography. The audience interrupted the piece with applause in various parts of the four-minute dance and we could see that President and Mrs. Clinton were obviously pleased. I’ll always remember that performance as one of the best experiences I’ve ever had onstage.

Gregory didn’t choreograph that often, (as he was more of an improviser). For him to include us in this prestigious event, when he had the option to perform by himself, showed that he wanted so much for tap dance to be seen and recognized. “Boom” presented a variety of ethnic backgrounds to the country —Gregory and Cyd, African-Americans; Mark, Asian and Portuguese; and myself, a white New Englander—as well as men and women dancing together, yet not partnering, á la Fred and Ginger. At the time, it felt very modern, very new, which was always what Gregory wanted to do to keep the art form moving forward. It said so much about his dedication to and vision of tap.

I learned a lot more about his process when we were working on a segment for The Gregory Hines Show, his weekly TV series in 1998. I was his assistant choreographer and we worked a long time on patterns of steps. He kept changing them, until finally settling on a particular flow. The next day he came and told me he wasn’t going to use any of it! During that show, part of my job was to remember everything. So, when he decided not to use that pattern of steps, I didn’t focus on it. I had plenty else to remember. Then, three days later, he’d casually say, “Barbara, what was that combination we were all doing the other day?” Gregory definitely kept me on my toes and it was fabulous! The episode contained small segments of tap, which included the whole cast, not just the tap dancers. For a half hour episode, it showed a lot of tap dancing! You can see a clip on youtube : https://youtu.be/EYvrBJbykkg

Gregory Hines was generous, open minded, funny as hell, an actor and singer, but always a tap dancer first, always danced from his heart, expressing what he felt in such a genuine way that he was loved by audiences all over the world….AND is to this day, still inspiring tap dancers from all over the world. Even though he passed away too soon, he is with me every day, especially when I have my shoes on. 

GREGORY HINES WEEK

GREGORY HINESFEBRUARY 14, 1946-AUGUST 9, 2003

GREGORY HINES

FEBRUARY 14, 1946-AUGUST 9, 2003

Gregory Hines was born February 14th, 1946.  Every year in honor of this great man's birthday, Operation:Tap dedicates a week solely to Gregory Hines.  Gregory Hines' Week.  Gregory's career accomplishments as a dancer and artist are very well documented.  But for this year we'd like to look at the inspiration that Gregory was as a person and a performer.  He touched thousands of lives and inspired so many to pursue careers in the arts, especially generations of tap dancers.

I'm one of those people.  I only met Gregory Hines one time. That's it, once.  When I was 16 I took his class at a studio in NYC called Woodpecker's.  He was teaching a master class at one of their intensives and I was thrilled when I was able to sign up.  I had only known who Gregory Hines was for a year or so.  The style of tap that I learned from the ages 3-15 was more of a musical theater style of tap.  Lots of arms and lots of sequins.  When I was 16 the studio I attended hired a new tap teacher named, Susan Hebach.  Susan was the first person to ever teach me rhythm tap.  She also gave me a VHS after class one day and said to go home and watch this.  It was a recording of a PBS special entitled, "Tap Dance In America."  This video changed my life.  Within 5 minutes of watching Gregory Hines dance I was hooked and I started to scream, "Mom, Mom come here and look at this guy!  He's got no arms and no sequins!" My Mom, who was also a dancer, sat and watched the whole special with me.  I must have watched it hundreds of more times after that trying to learn all of the steps.  But it was literally during that video I knew I wanted to be a tap dancer.  The style of tap and the uniqueness of all the performers, most of all Gregory, really had a profound affect on me.  I danced my whole life but never really identified with a particular style until that day.  I became obsessed with tap dancing and I started to shape my training and life to becoming a professional tap dancer.  

I truly doubt I would have ever pursued the career path I did without seeing that video of Gregory Hines that day.  That's how far reaching and inspiring his talent was.  He was like a super hero to me and I'm very grateful to him for inspiring me to become a tap dancer.  After watching Gregory Hines, I couldn't figure out why anyone would ever want to be anything else.

MUSIC IDEAS FOR CHOREOGRAPHY-VOLUME 1

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Another season of competition is almost upon us, and if you're like me, you're swimming in a sea of choreography.  It feels like we just finished last year's material, doesn't it?  Never the less, it's time to download the latest version of iTunes and start searching.  The never ending search for new and inspiring music to tap dance to continues.  

One of my biggest fears is walking into a rehearsal without a solid musical idea.  You know, when you've searched the whole night before but just can't find anything you love.  Sometimes it seems like the harder you look the more hopeless it gets.  

For Musicality Monday I thought it would be helpful to give you my 3 favorite artists that I can always go to when nothing else is inspiring me.  These 3 artists all have different styles but have multiple albums and tracks that are great for choreography.  

1. RODRIGO Y GABRIELA

Rodrigo y Gabriela (Rodrigo and Gabriela) are a Mexican acoustic guitar duo whose music is influenced by a number of genres including nuevo flamencorock, and heavy metal. The duo's recordings consist largely of instrumental duets on the classical guitar.  They have released five studio albums, three live albums and one EP.  Their music is a lot of fun to tap dance to.  As a choreographer, they give you very strong and interesting rhythms to work with.

My favorite tracks: Buster Voodoo, Diablo Rojo, Tamacun, Hanuman                                                     

2. POSTMODERN JUKEBOX

Postmodern Jukebox, also widely known by the acronym PMJ, is a rotating music collective founded by arranger and pianist Scott Bradlee in 2011. PMJ is known for reworking popular modern music into different vintage genres, especially early 20th century forms such as swing and jazz.  They cover tons of popular songs in a style that is very conducive to tap dancing.  

My Favorites:  Thrift Shop, Lean On, Criminal, Straight Up

3. BOYCE AVENUE

Boyce Avenue is an American Rock Band made up of three  brothers.  They mainly do covers of popular songs with an acoustic rock feel.  They arrange and perform the songs in a way that the vocals, acoustic guitar and taps blend really well together.  They've released 15 cover EPs since 2007.

My Favorites: Lovestones, Fast Car, Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall, Glad You Came

 

These three artists all have dozens of songs that would make great tap pieces.  The covers really work well with the younger generation because they're songs they know but are done in a new and interesting way.  Hopefully these artists will help you choose music this season and keep tap dancing fresh and exciting at your studio and competitions this year!

 

 

 

What Is Your Intention?

 

As Choreographer Challenge II gets under way this coming week I wanted to do a brief article about choreographic intention in tap dance. As defined by Webster intention is the thing that you plan to do or achieve : an aim or purpose. In tap dance the choreographic intention that is almost always the driving force is the music and how this musicality informs the dancing. This happens so often, and for very good reason. We hear a rhythm, a groove, a melody, phrasing, dynamic choices, and stylizations of music that inspires us to use certain vocabulary in our dancing to blend with the choices of the musicians. So this begs the question does this make us a choreographer or a musical arranger? What other forms can intention take in tap choreography and can another intention ever take precedence over the musical intention? What flow or order does your intention take? I think that these are complicated questions, that deserve pause and thought by all of the choreographers who are thinking of entering into this challenge. Here are some other points of intention to think about when you are creating your new work as I share some examples of my process in choreography.  

 

HISTORY FOLLOWED BY MUSIC

Another way to inspire your work is tap dance's rich and bold history. Choosing to frame your dance in the work or style of one of tap dance's great artists will allow for you to give your work context and also pay homage to the great dancers of our history. For my piece that I choreographed on SYTYCD last year I decided that I wanted to make the dance an homage to the great dancers of Hollywood Film. I used influences, pieces of vocabulary, concepts, props, and performance qualities of several dancers to make this piece. Influences included Bill Robinson, The Nicholas Brothers, The Miller Brothers and Lois, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, and Eleanor Powell. These decisions made all prior to picking out the music and the dancers studied these dancers meticulously in rehearsal. The result was one of the stronger dances I have created for this show and this was all because I allowed the history before the musical choices.

 

MUSIC FOLLOWED BY HISTORY

 

In the short film that Ayodele and I made last year The Text, we followed this example. In the actual choreographing of the steps we made this piece just based solely off of the beautiful music of Oscar Peterson. Ayodele and I spent over a year in the studio tinkering with the melodies, phrasing, and sophistication of Oscar’s arrangement of Cheek to Cheek. We decided that we wanted to make the dance into a short film but we didn’t know how we would do it. Upon much reflection and collaboration we arrived at a “historical” conclusion. Both of us were inspired to start tap dancing by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, we would select a era specific ballroom to shoot the dance in, shoot the dance in one take and aspect ratio of those films, and stylize the look of the film to match a Fred and Ginger movie of the 1930’s RKO Studios. The dancing and steps are totally and absolutely “music driven” however the sentiment and stylization is historical. Which one comes first in your process matters and will arrive you at a different conclusion. 

 

EMOTION FOLLOWED BY MUSIC

 

I am currently working on a new short dance film that is titled, the inneR piecE. This piece is being made for film but is being discovered through improvisation in live performance. I have currently performed the live version at Soul to Sole Tap Festival and 25 LIVE at Dancerpalooza. This particular piece was born out of my need to deal with some deeply personal issues. I was struggling with them in my life and for me the best therapy is to set the struggles I have down in the dances that I make. This led me to two beautiful pieces of music, Maria by: Oscar Peterson and Threnody by: Goldmund. The music spoke to the nature of my emotion and in live performance I gear the scope of my intention as an improviser based on these specifics emotional thoughts. How they manifest themselves in movement and in sound is the surprise element of the piece. I am hoping to use the recordings of both of these performances to create the choreography that surrounds this short film. I am excited for this project because I am allowing my intention to flow in an order it ordinarily would not flow. Typically I would allow the music to dictate what steps I choose and how I phrase them. What steps and phrasing I choose would dictate my emotional feeling. In this case, I already feel what emotion the piece requires me to feel, and I allow this to filter through the musical choice and steps that I am choosing. I can’t wait to film this in December and share it with you all next year. It might be terrible and it might be the worst thing I have ever made. The prospect of changing the scope, order, and nature of my process excites me. Remember this in those moments when you feel stuck in your own choreography. Try something in a different order, with a different approach, or something you wouldn’t ordinarily do. You will be so excited by the results even if they are not the greatest and most likely you will no longer be stuck and find a route to an exciting piece of choreography!

LINK TO PERFORMANCE FROM DANCERPALOOZA!

https://www.facebook.com/amorigeratotap/videos/vb.27101954/10100111231223802/?type=2&theater

So what is your intention behind the choreography that you create? What flow or order does your intention take? Contribute to the conversation on our Facebook page and try your hand out in Choreographer Challenge II…If you have a thought, if you have an urge, or if you have the desire to be a creative person…you should act on that today and not wait for anyone to tell or give you the permission to be creative. It is your right as a human being and as an artist! Go Forth with Intention and Create! -AM

Letter To The Master: Gene Kelly

“You dance love, and you dance joy, and you dance dreams." Gene Kelly

 

Dear Mr. Kelly,

 

To say that you are my hero is no understatement. I wanted to be you. I still want to be you. Your work is the reason I am a professional dancer today. Your work is a standard by which I measure everything I choreograph, everything I produce, and everything I work on. I am still trying and working to get into that space and up to that standard that you so effortlessly occupied in all you did. 

 

I remember my mother buying the movie Singin In The Rain for me when I was 7 years old. To that point in my young life I thought Fred Astaire was the greatest dancer I had ever seen. I can remember like it was yesterday seeing you for the first time dancing so effortlessly through that replica rain storm, hanging off that lamp post, and skipping up and down that curbside. After seeing that movie for a large portion of my youth, there was no one else but you. I watched Singin In The Rain everyday after school, I could recite every word of the movie, I wrote every dance step from the movie in a note book, I practiced the steps everyday, I asked Santa Clause to bring me a pair of your tap shoes, and you took the place of the greatest dancer to that point I had ever seen. I still get choked up every time I see you turn around, smile at that cop, and sing, “I am dancin and singin in the rain.” It moves me so deeply because that moment locks and incapsulates the dreams of my entire childhood and seeing it today gives me such a sense of gratitude, humility, and reinvigorates the possibility of dreaming where I want to go today.

 

To start I was so impressed with you as a dancer. As I started to get older I learned of your work as a choreographer, as a director, and as a producer. The innovations, the quality, the boundaries you pushed, and again the standard that your work resides in is of the highest order. Your status in my mind grew not only because of your dancing but because of the control over your work that you projected in front of and behind the camera. The Worry Song, The Alter Ego Dance, The American in Paris Ballet, The Broadway Melody Ballet, and so many others stand as an example of what dance on film should be, what vision from pre-production through collaboration to the final product looks like, and most importantly what the strive for artistic perfection should embody. Your works, your versatility, your genius has stood the test of time and every year that passes you become more celebrated. As a dancer and as an artist this makes my soul burst with joy. 

 

I remember that you passed away two days before my 11th Birthday. I remember that it was a cold February day. I remember my mom telling me. I remember feeling so sad that I would never get to meet you, that I would never get to dance for you, or that I would never be able to deliver the sentiments that are in this letter to you personally. I had the privilege to meet your wife Patricia a few years ago at a show I was dancing in. To have met her after that show and for her to give me such kind praise gave me a small sense in that moment of closure on an old wound that subconsciously will never heal. Meeting someone who was close to you, who cared for you, and shared in life with you was and still is one of the most joyful meetings of another human being I have experienced. I profoundly wish you could have attended that show with her, that I could have met you, and danced for you too. 

 

In the end, I will never achieve anything that closely resembles your work. I will strive to for as long as I am an artist. However it isn’t the artistic perfection I seek. I only hope that when my career is done and that I am long gone that I will have inspired the dreams of just one young person in the same fashion that you inspired mine. If that is at all a possibility, my life as an artist will have been one that I am truly proud of. I thank you for your work, your life, and your contributions to the dreams of so many.

 

With profound love and respect,

Anthony Morigerato    

 

Is There An Epidemic of Not Keeping Time?

Almost always the posts made by Operation: Tap focus on the positive aspects of tap dancing, the great success stories of our masters, and the cheerleading of our current artists. I wanted to take the opportunity today to make a blog post on a topic that is of great concern to me and to the education of the young dancers that are coming up in tap dance. The question I am posing is, “is there an epidemic among young dancers in a seemingly widening gap in being able to keep and hold time?” If I had to answer this question based on the last year of traveling and teaching I would say that there absolutely is. I am writing this article today because of the danger I feel that it poses within tap education in the dance studio environment. 

 

When I was 16 years old I was musically awakened into tap dance and ever since that day I have focused on the nuances of keeping time and the kind of musicality it takes in becoming a more musical dancer. It is hard work, especially if it does not come naturally. It requires focus, self reflection, self correction, and most importantly to seek out information and knowledge that will be helpful in the quest to become more musical. At 31, I only am starting to really feel the results of all of these years of work paying off in performances and improvisation. These small and infrequent moments of true musical proficiency keep me practicing and keep me striving to become more musical and as I improve the ceiling for what is possible becomes higher. Having teachers who made it a priority to be musical, to count, to work on shading/dynamics, and be proficient in all of the areas of tap dance have formed my world view not only as a tap dancer but as an educator.

 

I have been doing some reflecting as of late. This reflection has led me to thinking about the work I do with my students and what topics and energy I want to spend in my classes. The conclusion is that for the most part the young dancers coming up in tap have an exceptional weakness in this area. The interest in the topic is non existent and the proficiency for many is at a beginner level. I am encouraging all tap teachers this year to focus on the topics of keeping time, meter, note values, counting, song forms, improvisation, musical entrances and exits, and the connection of the dancers musical facility to their technical one. This will mean having to slow down and it may mean that we ourselves as teachers have to improve on our own ability to keep time and possibly learning some basic musical knowledge.   

 

I have to say for the record that an advanced student in tap dancing is not someone who only knows “a lot of steps.” An advanced student in tap dancing is someone who is rooted in the musical understandings of the dance, a sense of history, and a connection to vocabulary that justifies the first two points. In many “advanced” classes recently I have had to slow the work down to a crawl because the students:

 

  1. Could not keep time.
  2. Have never heard the expression, “keeping time” and what it means to a tap dancer and their dancing.
  3. An inability to hear where the “one” is or maintain where it is.
  4. A lack of basic musical knowledge as it pertains to what rhythms they are playing and what song form they are playing in.
  5. An inability to count both the meter and/or the number of bars that they are working on.

 

If as a tap dancer you are struggling to understand what any of these sentences mean there is probably a strong probability that the quality of your training and dancing is suffering as a result of not focusing on the musical aspects of the dance. Tap dance is sound and movement, you can not have one without the other and it still be tap dance. I am pleading for focus in this area because it will be of great benefit.

 

For our part at Operation: Tap we will be focusing starting in the Fall on more Musicality Monday exercises to assist in this area and to bring on more guest artists who can lend their expertise to our group. Let’s make the 2016-2017 dance season a musical one. Lets put the focus on the perspective of growing our technique and musicality hand in hand.  

"Who Do You Listen To?"

So many people are always asking me, “what jazz artists do you have on your iTunes and who do you recommend that I can dance to for improvisation?” This question screams for a MUSICALITY MONDAY blog post on the subject. Today I am going to dive into 6 jazz pianists that all tap dancers should have a selection of on their iTunes and you should be listening for on a regular basis. These by no means are the only musicians but they are my recommendations to get you started in listening to jazz piano, ENJOY!

 

Art Tatum (1909-1956)

I would venture to use the analogy that Art Tatum is the Michael Jordan of jazz piano, widely considered to be an innovator in many areas that reverberate in music even to this day. His phenomenal technique coupled with his harmonic intuition provided for a virtuosic style that to this day has rarely been matched. Using stride techniques and classical training Tatum lead a generation of musicians that focused on improvisation and dovetailed into the Bebop era and after. Oscar Peterson (also on this list) said of Art Tatum, “"If you speak of pianists, the most complete pianist that we have known and possibly will know, from what I've heard to date, is Art Tatum.”

Anthony’s Recommended Tunes By Art Tatum: Tea For Two, Sweet Lorraine, and Tiger Rag

 

Nat King Cole (1919-1965)

Often regarded as one of the greatest vocalists of all time, Nat King Cole is also one of jazz’s great piano players. Known for simple yet elegant phrasing and an impeccable sense of time Cole’s standards are among my favorites to just purely sit and listen too. Oscar Peterson said of Cole’s playing, “he just didn’t know what to play he knew what to leave out.” There is something to think about! Just recently purchase 100 songs of Nat King Coles in the iTunes store for only $40, an amazing deal and even more amazing music! 

Anthony’s Recommended Tunes By Nat Cole: Blues in My Shower, Straighten Up and Fly Right, and Easy Listening Blues

Oscar Peterson gives a piano lesson!

*Oscar Peterson (1925-2007)

Recently speaking to a friend of mine in Texas whose Dad is a musician and composer said, “There is something about tap dancers and Oscar Peterson, they just love him!” How true a statement there is. Oscar’s phrasing, his technique, and his spirit all scream for a tap dancer to please tap dance to his music. I personally advise all of my students who want to learn about how to choreograph a phrase melodically to listen to Oscar. “"Technique is something you use to make your ideas listenable", he once told jazz writer Len Lyons. "You learn to play the instrument so you have a musical vocabulary, and you practice to get your technique to the point you need to express yourself, depending on how heavy your ideas are.” 

Anthony’s Recommended Tunes By Oscar Peterson: Maria, Hymn To Freedom, and Tenderly

Anthony and Ayodele dance to Oscar!

Dave Brubeck (1920-2012)

Dave Brubeck isn’t personally one of my favorite players in jazz but his contributions in mixed meter playing are not to be discounted. Mike Minery told me when I was 16 years old that if I wanted to learn about other time signatures outside of 4/4 to purchase Brubeck’s album Time Out. This is a must for all tap dance students because it will be the most friendly way of learning about other time signatures outside common time. I have personally choreographed almost all of the tunes on the Time Out album and I count all of those experiences as valuable when I am on stage or at work in the studio. 

Anthony’s Recommended Tunes By Dave Brubeck: Take Five, Unsquare Dance, and Far More Blues

Dave Brubeck plays the standard Take Five!

Bill Evans (1929-1980)

Tap dancer Jason Janas recently got me into Bill Evans, I wasn’t always super connected to his playing. In fact as I write this I am reminded that I bought him an Evans’ vinyl LP as a present for getting me into him! Bill Evans harmonic invention is a contribution to jazz playing that is still inspired by today’s players. Do yourself a favor, before you dance to his music make sure that you really take the time to LISTEN to him, and in fact you should do that with all of these players on this list if you are unfamiliar with their work. Get used to their voice, how they shape a tune, and use their considerable skill to communicate!

Anthony’s Recommended Tunes By Bill Evans: Just by the album Portraits in Jazz and by done with it!

Herbie Hancock (1940-Present)

Herbie Hancock is one of the first jazz piano players to introduce synthesizers and electric instruments into his playing. For me his tune Chameleon is always a favorite to improvise and work out new ideas. It is a long tune, but the vamp and the groove is consistent to give you the work on your ideas. In 2013, Hancock was awarded at the Kennedy Center for achievements in the performing arts.

Anthony’s Recommended Tunes By Herbie Hancock: Cantaloupe Island, the entire Maiden Voyage album, and Chameleon. 

As I make this list of amazing jazz piano players I am reminded of so many other amazing players. Here is Part 1 of many to come! Hope this list will expand your jazz piano horizons, HAPPY MONDAY!


*One of our OPTAP PREMIUM classes features Oscar Peterson and Milt Jackson in a delicious blues, sign up today for the free trial to dance with me to this spectacular music! operationtap.com/optap-premium

SUMMER IS HERE! How are you staying sharp?!

Summer officially began on June 21st and school is letting out all over the nation! So many dancers ask me over the course of the summer what they can be doing to stay in shape until their studio starts up the fall session. Here are my TOP 5 suggestions for staying in shape all summer long:

 

  1. ATTEND A TAP INTENSIVE, FESTIVAL, or WORKSHOP!

 

There are soooooo many festivals and tap focused events going on this summer! I guarantee there is at least one that is within driving distance of you in the US going on.  SLIDE (Long Beach), Tap City (NYC), SO FLO Tap Fest (Florida), LA Tap Fest (LA), TAPademics (St. Louis), Motor City Tap Fest (Michigan), Jersey Tap Fest (New Jersey), Tap United (Boston), Third Coast Summer Tap Festival (San Antonio), and Tap Kids (Vermont) are just a few of the amazing events going on across the country. Attending a workshop will give you information, inspiration, and fuel for going back to your new season at your studio. As a teacher I can always tell the students who have taken the summer off and the students who trained throughout the summer months!

 

2. STUDY FOOTAGE!

 

One of the best ways to improve as a tap dancer is to study other tap dancers. So often during the school year my students are in over their head with homework, band rehearsal, soccer practice, prom planning committee, AP classes, Yearbook, NHS, nightly dance classes, and chess club that the dedicated study of tap dance footage is pushed off. The summer months when you have down time again is the perfect opportunity to study as much footage as possible! There is no excuse, YouTube is a wealth of information. If you don’t know where to start check out OPTAP’s VIDEO REWIND playlist to get you started. Dedicate 30 minutes every morning or every evening before you sleep to this and your cup will over flow with inspiration.

 

3. OPEN YOURSELF UP TO NEW KINDS OF MUSIC!

 

Adding new music, world music, more jazz, alternative music, or just the opposite of what you listen to on a regular basis can be a hugely influential practice for tap dancers. Take the summer to enhance your musical horizons as you will have the time to do so. Practicing tap dancing is not just going into a studio and practicing steps. It is exposing your musical mind to different thoughts, sounds, rhythms, grooves, tones, and ideas. Make this summer be one that you challenge your musical ear. At the end of your practice sessions shuffle your NEW MUSIC and force yourself to improvise to a new tune or new feel. You will be surprised at the doors that open to you!

 

4. CREATE!

 

Have you ever felt the need to choreograph? Make a short dance film? These things take time and the summer is the perfect time to get together with a friend and create a project. You don’t need permission to be creative…you need time and dedication. The summer will give you the time, decide to give yourself the dedication it takes in creating something new. Post it on the OPTAP Facebook page and see how many people you will touch with your new creation.

 

5. PERSONAL PRACTICE!

 

At the end of the day nothing will ever beat going into a studio and practicing on your own. Set goals for your practice sessions and make it be something you make as part of your summer schedule. If you don’t know what to practice start with some of the OPTAP Technique Tuesday’s that are at your level. There are over 100 FREE Videos on our YouTube page, see how many of them you can master. In addition OPTAP PREMIUM has over 6 hours of amazing classes available now at the click of button, don't miss that opportunity as well! Take a certain amount of time every session and improvise. You will find that the more you practice, the more you will want to practice. Ask any tap dancer what advice they would give in becoming proficient at this dance, most likely it will include this tip.

 

HAPPY SUMMER EVERYONE!

 

 

 

FESTIVAL FEATURE- TAP LABS with HEATHER CORNELL

Tap Labs is a great opportunity for tap dancers to think about tap dancing in a whole new way.  I was a competition kid who loved tap but had little knowledge of music or dancing with live musicians.  On the recommendation of Germaine Salsberg I attended one of Heather's Tab Labs in 1996.  It was one of the few pivotal moments in my dancing that propelled me to becoming a professional tap dancer.  I struggled the whole time and had to practice every night to keep up.  Heather approaches tap dancing in a very intellectual way and coming from 2 minute competition routines it was training I desperately needed.  After that intensive I was lucky enough to be asked by Heather to be an apprentice in her company, Manhattan Tap.  I call working with Heather my college education and cherish that time in my life.  

Here is how Heather describes Tab Labs.

Three Weeks Aug. 4- 8, 10-14 and 17-21. Come for one, two or three weeks. 10 students maximum per week. 30 hours of classes per week.

Why a Tap Lab? I started my intensives 25 years ago in an effort to morph the way that we were studying and teaching tap. After studying with my mentors in the studio and on stage (Charles Cookie Cook, James Buster Brown, Steve Condos, Eddie Brown, Chuck Green and Harriet Browne), starting my company, Manhattan Tap, and meeting and working with my music mentor, bassist Ray Brown, I realized that if I wanted to really present tap dance, I was going to have to train the dancers in thinking and creating as a musician/dancer. And that doesn't happen in a two hour master class. So I started teaching intensives with my musicians, to get a dialogue going about how we connect, to spend time listening and learning and to give the students time to create and discover their own unique voice.

Heather and Ray Brown

Heather and Ray Brown

25 years later, I'm refining the focus. If you are looking for a direction, wanting to feed yourself in a supportive community, wanting to try out ideas, wanting to share ideas, or just soak in wisdom, then this is where you want to be. My musicians and I will mentor, but we won't tell....we'll encourage you to take risks, to listen deeply and to discover new roads to travel. And we'll play a lot of music...physical music.

Week one: Musical Tap Composition Week two: Enhancing your Solo Voice Week three: Teacher's Week

Interested: Check out more info at : www.manhattantap.org

"Heather Cornell you've inspired and gave hope to so many of us - It is thanks to you that I truly found my passion and felt that it was possible - thank you for making people realize that they are good enough and should cherish their gift" Student, Geneviève Cleary, Montreal, Canada

"Taking part in a 2 week intensive with Heather Cornell opened a new door for me in tap, and has had a great and very constructive impact on my approach to what I do. Free your mind, and the rest will follow! I was so lucky to be there!", Student, Janne Eraker,, Norway

Links:
Tap Love Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour/episode-12-heather-cornell-making-music-dance

Tap Love Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkuTMvx2Py0

Making Music Dance CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/makingmusicdance

Facebook Groups: Heather Cornell’s Rhythm Tap Percussion Updates Making Music Dance

WHAT DO THE JUDGES THINK?

BEING A TAP CHOREOGRAPHER FOR COMPETITION IS NOT ALWAYS EASY.  A LOT OF TIMES THERE ISN'T EVEN A TAP JUDGE ON THE PANEL.  EVEN WHEN THERE IS, IT'S HARD FOR THE JUDGES TO REALLY CRITIQUE THE PIECES WHILE THEY ARE HAPPENING IN REAL TIME.  THEY CAN USUALLY TELL YOU WHAT'S WRONG AT THAT MOMENT BUT HARDLY EVER GET A CHANCE TO TELL THE TEACHERS AND THE DANCERS WHAT THEY ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR.   WHAT'S THEIR PHILOSOPHY? WHAT DO THEY EXPECT OUT OF YOUR CHOREOGRAPHY AND YOUR DANCERS? HERE IS THE POINT OF VIEW OF 4 JUDGES WHO'VE COLLECTIVELY JUDGED FOR OVER A DOZEN DANCE COMPETITIONS AND CONVENTIONS.  

HERE'S WHAT THE JUDGES THINK.

JASON JANAS

JASON JANAS

1. First I look for organization. Are they clean when they walk out on stage. Prepared? Focused? Confident? 

2. The beginning of the dance is crucial because it's a first impression. Choose your first phrase or step or idea wisely. 

3. Timing is major. Rushing is a big big "NO"

4. Clarity of steps or the language of the dance is vital. If it's not it shows that your not prepared and/or sloppy and you cannot be understood.

5. Then we get to how the piece is choreographed to the music. You shouldn't do the exact same steps to a swing tune the exact same way you would dance to a Latin song. 

6. Then we get to the range of the stows or phrases. How creative is the choreography and do the dancers look good doing the choreography. Sometimes the steps are there but the rest of the body is almost forgotten. And relaxed and forgotten are two very different things. 

7. I love to watch tap dance and to hear it. Lots of times just a clean (doesn't have to be crazy hard) well thought out tap dance is more than enough to make me smile from ear to ear!!

SARAH FAZIO

SARAH FAZIO

Things I look for in a tap piece at competition-

1. I find it very important that a tap dance be filled with a large tap vocabulary. I often take off points for dances where the majority of the routine is jazz dancing with just a few tap steps in it. You need almost all of the dance to have footwork involved to make it a true tap routine.
2. I want the transitions to be many different kinds of steps and rhythms. I feel the flap in often overused as the only step for transition. There are many ways to move from place to place. You can actually move any step in any direction at anytime. Try teaching a 16 count combination of steps and have the students practice moving it in all directions. That will make it very easy for them to move any step in a routine.
3. Make sure that if you have 2 separate sections where the dancers are doing totally different step that the sounds are compatible. If you have too many things happening at once you end up with sound over load and the entire thing becomes mushy. The two groups have to reference each other and somehow connect while being different.
4. Remember when tap dancing that I can see you and hear you. Both your look, costume and formations need to be a complete package with your feet. You need to look as good as you sound and sound as good as you look.  
5. Most importantly, make sure to have the gift of rhythm and silence. Often people will put so many steps into a dance that it is constant sound which will take away the rhythm and syncopation of the sound. Silence every once is awhile, or a break in rhythm will make what you are doing much more complex. Find your pocket, have some shading, and be sure to surprise my ears.

RYAN FOLEY

RYAN FOLEY

     As a Professional tap dancer I will admit that there is quite a difference between the competitive world and the professional world of tap dancing. When I have the opportunity to adjudicate at a competition there are definitely certain things I look for. One is not more important to me than the other. They are all equally the same. They all contribute equally to tap dance and are in my mind major players in honoring this art form in the way we should and in the way our pioneers did in the past.

TIME: It is so imperative that we as tap dancers professional or not hold time. We need to find the pulse and hold onto it, from the beginning to the end. Without it we are lost, along with our audience and if you’re lucky enough the musicians your playing with. Time is the foundation to build from, weather it’s improve or choreographery time is everything.

RHYTHM & PHRASING:  To me this is “the conversation” weather lifting a section of a tune or laying something down over top. Rhythm & Phrasing (what you are saying) is so important and something I feel there’s not enough of in competitions.  

TECHNIQUE:  I think this is pretty much self explanatory. Without technique we wouldn’t understand the rhythms or phrasing, weather you were in time or not it wouldn’t matter. Bad technique leads to sounds missed and sloppy conversations. This why THE PRACTICE is very important.

SWING & SYNCOPATION:   Again something I wish I heard more of in competition. Swing and syncopation give a tap dancer and a tap routine an entire different dimension and feel.   Something that needs to be felt and taught and something I feel is very important as a tap dancer.

GROOVE:  This is last on my list but most definitely not least. In fact it’s one of my favorite’s. Groove is the soul of the dance, it’s what makes me sit up and listen. True passion brings out true groove and it can’t be taught except shown by those who have it. I could go on and on about this subject but to truly sum up groove...

The era...the 1960’s

The place...Fells Point Baltimore

The tap dancer... my all time favorite Baby Laurence in “An Afternoon in percussion” It’s up on YouTube thanks to tap dancer Jumaane Taylor and definitely worth the watch!

JUSTIN LEWIS

JUSTIN LEWIS

In a tap piece what I generally look for is entertainment and sheer value of the piece. When I judge tap dancers, sometimes it's easy to look past the performance as a whole and just focus on the technique. Technique is extremely important in the art form considering every sound is able to be heard and seen at the same time. The technique for tap dancers is like any other style of dance. It takes years of practice, But the great thing about it is that tap dancers can create new and innovative steps/combinations where as you can't necessarily do that in any other dance form. This means the performance level should come at a higher caliber and should help improve the visual aspect to a judge. Generally, tap dancers get looked over at competitions because the judges are so focused on the footwork as opposed to the entire picture. It's not just about the feet but about the performance as a whole. I applaud competitions who seek out tap judges because they know it is a very important piece of the puzzle in ones dance training and helps to gauge a better grasp on becoming a well rounded dancer. 

FESTIVAL FEATURE- TAPademics

OPTAP had the opportunity to catch up with Anthony Russo and talk about Tapademics! 

OPTAP: Where is  TAPademics  hosted this year? When will it be taking place?

TA:  TAPademics is being held at the Performing Arts Centre in St Charles, MO August 5-7, 2016  (15min from STL airport) 1540-A Country Club Plaza Dr. St Charles, MO 63303  (636) 946-6787. 

OPTAP: How many years has TAPademics been taking place? 

TA: TAPademics is celebrating its 11th year here in St Charles.    

OPTAP: What for you makes TAPademics a unique experience among all of the events available to tap dancers?

TA:  One thing we focus on when organizing the festival is the diversity and professionalism of our faculty.  Students gain an understanding that variety and balance are important in creating a unique and productive learning environment.  

OPTAP: Who will be apart of the faculty this year? 

TA: Our faculty line-up this year consists of Anthony J Russo (Director), Chris Erk, Kaelyn Gray, Justin Myles, and Jumaane Taylor.

OPTAP: What level of tap dancer and age is this event geared towards? 

Chris Erk, Anthony Russo, and Jumaane Taylor!

TA: We have two levels of classes during the workshop; Beginner/Intermediate (10-13) and Advanced (14+).  In addition we offer a Sunday Mini program for kids 7-9, and the Parent Tap Class is on Saturday afternoon.  We provide age levels as a guide, but we encourage students to take class in the level where they feel most comfortable.  

OPTAP: Are there performance opportunities for the participants? or a Performance for the participants to attend?

TA: The workshop kicks off with a Friday night open level class followed by a concert with The StepHounds, a Rock/Blues/Tap Dance band featuring the faculty of TAPademics.  This event will also include performances by local St Louis tap dancers, selected routines submitted by festival participants, as well as a student/faculty tap jam! 

OPTAP: What special events will be taking place at the festival this year? 

TA: The Friday night Parking Lot Party is our newest addition to the event.  We will have a couple food trucks, live music, and plenty of dancing.  Hosted by The StepHounds (Anthony J Russo, Phil Russo, Justin Myles, and Chris Erk), participants and parents have the opportunity to see the versatility of our faculty as they play, sing, AND dance!  

OPTAP: What is the classroom experience/vibe at TAPademics? Class size? Class length? Topics? Etc? 

TA: We offer a nice range of material in classes throughout the weekend.  Classes are 1-hour and we offer Tap technique, combo classes, Improvisation, Body Percussion, Hip Hop, Scholarship Audition, Footage, Faculty Q&A, and Show & Tell for the parents at the end of the workshop on Sunday.  The festival venue is in a studio, not a convention hall.  This brings a more personal and intimate vibe to the event, for sure.

OPTAP: What is the cost of attending TAPademics  Is there a host hotel? What kind of opportunities are there for lodging? If I am coming from out of town do I need to rent a car to get around or is public transportation and walking an option for me?

TA: The cost to attend TAPademics is $200.  There are hotel options listed on our website, each within 1.5 miles of the venue.  (www.TAPademics.com)  If you're flying into STL, it is suggested you rent a car, as there is no public transit in the area.  

OPTAP: Choose one word to describe TAPademics.

TA: Family.

For more information go to Tapademics.com!