What to know about Tap Dance with Jaye Allison

Tap dance, born from multiple cultures unable to work but the search for work in the mid 1800’s forced them to gather. The methods of moving to rhythms were an exciting array that somehow was organized through African Americans placing bottle caps on the toes and heels of their shoes that became the original American Traditional dance phenomenon! The Vaudeville era was built on the value of good tap dancing!

Tap dance looks fun and it is, but also tricky! Learn how to use toes and heels to swing and hop and count and sing! This lesson on the Shim Sham Shimmy crosses over social dancing of the late 1800’s- early 1900’s blending to create the style Tap dancers are known for! It is your turn to know how it works and keep a dance in “your pocket”! The colorful language of Jazz and black Americans of that developing time still lives today in surprising ways. Even Bugs Bunny used this vocabulary so much that we sing it without knowing that it is a tap step!

Prepare your lesson by using a cardboard box taped on the floor to protect your surfaces. wear any shoe or sock or go barefoot. the important part is to bring your feet and bouncy knees and above all, your brain! We will sing into our feet with our brains and make the song live out loud.

Register HERE to join this workshop!

We are conducting this event on Zoom! You can join us live and ask questions and participate. You will need to download an app to join on your phone, tablet or computer. Follow your email for the link to the workshop!