Demi Remick was born to be a tap dance sensation. At 3 years old, she began dancing at Broadway North Dance Studio in Belmont, New Hampshire. Though she trained in all styles, it was immediately clear she had a natural talent and passion for tap dance as she trained with tap dancer Aaron Tolson. “It […]
Fayard and Harold Nicholas, aka the Nicholas Brothers, were known for their one-of-a-kind “flash act” performances, characterized by full-bodied animation, rhythmic perfection and fearless stunts. They were among the first African-American entertainers to break through the segregation of pre-Civil-Rights-era America and be featured in integrated films. Growing up in Philadelphia, Fayard learned to dance by […]
April Cook never planned on becoming a dance teacher, but it seems her unexpected career path was meant to be. After all, her natural tap talent and thoughtful teaching practices have made her a wildly popular tap educator at Broadway Dance Center (BDC) in New York City. Cook grew up dancing at a school in […]
Marshall Davis Jr.’s introduction to tap dance began at 10 years old at African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, where his father is director, in Miami, Florida. Training began in sneakers and dress shoes that Davis Jr. did his best to get sound out of. “My father was reluctant to invest in tap shoes, because he […]
Savion Glover is one of the biggest names in the dance world, and perhaps the biggest in the tap world. The trailblazing hoofer’s hard-hitting, rhythmically intricate style has fundamentally altered the tap landscape. Glover is also a master teacher. But during his many years on the scene, he’s never appeared regularly at a major dance […]
The celebration of tap dance legend Bill “Bojangles” Robinson’s birthday comes each year May 25, and the dance world goes wild for it! Since 1989 the day has been celebrated by tap lovers everywhere through music, movement and festivals. Interested in joining the party this year? Here’s one special way to celebrate NTDD in 2019. […]
Do you know how to teach this classic tap rhythm? Watch American Tap Dance Foundation’s Susan Hebach teach a swing eighth note.
Susan Hebach and Margaret Morrison believe it’s important to get your beginning tappers moving through space with their flaps. An easy way to do this is with a traveling flap-heel. Remember to lift the knee and bring the leg with you as you travel forward. The next phase? Take away the heel and replace it […]
The double time-step is a foundational tap step that Denise Caston says often pops up in Broadway auditions. In fact, auditionees are frequently asked to demonstrate the time-step one by one. “Choreographers want to know: Can you learn it quickly? Can you keep time? Can you stylize it while doing both of those things? And […]
Broadway choreographer Danny Daniels passed away on July 7 in Santa Monica, California, at age 92. Daniels was known for his choreography in musicals, such as Walking Happy, Annie Get Your Gun and The Tap Dance Kid, for which he won the 1984 Tony Award for best choreography. Daniels was born Daniel Giagni Jr. in […]