Tap Dancing
Tap dancing has the distinction of being a uniquely American art form, and its influence spreads far and wide across American performance art culture. From Fred Astaire to the Hoofer Club in Harlem to the 39th Annual Grammy Awards, tap has enthralled audiences for most of the 20th century and continues to do so in the current one. In this guide, you’ll find sites offering tap history, sources for tap news and reviews, and information about tap organizations and companies.
Expand All Guide SectionsHistory of Tap Dancing
Tap dancing has evolved considerably to become the art form we know today. Before there were tap shoes, dancers wore soft shoes, or clogs. Tap dancing originated as Juba, a kind of dance practiced by African slaves. It melded with Irish dancing and continued to alter as it encountered the influence of jazz dance. The sites below cover the full span of tap history, and offer some more current sources for research.
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- Sometimes the best way to learn about influential tap dancers is via their obituaries. Famous performers get coverage in quality papers; for example, see The New York Times obituary for LaVaughn Robinson.
- “Hoofer” is a slang term for a tap dancer that originated in the early 20th century.
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For tap dance history …
The New York Public Library
details the history of tap dance in America beginning with early forms of Irish and African dance and continuing on to the present. The library also cosponsors the Gregory Hines Collection of American Tap Dance, a comprehensive set of tap resources. Start with Gregory Hines’ biography.
The Independent Television Service (ITVS)
presents “Juba! Masters of Tap & Percussive Dance,” a Web site supporting the documentary of the same name. The documentary seeks to capture the role and resurgence of tap in modern American culture. The detailed timeline of tap emphasizes tap’s continuing connection with Juba, an early form of African dance.
TheatreDance.com
has a page called “All About Tap Dance.” This introductory page is an amalgam of tidbits, quotes and profiles of important figures in tap history; it also provides links to other helpful sections of the site, such as the Tap Dance Dictionary.
For a compilation of tap resources …
Tap Dance
hasn’t been updated for some time, but while its “Events” section is no longer relevant, some of its archived resources are useful. Scope out information on famous tap dancers, a list of movies about tap dancing, instructional videos and documentaries and audio links, including a sound clip of Gregory Hines dancing.
News and Reviews of Tap
The tap dancing community may seem intimate and insular but in fact, dancers and enthusiasts alike are quite forthcoming with information, if you know where to look. Find insider sources below for goings-on in the world of tap dance.
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- More general news and reviews sites can be found in the findingDulcinea Dance Web Guide.
- The Web sites of individual tap organizations and companies often post news and bulletins.
- If you’re interested in simply keeping up with the dance community at large, read newspapers online from cities with thriving dance communities. For example, The New York Times collects all dance news and reviews on one page, listed newest to oldest. Although the information may be somewhat New York-centric, the Times generally provides good national and international coverage.
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For tap news only …
Tapdance.info
is primarily directed at dancers but a column on the right side of the page lists headlines in “Divine Rhythm News.” On the left is a user-generated blog that shares news and upcoming events. Don’t miss the “Assorted Tap Videos” in the middle of the page; double-click on a thumbnail to see the full picture.
TapLegacy.org
’s homepage is formatted as a blog and shares posts relevant to both the organization and the tap community at large. Where applicable, it also provides external links that offer coverage on a piece of news.
Dancer Universe
is an online magazine for dancers and has a section for tap dancers with news, articles, directories and information. Updates are infrequent but you’ll also find links to dancer blogs, and the resource directories are useful to dancers.
For general dance news and magazines …
Dance Magazine
covers all types of dance and performance reviews. While the focus isn’t necessarily on tap, you’ll find relevant articles and reviews when important tap events and shows occur.
ArtsJournal
is an online aggregator of arts news and reviews. The dance page collects articles from papers around the world, providing easy access to dance news from San Francisco, New York and London, among other locations. Look around the page for articles on tap.
Tap Organizations and Companies
If you’re looking for tap shows, events or classes, the first place to check is on the sites of tap organizations and companies. Find a company that’s touring or performing in your area, or look for festivals, workshops and other information unifying the tap community.
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- There’s a strong movement to increase awareness and appreciation of tap dancing. Festivals like the Tap Extravaganza in New York City occur regularly. Keep abreast of new events by reading local papers, and checking Web sites of local arts organizations.
- Many individual dancers and teachers have pages with useful information about their local tap dancing community, or their careers. For example, United Taps is the page of teacher Rod Howell. It includes a video dictionary, music and information about routines and classes.
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The American Tap Dance Foundation (ATDF)
is based in New York. Its mission to preserve and perpetuate tap culture and performance is pertinent for all dance enthusiasts. The ATDF cosponsors the Gregory Hines Collection (listed in the first section of this guide), hosts a robust gallery of tap photos and provides links to national tap festivals.
The National Tap Ensemble
hosts a less-than-modern Web site, but is responsible for many tap shows in its home of Washington, D.C, as well as some tours. Explore the site to learn about education outreach, or sign up for the “Tap Dance Bulletin” newsletter.
Tap Dance
, noted in the first section for its numerous useful resources, includes a list of North American tap dance companies. Search the alphabetized links and brief synopses for companies and organizations of interest.
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