DanceLife Blog

Christine Denny is one of Australia's most recognised tap dancers having specialised in the teaching of tap dance for the past 20 years. Based in Sydney she has been on staff at many of the country's most prestigious performance institutions including Brent St, ED5 and NIDA - working with both junior students and tertiary level performers looking to a career in the industry.

Christine will be answering your questions about All Things TAP. If you have a question for Christine please email it through to info@dancelife.com.au. Christine has just launched TAPATAK OZ which is a series of instructional Tap DVDs for all levels. Check it out here http://www.dancelife.com.au/directory/listing/tapatakoz.html

QUESTION: Hi! I was wondering what I can do to keep my taps from falling of my shoes. It doesn't seem to matter what I do - one of them comes off all the time. Is there a way to keep them on a bit better?
~ Maddison

ANSWER: Heh Maddison. I know exactly what you mean. This is a problem that most tap dancers face. What I recommend is this:

1. Take the offending tap off your shoe. You will notice that the holes in the bottom of your tap shoe will have become too big for the screws - which is why the screws fall out and the taps fly off.

2. Find a box of matches (make sure your parents or an adult are with you while you do this of course) - take a match and put the end without the red on it (the phosphorous) into the hole. Break the match off so one end is left inside the hole. You have now filled the hole with a small piece of wood (the match).

3. Repeat this process with any holes that are too big for the screws.

4. Put some super glue on the end of the screws and screw them back into place.

5. Leave the glue to dry overnight.

6. Yeah - Celebrate - your taps should now stay on your shoe.

So - give this method a go and let me know how you get on.

Happy Tapping!
Christine

QUESTION: My friend reckons I should loosen my taps to get a better sound. Does this work?
~ Bradford

ANSWER: Heh Bradford. Good question! I tend to think that it is better to let your taps loosen naturally over time. They do sound a little dead however if they are really tight, so perhaps you could loosen them a smidge! Remember though that a new pair of tap shoes is like any other pair of shoes - they take a little time to wear in. So be patient and give them time to mould to your foot and develop a unique and worn in sound! The best way to get a better sound though is simple - practice! Any tap shoe only sounds as good as the person wearing it. Strengthening your beats and keeping your ankles nice and loose will also go a long way to improving your sound!

I hope this answers your question.

Have fun - tippy tap tippy tap cha!
Christine

Hi Guys

Well here I am, fresh off the plane from a week of classes at the Melbourne International Tap Festival - and what a week it was!

If you are someone who loves TAP then make sure you are there when Grant Swift brings us the next edition of this fantastic festival celebrating the wonderful rhythmic art of tap dancing.

In a world full of jazz, hip hop and funk workshops it was great to have a whole festival dedicated to those of us who love to tap. And not only was there the opportunity to do classes with some of Australia's most recognized teachers including Chris Horsey, Shane Preston, Grant Swift and myself ha ha ha (it was a shame Paul Davis was unable to make it) - but there was the rare opportunity to take classes with Emmy Award winner Jason Samuels Smith and the equally talented Miss Chloe Arnold - both from the USA.

To say their style is different to what we here in Australia are used to is a grand understatement and that was what made their classes so amazing! They are bringing to us, tap dancing that is steeped in tradition. Tap that has been passed down from the African American Tap Masters over the years and then embellished upon and given a modern twist by this new generation of tappers.

To hear Jason and Chloe speak about their mentors with such respect and passion was truly inspirational. Recognizing the contribution of those who came before them is perhaps something that we here in Australia could take on board.

And this is perhaps an aspect of the Festival that I particularly loved. It wasn't just about doing tap classes, but also about sharing the history of Tap Dancing that has inspired generations of tap dancers all over the world. Dianne Walker, The Nicholas Brothers, "Buster" Brown, Honi Coles, John Bubbles, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson - these are just a few of the tapping trail blazers who laid the foundation upon which we are building today. So if you haven't heard these names before - get on line - google, you tube and inform yourself, so you can utilize the talents of the past to improve your tapping in the future!

There is so much information out there if you want it and you may be amazed by what you find!

Another aspect of the festival that was great was the ‘jamming' and ‘cutting competitions'. A cutting competition is when two people go head to head - sort of like a challenge. They start off trading 16 counts, then 8 counts, then 4, then 2...... and each time try to blow the other tapper out of the proverbial water.

This is all done off the cuff - or improvised! The tapper is flying by the seat of their pants, making it up as they go along. The aim is to stay in time and to create a conversation with the other person - using your feet and rhythm of course!

Ideally the first tapper lays down a step and rhythm and the next tapper takes that theme and uses it in his or her response by either adding to it, changing it around or beefing it up and giving it a totally new twist. By doing this each dancer really stretches themselves creatively and rhythmically! And it is so much fun to watch!

Whilst I have done a bit of impro in my time, I have never really experienced a ‘cutting competition' before and I have to say it was great. To see 6 yr olds getting up and giving it a go was just unreal. They had no fear! They just got up there and gave it their best shot!

And all the while Jason and Chloe were on the side lines cheering them on!

And I think that was what impressed me most about the Melbourne International Tap Festival. The fact that Jason Samuels Smith and Chloe Arnold were so supportive of every other tapper in the room - no matter what their age, experience or ability! These are not only two of the best tap dancers in the world but also two of the most humble, generous and passionate people I have ever met!

They truly inspired everyone at the Festival - not only with their incredible and athletic tapping but with their passion for the art of tap, its history and for people in general.

So let me give you a quick run down of how the Festival worked.

The first evening there was a ‘jam'. Perhaps this may have been better mid week when the tappers who were new to the festival may have been less shy and more willing to join in - but for Grant Swift's students who are very familiar with this practice it was a great opportunity to get up and cut loose......and this is exactly what they did, trying out heaps of new moves and cool rhythms, all the while accompanied by a jazz band. It was fab!

I have no doubt that in coming years this will become a favourite part of the festival with everyone clamoring to get up and give it a whirl!

Then the week was full of classes - and what fun they were. To be in a class full of people who are there because they LOVE to tap is a remarkable experience. Everyone is passionate about what they are doing. The rhythms just build and build, pushing everyone along!

Then on the second last evening there was a show where we got to sample the talents of not only Jason Samuels Smith and Chloe Arnold but also some local talent - both old and new!

The ever so laid back and suave Chris Horsey was his brilliant self, giving us a sample of his typically rhythmic, musical and understated style. He is one class act and one of my favourite aussie tappers for certain! The humour and subtlety with which he infuses his performances is a unique touch that stamps everything he does.

Then there was Grant Swift (festival organizer) and his sons The Swift Brothers showing us what true passion for tap can achieve. They are one dynamic act that displayed lots of athleticism in their tapping, heaps of tricky moves, lightning fast footwork and a real solidarity with the artform! Their years of studying the American Masters and traditions have certainly paid off and their virtuosity was certainly a hit with the crowd.

Next came Red Hot Rhythm - a group of tappers from Queensland - who had made the trek down for the Festival. They were slick and fabulous - adding a bit of old school charm and class to the night. Think fedoras, shirts, ties and a whole lot of cool! They were smooth as silk and used a lot of canon in their choreography which is one of my must haves in a tap routine - so that made me very happy indeed ha ha ha!

And that was the beauty of this tap show. It utilized and showcased the great variety and personality that can be found in tap dance within Australia. It is one of the most diverse forms of dance you could ever find with such a variety of styles! And perhaps our distance from the USA is what has driven our local talents to create this.

Oh - and I must mention an incredibly talented young man by the name of Thomas Wadelton, who will definitely be someone to watch in the future. He has a passion for tap that is rare and has learned much from his travels to Tap Festivals throughout the USA - and it shows! As I approach the big 40 it really heartened me to see so many young people with an absolute drive and passion for TAP - and for this I must congratulate Grant Swift who tirelessly promotes tap dance in Melbourne and infuses all his students with a love of the boot.

There were other performances on the night as well - I have just mentioned my favourites - but Raw Metal was great as well with a commercial, quirky approach and an amazing drummer who brought an additional element to the evening!

And of course- Jason Samuels Smith and Chloe Arnold. These are two absolute legends!

Their personality, technique, rhythm, dexterity, showmanship, musicality and obvious genuine love for what they do is second to none. You had to feel honoured sitting in the audience watching them. Supreme masters of their art who are willing and wanting to share the knowledge and skill they have acquired over the years.

So - IF YOU LOVE TAP - send the Melbourne International Tap Festival an email immediately so you can be added to their mailing list for next time.

enquiries@mitf.com.au

This is a festival that offers you the opportunity to sample classes from some of the best in the world - without even having to set foot out of Australia - how good is that!

Finally congratulations to everyone at MITF - you guys put on a great festival!

And to Kenn Marsh and Jason Coleman @ The Ministry of Dance, where the classes were held - well done on providing not only great studios, but also on being so incredibly welcoming to all who attended the Tap Festival - what a week we all had!

I certainly look forward to supporting The Melbourne International Tap Festival in the future and seeing future generations of tappers benefit from so many great teachers being in the same place at the same time.

It will be wonderful to see even more of our amazing Australian tappers, teachers, students and choreographers join this festival in the future to share their individual and unique takes on tap, so we can all learn from and support each other.

Whilst doing this we can also embrace the traditions and styles from the African American tappers who created the fundamentals of our artform and whose knowledge and style has been passed aurally to the likes of Jason Samuels Smith and Chloe Arnold!

To me it is a rare opportunity at our doorstep!

Sample the unique flavour of aussie tap, as well as the show stopping American style the international guests bring.

So - stay tuned for some more interviews from the Tap Festival in the next few weeks!!

Oh - and if you are looking for a great tap class in Sydney check out Chris Horsey's Friday Night classes in Newtown - drop me an email if you need more info on that!

And if you are looking for some new moves, check out my DVDs @ www.tapatakoz.com.au

Till next time!

Happy Days!

Christine

Written by Christine Denny from Tapatak Oz

Hi Guys,

I took some time out at the Melbourne International Tap Festival recently to check in with Bill Simpson, the Director of Red Hot Rhythm and see how he found the festival. As a professional tap dancer, based in Queensland and a performer with his own tap group it was interesting to hear his take on what the Festival had to offer him as a choreographer, performer and student!

Here is what he had to say!

1. What do you think are the benefits of doing class with visiting dancers of such calibre as Jason Samuel-Smith and Chloe Arnold?
The benefits are just endless! The opportunity to be thrown right out of our comfort zone is one that as dancers, we should all embrace. They have such a different style to what we in Australia are used to, and while we should always hold on our to our own style, there's an incredible amount we can learn from them. Whether it's new types of steps, new ideas, or just observing their incredible passion for the art-form, everyone can gain something from their classes.

2. What did you find to be the biggest contrast in how you tap to how Jason and Chloe tap?

To me, the biggest contrast is in their attitude towards tap. Just looking at them you can tell that every single day of their life they live, breathe, eat, sleep tap dance. They live to tap, and to always keep improving. Of course, that's not to say that we in Australia aren't passionate about tap - quite the opposite in fact - but sometimes it's easy to think you're at the top of your game, when you could always be working to get better - embracing a new challenge.

3. What was the biggest thing you feel you took away from their classes - and the festival in general?

The biggest thing I took away from the festival was a deep sense of relief and happiness knowing that there were so many others who felt such passion and love for tap as I do. In the dance world, tap is often looked at in a completely different light to most other styles which, truth be told, I actually find a very positive thing. However for tappers, at times it does make for a slightly separated existence from the rest of the dance community. The experience of performing, jamming, learning, and just hanging out with such like-minded people was just amazing, and I'm already counting down days until the next festival.

4. How old were you when you first started tapping?

I was 16 when I started tapping.

5. How long has Red Hot Rhythm been working together? And what are you guys up to?

Red Hot Rhythm has been together since early 2007. I really wanted to start something new and exciting for Queensland, and since last year the group has been working to give something unique to our home cities of Brisbane and the Gold Coast. We're currently performing a range of gigs around Brisbane & the Gold Coast, and will be starting Red Hot Rhythm Classes and workshops early next year.

6. What was your favourite part of the Tap Festival?

My favourite part of the festival was the finale of the final performance at the National Theatre, in which after we'd performed the 'Shim-Sham' with the rest of the performers of the evening, a jam session spontaneously occurred on stage.

7. Would you encourage young tappers out there to attend the Festival next year? If so - why?

Yes. Absolutely. Without a doubt in my mind. If you're a tapper, why wouldn't you? If you're not a tapper, why wouldn't you? Grab some shoes and be apart of it!

8. What did having a festival like this in Australia mean to you?

Having the festival here really made me appreciate how lucky we are to be tap dancers, and how lucky we are that there are things happening for tap dance in Australia which we can all be apart of.

9. Who are you inspired by with your tapping - in Oz and overseas?

The list is endless. Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, The Nicholas Brothers, The Condos Brothers, Jimmy Slide, Arthur Duncan, 'Peg Leg' Bates, Jason Samuels Smith, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Chloe Arnold, Savion Glover, Ben Reid, Drew Kaluski, Christopher Horsey, Shane Preston, etc...........I could go on for a while.

10. Why did you start tap dancing?

Good question. Quite simply: I saw it, I had to do it.

11. What are Red Hot Rhythms plans for the future?

In the future, we hope to take tap dance to the next level - to push the boundaries. We aim to always stay innovative in what we do and to keep growing as a company, and of course, to continually provide great tap dance entertainment and tuition for people young and old throughout Australia.

12. How did you guys get together in the first place?

Basically, the realisation that there was a significant lack of tap dance in Queensland inspired the concept of Red Hot Rhythm. I put the word out to some good friends who were keen to get on board, and before long, Red Hot Rhythm was up and running.

13. Any words of advice for young tappers out there?

You're on the right track.

14. What did you learn at the festival that made the biggest impression on you?

The following words that Jason Samuels Smith used during a conversation to describe an awesome tap dancer: Superleviathonic, Rhythmaturgically Syncopated, Tapstimatitianismist.

So - you can see that the Melbourne International Tap Festival, presented by Grant Swift, was an incredibly inspirational place to be.
To get on their mailing list for next time email: enquiries@mitf.com.au

For more info on Bill Simpson and Red Hot Rhythm check out: www.redhotrhythm.com.au

And for some new steps, routines and rhythms for 2009 check out my DVDs: www.tapatakoz.com.au

There is so much info out there and tap is alive and well in Australia that is for sure. We have oodles of people all over the country who are doing their thing and inspiring us all!

And on the other side of the globe there is a whole other world of tap for us to explore - so grab a plane ticket, check out you tube, google or buy some DVDs. If you love tap then you are in for a treat!!

I encourage all you tappers out there to get on board and celebrate our very special genre of dance!
GO TAP!!
Christine

As a first time contributor to DanceLife, I thought it necessary to introduce myself by way of an excerpt from the story of my career, so you know who I am and what is my history. I have enjoyed a successful career as a commercial dancer, choreographer, actor, singer and teacher. This is how it unfolded -

I found my self in an enviable position. At the age of 17, I had a potentially career defining decision to make. Do I accept the understudy roles of Skimbleshanks and Mungojerry in the upcoming production of Cats? Or, with the knowledge that 42nd St is auditioning in a few months, hold out and assume I'll get a role in that show? The year is 1988; I am performing in the ‘Aquacade' at World Expo '88 in Brisbane, possibly the biggest entertainment precinct to exist in the history of Australian show business, to date. A high dive, synchronise swimming and dancing show that played 5 shows a day, 7 days a week to capacity crowds of 3000 people each performance. What a show? Tommy Tycho provided the music, Robyn Moase directing and John (Cha-Cha) O'Connell choreographing, the show featured Olympic synchronised swimmer medal winners from USA & Canada and international diving champions, plus a talented bunch of Aussie dancers. Literally breathtakingly, each Aquacade show concluded with a 100-foot high dive, 100 feet! That's 30.5 meters. And performed from a handstand precariously achieved, from handstand position, on a platform no bigger than a doormat! What a great gig? 6-month contract and I was fresh out of high school.

I ended up turning down Cats, with the promise of an audition for 42nd St several months later. I figured, Cats opened in Australia 2 years earlier; I'd rather be in a show where I'm original cast. I could also tap dance and I liked the score, so once I finished in Brisbane, off I went to Sydney. To my good fortune, the gamble paid off and I was offered an ensemble plot in the Broadway smash 42nd St, to play at Her Majesty's theatre, Hay St, Haymarket (the theatre is no longer there. It lost a lot of business when the Lyric Theatre opened at Star City Casino, a block of apartments stands there now). My dreams were coming true. I returned to Qld and packed by bags and moved to Sydney. I landed comfortably, Jacqui Howard asked me to join her commercial dance group, ‘Gimme Five' which was taking up residency at ‘Julianas', the nightclub at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney. We performed 2 x 4 minute shows per night (11.30pm and 1.00am), 5 nights a week, for 6 weeks. The routines were choreographed by Robyn Moase (Smooth Criminal) and Kelley Abbey (The Way You Make Me Feel) and included dancers Kelly Aykers, Renee Isaacs, Lita Stathis and Drew Anthony. We were paid a full weeks actors equity minimum wage for our work... those were the days.

Rehearsing 42nd St during the day (at SDC) and performing at the Hilton by night. Not bad for a 17 year old. During the 18-month season of 42nd St, I continued on as a commercial dancer in Gimme Five for 3 more contracts and choreographed one routine. It was during 42nd St that I met Dein Perry and did his class. Along with others, we would take to Her Majesty's stage in between shows on a matinee day and ‘jam'. We would all teach each other steps and sometimes put them together into a routine. Now, you must appreciate, in 1989, tap dancing was largely accepted as a dance type best performed in a suit or top hat and tails or, (heaven forbid) a flared unitard, ouch! This was an archetype that most of us couldn't understand. Every night, we had to slick our hair and cake on the Max Factor Tan 2 make up and struggle with all manner of bow ties, shirt studs and cummerbunds. The commonsense dawned on a lot of us; why can't we tap in jeans? The seed was planted.

On the international stage, it was the end of the Cold War. The USA had all but bankrupted the USSR by out nuclear weaponing them and in little old Sydney, a very excited musical theatre cast had just been informed that they were to be the first ‘western' musical to perform behind the ‘Iron Curtain'. That's right, the Australian cast of 42nd St are travelling to East Berlin to complete a 3-month season. This was huge news in Australia. It was hardly heard of that anyone in the international community was allowed to even pass through the Berlin Wall, let alone sing and tap dance on the other side of it. What is life like on the other side? Is it as repressed as reports suggest? Why us? It was the producer savvy of Helen Montague that made it possible. Before long, orchestra and cast members alike packed their bags, sold their cars and gave notice on their leases in preparation for the exciting venture. Then, without warning, the President of the USSR announced the disbanding of his Union and the Berlin Wall was bulldozed down that very day. It made the world news headlines and was a momentous time in history. But guess what? No Berlin Wall = no East Germany = no more East Berlin in which to perform. Tour cancelled, 10 days before we were due to leave.

Out of work during the market crash of the late 80's realised a crisis - got to find, or create work. Dein Perry, Sheldon Perry, Ben Reid and I (Drew Anthony, Paul Davis, Adam Garcia and Andrew Hallsworth were also involved) got busy rehearsing a new style of Tap Dance. Under the motivation and direction of Dein, we found ourselves the subject of an Arts Council grant to establish a Tap ‘Company'. A 3-week ‘workshop in progress' caucus ensued and we used David Atkins' ‘Dynamite Studios' (one of the 1st establishments to offer a full-time dance course in Sydney) as our venue. The performance was filmed with Max Lambert musically directing and Dave Stratton on bass. For the first time we outfitted us in jeans/t-shirts and tapped like no one had ever seen before.

David Atkins saw the footage and immediately booked us to form the cast of his next project, ‘Hot Shoe Shuffle', an all singing, all tapping musical comedy. Hot Shoe Shuffle would go on to become the first Australian musical to perform on the West End stage. It would also force us all back into top hat & tails and delay the dream of jeans clad tap dancing that would later become Tap Dogs. And what a delay?

So there I was, about to embark on an unforgettable, life changing and culturally defining journey as David Atkins begins the preparations for rehearsing Hot Shoe Shuffle - originally starring David, Rhonda Burchmore, Jack Webster, Dein Perry, Kris Schumacher, Kevin Coyne, Sheldon Perry, Chris Horsey and Adam Garcia. Understudies Lisa Callingham and Rohan Senor. During the course of the first weeks of rehearsals and unfortunately, Kris Schumacher fell quite ill and it was deemed necessary for him to leave the show. Enter Dale Pengelly. We opened the show at the Hill Centre (Castle Hill) and played for 8 weeks to sell out audiences. The show was a hit and lots of people made the long journey to see it.

Before the show moved on to Melbourne, I travelled to Atlanta Georgia (USA) to do a Fabulous Rhythm Boys corporate act with my brother Drew Anthony and Leonie Page, after which I had 2 weeks off, travelled to New York and stayed with a friend in New Jersey. It was winter and very cold. There was snow on the back porch and as I stood outside in the snow practising a few tap steps in my black lace up Blundstone boots, all of a sudden it hit me, and I had an idea. I thought why don't we put taps on the bottom of Blundstone boots? It would look great with jeans and really add to the flavour of the urban style tapping that we were working on with Dein. Upon returning to Australia I told the boys and rest is history.

We toured Hot Shoe Shuffle to every capital city in Australia and it was one year later during our final stop, Perth, that we were all summonsed into a meeting. Well, it was almost like we already knew what was about to be announced. The producer of 42nd St, Helen Montague told us that she was taking us and the show to the West End the following year to perform at the Queens Theatre, Shaftsbury Ave, London. Straight to business, Helen organised for us to meet Paula Yates, Bob Geldof's wife at the time, who was accompanying him during his tour to Perth in preparation for some publicity appearances that would take place on Paula's popular TV show ‘Big Breakfast' once we got to London the following year. We were invited to Janet Holmes A'Court's property for a BBQ while we were in Perth because Janet owned the theatre in which we were to perform. And it wasn't long after we finished in Perth that we were tapping down the steps of Parliament in Canberra as Helen Montague called a press conference to announce news of the tour to the media.

Touchdown in London. With a new logo, understudies Nadia Strahan and Aaron Farley and a rake on the stage, we got busy preparing for opening night. A rake on the stage means that the stage slopes forward on an angle so if you put down a marble, it would roll forward and off the stage. This was the last thing we needed. After a year of performing the show we were all very comfortable and confident in our performances and tricks, now we have to alter all of our choreography for the rake. This means pirouettes were affected, certain carefully balanced and dangerous stunts need attention and my double spin, into a 1 & a half tour, into a half split, into a single spin recovery, was in jeopardy. We managed with no incident except when the ‘tap truck' (the apparatus on which the 7 of us tapped precariously between 1 foot wide/2 foot drop) was wheeled into position and once we jumped up on it, it rolled forward and almost off the stage into the audience during tech week. A successful opening night and great reviews rewarded us for our efforts and a 6-month season ensued. Lot's of publicity, including performing at a Mark Knoffler charity gig, lots of TV appearances including the Big Brother week as mentioned earlier, even doing a time step with not only Donald O'Connor but also Harold Nicholas of the Nicholas Brothers and not to forget our appearance at the Olivier Awards.

Settling into the final weeks of the season in London and Dein Perry called me aside to ask me if I was interested in being a part of his new show, which would get back to what we were doing in the first place, before Hot Shoe Shuffle; an urban style tap show in jeans etc

I chose to stick with the HSS tour back in Australia, NZ and Japan after which was finished, I got to take off my tap shoes and work with Paul McDermott at the Adelaide and Melbourne comedy festivals and play Big Deal in VSO's production of West Side Story. No sooner had I opened with West Side in Melbourne that I received a call from Dein Perry asking me if I would like to come over to do Tap Dogs in New York? Would I.?

By Chris Horsey

The Melbourne International Tap Festival is bringing Tap Back! The cream of the world's tap dancing artists will be unleashed on Australian audiences during the month of October. This exhilarating and inspiring festival of radical rhythms will continue to explore tap's rich and vibrant history whilst showcasing cutting edge techniques over one JAM PACKED week.

DanceLife chatted with the creator of the festival Grant Swift about bringing the MITF to Australia and his background and experiences as a well known tapper.

QUESTION:
You picked a style of tap which was in line with the early African American tappers. Why? And who of the tapping fathers has inspired you the most?

ANSWER:
The style of tap I do is connected to the beginning or the root of the art form and connected to other tappers and artists of other art forms like hip hop, jazz , lindy hop and so on. These art forms also recognise the same African root and they're keeping the family tree alive and growing. It's hard to name one tapper who's influenced me the most. I just try to do the right thing by all of them.


QUESTION:
Tapping has such a long history. Why is it so important, in your view, that students are aware of the root of tap dance?

ANSWER:
Knowing the root of anything allows you to draw from the whole tree. It's up to the individual to swing from whichever branch they want. I'm not about telling people where to swing but I want them to have the benefit and ability to be the best they can and for our art form to be seen clearly. Just as boxers should know about Muhamad Ali or cricketers know Don Bradman, kids learning tap should know Baby Lawrence, John Bubbles, Raymond Wynfeild and all the many amazing men and women who have shaped our art form. It's better for them and gives them more to draw from.


QUESTION:
What's the most important thing about your performing? How does it influence the experience of your audience?

ANSWER:
The most important thing in a performance for me is to feel I've given it everything and the audience have been entertained and inspired by what they've seen.


QUESTION:
As founder of the Melbourne International Tap Festival, why was it important to you to bring this sort of performing format to Australia?

ANSWER:
Bringing leading artists in our field here to teach and entertain every year is so important to the development of tap dance in Australia. Tap students and parents can see and understand what's got to be done and do it and at a lower cost than having to travel to the US.


QUESTION:
Do you have more plans for the tap festival in the future? Where else do you want to take it, geographically and philosophically?

ANSWER:
I do have a lot of plans to expand on the concept of the tap festival and to be part of helping tap dance get more out there. It's just a matter of keepin' on keepin' on.


QUESTION:
What is the single biggest obstacle you come up against as a tap dancer in Australia?

ANSWER:
Without sounding arrogant, the biggest obstacle I face as a tap dancer is ignorance to what our art form actually is - where it came from, its many great innovators of the past and present. For example, you could stop any number of people on the street and ask them if they know what tap is and I'd be surprised if any one said they didn't. Everyone thinks they know what tap is. But how many of them could actually name you seven tap acts outside of the usual whites only Hollywood era and the Tap Dogs? The number of people that actually do know is very small and I suppose that's fair enough for the general public who only know what they see on TV and in movies etc. But by educating the people who are learning the art form - especially the kids - things will get better


QUESTION:
You invest a lot of time and energy into teaching young tappers. When you started tapping as an adult did you envisage you would be inspiring so many kids? And how has that come about?

ANSWER:
I seem to attract kids, I think because they love all the yelling and simplicity of how I teach them. When I started tapping I had no idea I'd have a whole tap family of kids. I didn't even think I'd have kids of my own but I've got three now. You never know in life what's going to happen but I try to live and work hard for the things I love and feel I'm truly meant to do. I feel really lucky - just need some more money!


QUESTION:
What experience has most influenced your style of tap? And has your style changed over the years?

ANSWER:
Living on the street in New Orleans and surviving from tap dancing had a big influence on me. You walk down Bourbone St in tap shoes with no money to your name and keep your shoes on for 3 or 4 weeks you will learn a whole lot of stuff. Also working with Lamine Sonko - a great African drummer and dancer based here in Melbourne - has had a great influence and been a real blessing. My style has evolved over the years and I'm always learning new things. I keep my ears and eyes open, keep as fit as can and just try to keep going.

For more information on the MITF and the event schedule go to www.mitf.com.au The Festival will run from 15 - 20 October in Melbourne.

DanceLife is thrilled to be able to catch up with Adam Garcia while he is in London touring with the Tap Dogs. We spoke with Adam about his career to date and also about coming home to do the Tap Dogs in January.

1. You started your tap performing career playing Slide in the Australian touring version of Hot Shoe Shuffle before it went London. How does it feel to be coming home all these years later with the Tap Dogs doing what we originally know you as, a tapper?

It's wonderful. Staying in London was never my plan but the opportunities that London presented me with were life changing. Coming home to dance again if very fulfilling.

2. To some younger Australian dancers they may recognise you from your recent judging spot on the hit UK television show Got To Dance alongside Ashley Banjo and Kimberly Wyatt. What was the process you went through to get this gig?

I had met the producer on a UK TV breakfast show - "The Big Breakfast" when Hot Shoe was first in London. The meeting came quite randomly & was luckily just a process of agreement.

3. You have been in London for quite a while now, a home away from home. What qualities as a performer and personality do you believe you posses that have kept you successfully working all these years?

I think I do have a quite belief in my abilities. Or rather I like to challenge myself & so simply put myself up to attempting all sorts of different things like film & TV. I have failed numerous times but in this industry that's just par for the course. I also think when I am in work I work very hard. I have an Australian work ethic. David Atkins & Dein Perry helped instil that in me.

4. Wicked is having a phenomenal season currently in Australia. Tell us about your experience playing Fiyero alongside Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth in 2002?

To be honest I didn't know who they were when I did the workshop in NYC back in 2002. I don't keep up with musicals that much but they were lovely people & amazing performers. I didn't even recognize Stephen Schwartz! But I did work it out fairly quickly that I was with a very special bunch of people. I do regret a bit not being able to open the show in NYC but I was invited to do the show in London & it was an immense privilege. It's the BIGGEST show ever.

5. You are currently touring with the Tap Dogs in London before coming to Sydney in January. What are Australian's like to work with compared to the British?

I think theatre people are kinda the same all over

6. What's next on the agenda for you after your commitments with the Tap Dogs?

I have the new season of Got To Dance in the UK. That takes me up to March next year. I rarely know what I'm doing more than 6 months in advance. I like that about my life.

Tap Dogs will return to Australia on 5 January for a five week season at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney. For more details go to www.tapdogs.co.uk

After performing last year to thunderous applause, Village Sound and Secret Service Presents, have invited The Next Step to return and perform at Splendour In The Grass 2009 (July 25/26).

The boys will be performing as part of The Global Village. Taking to The Temple Stage, on both days of the festival, as well as running free dance workshops throughout the weekend.

This will be a great chance for you to see for yourself, why this group is so sort after and respected within the industry.

Check out their website for more info www.thenextsteponline.com and the Splendour website (http://www.splendourinthegrass.com/artists.php) for all the latest official news.

Free auditions are running around Australia. In Sydney (Oct 30th), Brisbane (Nov 2nd), Perth (Nov 4), Adelaide (Nov 6th) and Melbourne (Nov 7th). More details at www.theSpace.com.au/fulltime.

To ensure we find the right dancers on our audition tour, we are bringing Adam Parson from LA to assist us on the audition panel. While Adam is in Australia, he has kindly agreed to run a series of open workshops around Australia together with our amazing Artistic Director Danial Brown! Don't miss your chance to participate in these workshops as places are limited. Book now at www.theSpace.com.au/ticketyboo.

Briefly About the Course.

A limited number of talented students will be trained to World Class Standard by our amazing faculty. The course is headed by our Artistic Director the incredible Danial Brown who has: danced with Alvin Ailey, Marla Bingham and Zena Bethune; appeared with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor; studied choreography with Kenny Ortega and Debbie Allen; been a Dance Captain on Broadway and much, much more.

To ensure that the training is world class, along with our brilliant local staff, we will be bringing international artists to Melbourne to teach week long intensive workshops. Confirmed international artists include Shannon Beech, Robert Hallak, Adam Parson, Tovaris Wilson and Michelle Zeitlin!

This course will create connections and networks within the commercial dance scene here and abroad. You will choreograph, devise and produce your own dance performances and learn the skills you need to thrive as a dancer, performer and artist. This could be your start to a long and fulfilling career.

Details at http://www.thespace.com.au/fulltime
Contact: (03)9529 3949 info@thespace.com.au

Only 2 days to go till The Next Step perform their massive show at Luna Park! DanceLife is giving away 10 DOUBLE PASSES to the show! Simple email win@dancelife.com.au with your full name and suburb to go into the draw. You must be available to go to the show this Saturday 21 November. Winners will be contacted by close of business on Friday 20 November.

The Next Step, Directed by Dein Perry, Created and Choreographed by Jason and Kris Lewis is BOLD, INNOVATIVE, FRESH and GUARANTEED to IMPRESS. This all male group of young performers will set the stage on fire with their unique fusion of hip-hop, tap, break dancing and live music. The vocalists, musicians and dancers fuse together to create a high voltage, mesmerising show. It's street and stage, dance and music at its finest.

The Next Step has performed on the MTV Awards, Splendour in the Grass, The Helpmann Awards and alongside Sir Elton John. After SOLD OUT shows at The Metro Theatre, Sydney in 2008, The Next Step are bringing their brand new show to the Big Top at Luna Park for 1 show only, Saturday 21 November, 2009. Book now, so you don't miss out! Cast list includes Jason and Kris Lewis, Adam Katz, Carlos Velazquez, Charles Bartley, Cory To'o, Mitchell Hicks, Chris Merriman, Darryl Beaton, Kevin Mendoza and Dauno Martinez. More to be announced...

This show is fun, entertaining and suitable for all ages. The Next Step is sure to leave you short of breath. To buy TICKETS to the Big Top Show or their debut EP visit www.thenextsteponline.com

BOOK NOW
www.thenextsteponline.com
www.bigtopsydney.com 1300 BIG TOP
www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849
www.moshtix.com.au

On Saturday night the boys from The Next Step took the stage at Luna Park's Big Top. This all male group of young performers set the stage on fire with their unique fusion of hip-hop, tap and break dancing. The group was backed with an original score and vocals and the result was a mesmerising synergy of street and stage dance and music at its finest.

The Next Step have performed on the MTV Awards, Splendour in the Grass, The Helpmann Awards and alongside Sir Elton John but really took it up a notch by engaging top Aussie Director and Choreographer Dein Perry to work his magic which was a smart move!

The boys are about to release their EP Hurricane with funky beats and vocals provided by Carlos Valesquez and Adam Katz.www.thenextsteponline.com

Adam Garcia to star with TAP DOGS in Sydney
Capitol Theatre from 5 January for a five week season

Tap Dogs UK season opened on 15 June in London's West End. The cast and crew are wowing audiences and the media, and have received phenomenal reviews.

"...Tap Dogs is as perilous as it is exhilarating" -
The Times

"as slick as they come, the hugely successful show returns in its winning format" -
Financial Times

"... the phenomenon is the inexhaustible energy fuelling the cast" -
Sunday Express

"Muscular doesn't even begin to describe the kind of dancing on display" -
Daily Telegraph

"Lighting and staging are quick, slick and highly accomplished" -
Financial Times

"Tap Dogs with its rallying cries and Aussie brawn successfully moves [tap dancing] away from the regimented and bang up to date" - BWW

"I flew all the way from Sydney Australia for the show and it was worth it - the best cure for jet lag ever, a great job Adam Garcia and he should be the new Ozzie PM. A great show to keep the West End tapping for months" - Jono Coleman WS FM

The beat of their tapping feet has reverberated around the world for 15 years, and now Australia's TAP DOGS is returning home for a strictly limited season.

TAP DOGS, the internationally acclaimed dance sensation which has won 11 major international awards, created by Olivier Award winning choreographer Dein Perry, will set summer temperatures soaring from 5 January 2011 in a five-week season at Sydney's Capitol Theatre. TAP DOGS is designed and directed by Nigel Triffitt.

Bookings - Ticketmaster 1300 723 038 or online ticketmaster.com.au

www.tapdogs.co.uk

Reports are continuing that Foxtel will produce an Aussie version of the UK Hit dance show 'Got To Dance'. Along with this rumour have been murmurs that Tap Dog Adam Garcia would join the Aussie judging panel. Adam is currently in the UK on tour with Tap Dogs before coming out here in January for the Aussie Tour. Adam is committed to the UK version of Got To Dance from later January so it's unlikely he will be attached to the Aussie version as a judge.