Rat-a-tap tap, hear the rhythm. Rat-a-tap tap, follow the steps. Rat-a-tap tap, shuffle, shuffle, shuffle. Rat-a-tap tap, dance, dance, dance... Tap dancing, the quintessential American dance, is practiced and enjoyed by many.
Tap dancing is a high energy, high-spirited form so ingrained into our culture that we don’t realize sometimes how much it is a part of Americana. A brief list of artists influencing our way of life include Shirley Temple, Judy Garland, Bojangles, Gene Kelly, Gregory Hines (who used to say that his day job was acting but he really was a dancer), and more recently and amazingly Richard Gere (who surprised us in Chicago), Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in La La Land, Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrel in Spirited, all shuffling on the silver screen, stage and street. When any performing artist suddenly breaks into tap, a special attention is given not just because of the entrancing sound of the rat-a-tap tap, but because the interaction between the music from the instruments and the tap shoes makes us listen, and the fluidity and the artistry of the motion makes us look.
From their first simple shuffles, most children enjoy tap dancing because it is like making music and setting rhythms, controlling their steps, and surprising us and themselves everyday a bit more. Several dance schools and programs in our area are very strong in this field. The creativity, talent and skill shown in recitals, performances and showcases clearly highlights how much everyone enjoys that sound. Different schools start tap programs at different ages, depending on their emphasis, dance styles, and instructors. The foundation of classical ballet technique usually does affect the degree to which a tapper can or will advance quickly, so it is important to include ballet classes in your child’s program in order for them to fully enjoy and advance even more in tap.
In particular in Broward County, there are programs incorporating adults that allow those of us that are not so young anymore to participate in the rhythm. A tap workout once or twice a week will raise the spirits of anyone and, if your child is in the same school, it will allow you to have a common activity that increases bonding and communication. And it is fun!
In memory of Gregory Hines (February 14, 1946 - August 9, 2003)
This article was originally published in Today Parent's Magazine; October 2003.
The author, Carlos Rangel, has been involved in the arts since his youth and college years, and opened Attitude Dancewear & Art in Coral Springs over twenty years ago to respond to an important need in the marketplace: a knowledgeable, responsible and responsive dance store catering to all sorts of community interests related to dance. He has a network of dance information and is involved in supporting community outreach dance programs.