Day #4 Janurary 12th, 2012- An Interview

Because of my last post I decided that I would talk to you about tap and my dream to be on Broadway one day. This is a picture of tap shoes.

For Broadway there are three things that they look for. Acting, Singing, and Dancing, especially tap. Although ballet is the core of dance, I personally think that tap is the core of Broadway. Tap is a type of dance that does not necessarily move to the beat of the music but to the steps in which you are trying to execute. 

I went on an audition for Billy Elliot a few years ago and we had to audition a tap number, it was so hard I couldn't believe it;  that's when I realized tap was a differentiating factor for possible success on Broadway. 

I have found in the dance studios that I have danced at and the one I currently dance at not many students take tap.  Most take ballet, lyrical and jazz but tap seems to be the one form of dance left behind.  Even the Rockettes do a tap dance to the tweleve days of Christmas that is unbelievable but only 30 of the 36 in the show dance in that number.  Because of the lack of involvement with dancers taking dance I have interviewed my tap teacher and recorded the interview. Here it is…

T- The Tap Teacher

M- Me/Meaghan

M- How long ago was it that you started teaching tap?

T- Oh, I would have to say seven years ago.

M- Was tap your favorite type of dance when you were younger?

T- No. Actually Jazz was my favorite.

M- So what made you be a tap teacher instead of a Jazz teacher?

T- When I was in my 20’s, I took some tap classes and feel in love with it! I took a lot more classes and after my first child I thought that I was too old to be a dancer myself and so I decided that instead of giving up tap entirely I was going to share my talents with tap lovers and became a teacher.

M- Do you think that you would have liked to be a jazz teacher instead?

T- I honestly don’t know.

M- What is tap dancing and what does tap mean to you?

T- Tap dancing appears to be fairly complicated. It all starts with a series of basic steps linked together. Add timing, fluidity and creativity, and it looks masterful. I think that tap is a way to express what you’re feeling with your feet.

M - Why do you think not as many dancers teach dance as they do other classes?

T- Meaghan, I am not sure.  It might be due to time constraints.  I know some girls that have talked to me think its harder than the other classes.  It funny, when you all started out in dance, most of you took a ballet/tap combo class.  Do you remember that?

M - Yes, I do.  My first recital dance was a tap number.

While neither one of us has a firm reason why tap is not as popular as the other forms of dance, I can tell you from experience that if you have any dream of being on Broadway, you better take some classes.