Special Feature Program

Roaring 20s -
with Olivia Cameo Lewis!

Charleston a social dance of the 1920s that had a large impact on the dance field. The Charleston arose from West African dance, the Obolo of the Ibo tribe. It derived its name from Charleston, South Carolina, where it received its impetus and its popularity. First seen on the American stage in Ned Wayburn's Ziegfeld Follies (1923), it had become a national craze by 1925.

An Historical Look at Tap!
America has given birth to may firsts—minstrelsy, vaudeville, dance marathons, the Big Apple, radio, the Lindy, movies, television, the Charleston, ragtime, jazz music, jazz dance, and TAP—all of them as American as apple pie, all of them "Made in the U.S.A.". But why here? Why not Europe, Australia, or the Orient? What special set of circumstances was needed to produce such a myriad of contributions that would be seen and imitated throughout the world?

We see on the stage today that history does repeat itself: Tap Dogs displays traditional flatfooted tap from its African roots, while Riverdance reintroduces us to the look and feel of the Irish jig. "Tap dance is the tempo of America!" So to move forward, we must concentrate on the knowledge of the past and have creativity and imagination for the future. Tap is not only an American invention, it's an American heritage!

Eccentric Dance -
with
Peggy Padilla

embraces comedic movement; odd or individual interpretation; satire; and all styles and presentations that are of a nonconforming nature. It may be as subtle as Chaplin or as blatant as a circus clown. Many times it evolves around a character or a situation and is usually performed without words. The terms legomania and rubber-legs are often coupled with this dance form.

Shim Sham Shimmy -
with audience participation

This was a complete routine created in 1927 by Leonard Reed and his partner Willie Bryant (others have claimed credit for it as well). It was born from a comedy routine they called "Goofus" and created a finale to their act in which the whole audience would participate. It used one standard chorus of music: 32 measures, or 4 steps of 8 measures each. Step 1 ws the shim sham; Step 2, the crossover; Step 3, the tack Annie, and Step 4, the half break.

CAKEWALK -
perfect for the birthday party!

This dance originated and found its popularity with the black house servants of southern plantations. They were exposed to the polite, prim, and proper European dances of the white plantation owners; thus, in mockery and with tongue in cheek, they took the erect stance, tilted it backward, thrust their chin up high, and added struts, prances, and stylish kicks. They paraded the new routine before their white "family members". It was an instant success and became a point of competition between plantation owners. The prize was a cake, which the winners were expected to share with the other contestants.

The Model A's dance "Side By Side"!

Street Tap - with Olivia Cameo Lewis!

As the various cultures converged in America, a 'type' of dance was formed that evolved on the the streets:

Tap!

Bringing you back to it's origins, Olivia Cameo Lewis performs doing 'street tap' to the rhythm of her soul . . . ¯"All This Wasted Time!"♪
¯"At the Edge!"♪ ¯"Drumkick!"♪
¯"Wired!"♪

21^st Century " Hoofing" - or

Traditional Tap includes such people as Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, Buster Brown, Leon Collins, Cookie Cook, and Diane Walker.

They are from the original school of tap: dancing flatfooted, passing work down from one to another, experimenting with the art of improvisation, working with live musicians.

They are the keepers of the flame and turn their attention and talents totally to the art of tap, refusing to be influenced or changed by other forms such as ballet, modern dance, or jazz.

They have different motivations and goals from the contemporary dancer. Unfortunately, there are only a few of them left and with their passing goes their knowledge, for it has been little documented or recorded.

The film Tap best explains their tap philosophy. Which, by the way, is the same as mine!

Rag Time - with Peggy Padilla!

Rhythm Tap - The credit for rhythm tap is given to John Bubbles (John 'Bubber' Sublett) who, at age 10, teamed up with 6-year old, Ford Lee "Buck" Washington, a pianist. Together they beame the famous team of Buck and Bubbles and by 1922 rhythm tap was born. It contained complex, syncopated, close-to-the-floor footwork and combinations, which Mr. Bubbles presented to an easy-going and almost nonchalant manner. He chose a moderate 4/4 tempo which allowed him to produce more sounds to the beat than if he had worked to a 2/4 beat. It is said that he provided the link between the Lancashire clog and buck dancing.

Fred Astaire &
Ginger Rogers -
with
Bill Hard ?
and
Jan Riggins?

BALLROOM TAP a form of dance introduced and popularized by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in their films of the 1930s and early 1940s.

It was a fine blending of the steps and style of ballroom dancing and the sounds and rhythms of tap, and it lent itself well to both camera angles and the medium.

Song & Dance - with the Model A's

this form was popular in minstrelsy and vaudeville. It could mean (1) a song followed by a dance, or (2) later synonymous with soft shoe because, as this dance was being performed in the foreground, it was often accompanied by a chorus of singers in the background.

Broadway Era - Singin' in the Rain -
with Olivia Cameo Lewis!

Rockin' 50s - Jailhouse Rock - with Olivia Cameo Lewis!

Eleanor Powell's 1930s - Honolulu - with Olivia Cameo Lewis!

Rap Tap - Part of the jazz tap category that was developed to rap music which is basically spoken and has a regular recurring beat with little musical content or melody. Thus, it can provide a good accompaniment for close-to-the-floor and synocopated foot work.

During the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, the best tap dancers moved from Vaudeville to cinema and television. Steve Condos, with his innovative style of percussion tap, created a whole new tap style that he introduced to audiences in Vaudeville, and later to the audiences of film and Broadway. Prominent tap dancers of this period included Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Shirley Temple, John W. Bubbles, Charles "Honi" Coles, Vera-Ellen, Ruby Keeler, Gene Kelly, Ann Miller (credited as the fastest recorded tap dancer, a record she still holds), Jeni LeGon, Fayard and Harold Nicholas of the Nicholas Brothers, Donald O'Connor, Eleanor Powell, Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable, Prince Spencer, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and Jimmy Slyde.

During the 1930s tap dance mixed with Lindy Hop. "Flying swing outs" and "flying circles" are Lindy Hop moves with tap footwork.

In the 1950s, the style of entertainment changed. Jazz music and tap dance declined, while rock and roll and pop music and the new jazz dance emerged. What is now called jazz dance evolved out of tap dance, so both dances have many moves in common. But jazz evolved separately from tap dance to become a new form in its own right. Well-known dancers during the 1960s and 1970s included Arthur Duncan and Tommy Tune.

No Maps on My Taps, the Emmy award winning PBS documentary of 1979, helped begin the recent revival of tap dance. The outstanding success of the animated film, Happy Feet, has further reinforced the popular appeal National Tap Dance Day in the United States, now celebrated May 25th, was signed into law by President George Bush on November 7, 1989. (May 25th was chosen because it is the birthday of famous tapper Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.) Prominent modern tap dancers have included Brenda Bufalino, Jay Fagan, Ted Bebblejad, Savion Glover, Peter Briansen, Gregory and Maurice Hines of Hines, Hines, and Dad, Ayodele Casel, LaVaughn Robinson, Jason Samuels Smith, Chloe Arnold, Jared Grimes, Joseph Wiggan, Sarah Savelli, Jason Janas, Acia Gray, Dormeshia Sumbry Edwards, Omar Edwards, Michelle Dorrance, Max Pollak, Derick Grant, Jumaane Taylor, Sam Weber and Grant Swift. Indie-pop band Tilly and the Wall also features a tap dancer, Jamie Pressnall, tapping as percussion. Orchestral-pop band Born Again Floozies combines tap dance, hoofing, and stomp dance with orchestral percussion and low brass as its rhythm section. Tap your way through life.

Copyright © 2009 Olivia Cameo Lewis and iTapLive. All rights reserved. Updated: 06/11/11

Copyright © 2009 Olivia Cameo Lewis and iTapLive. All rights reserved.
Updated: 06/11/11