If the Shoe Fits...Tap! by Linda Lerner 5


-6-7-8.Get ready to tap your feet alongwith talented dance troupes and individuals to commemorateNational TapDance Day June 9-13, 2015.


If the Shoe Fits...Tap is a free pre-showbefore performances of Cinderella coming toDallas SummerMusicals (DSM). Just as the showismagi- cal,Dance Council ofNorth Texas (DCNT) and Tap have been irre- sistible forAl,my husband, andme sincemoving toDallas.


Thank youDallas,DCNT andDSMfor letting us be part of your per- formances and presentations.We’re tapping off to Chicago butwill be back to visit our friends and cover filmfestivals for ourweb site, MoviesandShakers.comandwill continue to tap into yourwarmth and friendshipwheneverwe can.


Tap has played an important part inmy life inDallas.DCNT has given Al andme somanyways to celebrate dance.When I first arrived in 1997, I knewI had to find a dance studio. I took tap as a child and later. But after one bad aerobics instructor in Chicagowho had no rhythm, I shuffled into an intermediate class atHubbard StreetDance and never looked back. I also took at RiverNorth. Therewere several drummers inmy family andmy drumsweremy feet.


When I firstwalked into TerryWolter’sDance Traxx at Forest and Inwood, Iwas asked if Iwas there for the audition. I almost ended up on a cruise ship! Thank goodness I said no and landed on solid ground in Buster Cooper’s class for teachers. There Imade somany good friends. The Tap community not only embracedme but also includedmy husband, syndicated talk showhost andApple Creative Trainer,Al Lerner.


Congressman John Conyers, Jr. introduced a resolution thatwas passed in 1989 calling for aNational TapDanceDay, ”Preserving, pro- moting and celebratingAmerica’s original formof dance”which commemorated the birthday of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. Bojangles was known for incredible tap routines in Shirley Temple’s early films. Al and I actually had the opportunity tomeet Rep. Conyers inDallas several years ago and told himhowmuchDCNT appreciated his sup- port.


Thanks toAmanda Stone (and hermeticulous scripts thatmade us sound and look good),we have had a lot of fun hosting and attend- ingNational TapDanceDay celebrations, Dance CouncilHonors and Scholarship programs.We have gladly schlepped shirts and posters to Dance Planet and donewhatwe could forDCNT’s other big dance events.We’ve had a lot of laughs coming upwith names each year for the different events, including Tap-fantastic, Tap-a-loozah, Tap into Tap, Tap-a-ri-fic, Tapmania, andmy favorite, “Shut up and let your feet do the talking.”


I’vewritten articles for DanceMagazine and press releases using the skills I developedworking for the RadioDisneyNetwork. Iwanted to let the people ofDallas knowhowimportant it is to keep the tap lega- cy alive. Tap is a remarkable art form, choreographed and performed by skilled dancers. Some say it is a dying art, butwe knowbetter. It is still a vibrant and viableway to communicate, entertain and have fun.And tap can be done to jazz, classical, swing, country, any kind of music!


page 14 May-July 2015 www.thedancecouncil.org


Pictured:MaddieOwens. Photo: ChrisWaits


Al and I have had a lot of funmeeting everyone fromFredKelly and his daughter, ColleenKelly Beaman,who still comes to teachmaster classes.We’vemet somany legends of tap. Itwas exciting tomeet GregoryHines and dancewith himalongwith fellowtappers, Carol Pearson, the late JackieHunter and others onstage at theMajestic Theatre.We have lovedworkingwith Tracy Jordan, Joe andAnn Cutaia.


Mr.Hines graciously taught two extraordinarymaster classes for DCNTmembers and talented students fromBooker T.Washington High School for the Performing and VisualArts. Thank you,Kay- Lynn Lyons, for kicking off the ShimShamwhen everyone joined in a circle. Itwasmagic.


The real honorwas learning amazing routines fromthemaster— Buster Cooper.He challenged us andmade us dance better thanwe ever thought possible. I learned fromhimbut got to knowBuster and his family.He dancedwell into his 80s. That’s just it. Tap is for every- one and it’s for all ages.Once themusic started, Buster’s feet, hips and hands startedmoving. The sounds of rhythmand tap are infec- tious. Soon everyone starts tapping their feet.


Youwill start drumming your feet too atDCNT’s If the Shoe Fits…Tap! See dance troupes and individuals fromall overDallas-FortWorth and beyond showcase their passion for tap in amazing routines. It’s free before the Cinderella performance.


Linda Lerner is an avid dance volunteer and supporter of America’s unique dance form—Tap.


DANCE!NORTHTEXAS a publication of the dance council of north texas vol 18 • no 2


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