This class develops Tap dance skills through choreography for the intermediate dancer!

Tap dance was originated in the early 19th century.  It was born from a melding of both African and Irish cultures in the southern U.S.  When traditional percussion instruments and dancing were banned, the people of that era turned to the fine motor rhythms of the feet to keep their cultures alive.  Since then, Tap dance has also become a staple of the Broadway stage and remains a thriving dance genre around the globe to this day.  In this class, we will focus on the fine motor percussive sounds of the feet while also developing basic dance skills in choreography.  We will develop gross motor coordination, balance, joint isolation, core strength, flexibility, musicality, and storytelling while using a bank of movements that are found universally in dance.

Here's what you can expect in class:
 - Check-in & discuss our plan for that day's class (5 min)
 - Warm-ups & Featured Steps/Technique (15-20 min)
 - Introduction of New & Review of Previously Taught Choreography (15-20 min)

We will begin with a center floor warm-up, and then explore some featured steps in each class.  Dancers will learn new movement patterns and apply what they are learning in a dance combination that will be taught over the 4 weeks.  Each week we will add onto the previous week's learning and work our way through one cohesive dance combination.  Dancers should arrive on time with water on hand, wearing comfortable clothing that allows for free and easy movement.  Tap shoes are required footwear for Tap dance, but sneakers can be used in a pinch.  

Since tap dancing is very similar to learning how to play an instrument, I do require that dancers practice between meetings (ideally 15-30 minutes per day).  The only way that we progress in Tap is to teach your feet to move with a certain amount of specific dexterity.  It makes such a difference when all dancers contribute their full effort by coming to class prepared.  This class is intentionally designed to be quite small, allowing each learner ample personal attention, therefore it is priced accordingly.  

Experience:
This is an intermediate level class.  Dancers should ideally have at least 1.5-2 years of recent training in Tap Dance to participate in this class.  This class does require a certain level of movement fluency, so if you are uncertain if this class is an appropriate level for your learner, I recommend that you contact me.  Advanced beginners who are looking for a challenge may find this class a fit with enough outside practice between meetings.  We can schedule a level placement class in order to determine if this class is the best fit.  This class may be repeated again and again as we take on new dance combinations in each new section.

Preparation & Best Practices:
Plan to join the class 5 minutes early.  I recommend that you position your camera so that I can clearly view your whole body, if possible.  This helps me to monitor progress and give specific feedback.  

Dance is an ongoing pursuit toward greater expression and excellence.  Repeating this class multiple times is highly recommended.  I will let you know when your dancer is ready to transition into an advanced beginner class.  Each month, we will choose a new song and work on a new dance combination.  Our goal will be to learn a portion of the song - the length will depend upon the complexity of the steps we are using and the students' pace of learning.

If you don't see a date or time you like, be sure to contact me with your requests.  Also, be sure to let me know if you are looking for private classes for groups or individuals.