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Top teachers sound off on tap education today-and tomorrow.
If there are two things that set tap dancers apart, they are their dedication to the history of their craft and their unrelenting reverence for the individuals who brought this uniquely American artform into existence. True to form, today's tappers are committed to maintaining a dialogue about the genre's past, present and future with first-generation pioneers.
DT looked to nine artists-from retired tap master LaVaughn Robinson to Emmy Award winner Jason Samuels Smith-to share their insights about the state of their beloved artform. We also asked 'these influential individuals how they view tap education today, how they'd like to see it improve-and perhaps most importantly-their visions for its future growth. Here's what they had to say:
The State of Tap Education
"Today's young tappers are dancing their hearts out, so the state of tap education has really blossomed over the last 10 years. I am very touched that tap teachers are sending their students to tap festivals to study with the masters, and that they are also coming to these festivals themselves. It has been my pleasure to teach many teachers, and I find their dedication and desire for a deeper understanding of tap dance, rhythms, history, musicality and technique inspiring."
-Brenda Bufalino, co-founder of the American Tap Dance Orchestra, now the American Tap Dance Foundation
"I think tap education is widening. You've got a lot of young tap dancers coming up now, and I think that it's improving the artform. When I first started tap dancing and learning, society didn't even want to give it recognition as an artfomn. They wouldn't even call it an art. But now, people are beginning to realize that it's not just banging on the floor and making a lot of noise; it's an artform like any other dance. And that's the way it should be."
-LaVaughn Robinson, retired tap master
"I think tap education at dance studios is all over the map: some very good and some not so good, like any dance form. In terms of special events, it has never been better. There are high-quality tap workshops and festivals all over the country now, and if you are a tap geek, then high-quality tap experiences are...