Monday, March 8, 2010

"Tap Dancing America"

Constance Valis Hill has attempted the almost impossible by writing a book that covers the history of tap dancing during the entire 20th century.  Her book, Tap Dancing America: A Cultural History has just been published by Oxford University Press and this past Saturday she had a book signing at the Barnes & Noble near Lincoln Center.  Before signing, she talked about the book and her particular focus of looking at women in tap.  In keeping with that theme, she introduced the dancer/director/choreographer Mercedes Ellington who then shared some fascinating stories about her experiences in dance and shared the realities of being a women of color in show business at a certain time.  Next up was Karen Callaway Williams who did a great tap number and then came Michela Marino-Lerman and also did a great tap number!

It was nice to see the mixed generation of women talk about this art form and it made me think about the fact that the majority of people who are writing books about tap, as far as I know, are women.  There is Jane Goldberg with her recent book Shoot Me While I'm Happy, Jacqui Malone whose books on Cholly Atkins and Afrcian American Dance are important works, and Zita Allen (who happened to walk in and sit behind me) who has written on tap, just to name a few.

But the "fellas" did get their moment.  Joseph Wiggan hit the boards with his clean, crisp style and walking in at the very end was Jason Samuels Smith who was coaxed into dancing.  It all wrapped up with a Shim Sham, then all the dancers wound up signing books, along with Constance, since they were all mentioned in the book.  It was a decent turn out and some audience members had insightful comments about the dancing and evening during a brief Q & A.

Events like this need to happen more often and the history needs to be talked about, written about and read more often.  I have yet to read the book (I want to get it and read it when I'm not busy and can just take it all in), but I will.  If you want to get it, check out Amazon, or hit your local bookstore.  Keep tap alive!

1 comment:

  1. Hank, you truly are the best chronicler (chronic-caller) of tap dancing. I have enjoyed reading your blog post so much. And I haven't even got to the "juicy" parts, that is, the footage. I hope you continue to write. "The first male writer" of tap dance , (just kidding---Marshall Stearns! Jerry Ames, many others, I'm sure. Whitney Balliett....

    I really appreciate that you go out to see things and aren't caught up in cliques or justifying anything.....didn't mean to put you on the spot the other night at Revolution Books. I'm sure if I said Bathsheba goldberg invented tap, you might have disputed that a little. Who knows? I'm glad you're calling your blog "stories of tap" rather than "The Story of Tap" ......I'm not in the forefront now, so I especially like reading where you're going, and what you have to say. I, like everyone, adore(s) your easy style of tap dancing.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your contribution.