I recently came across this neat design online and thought I would share it here. If you’re looking for something warm (but cool) to wear to tap class you should definitely check out these products.

This would also make a great gift for the tap dancer in your life. I have purchased items from Cafepress and have found them to be of a very high quality! In fact, the t-shirts I purchased have lasted for several years despite continuous washing.

Click this image to see more products emblazoned with this image. Other colors and styles are also available!

This information was shared with me on Facebook recently. If you have an account there be sure to connect with me!

Cats Paying Dues (CPD), a full-time tap dance company under the artistic direction of Andrew Nemr is seeking new members for its upcoming season.

The auditions will be held at Chelsea studios at 151 West 26th Street on December 6th. They are seeking male and female dancers between the ages of 18 & 26. For more details email Andrew Nemr: info [at] 23prime [dot] com

Here is a montage that features Andrew Nemr and CPD in 2007….good luck!

photo credit: tibbygirl

Check out these 2 articles to get an idea of what’s happening with tap in the modern world!

Savion Glover’s Bare Soundz collects yet another rave review! I’d really like to see it. Does anyone have any idea when it will be coming through Atlanta?

Tap Dancing in Malaysia: It warms my heart to see tap dancing finding a place within so many cultures around the world. This article also features a nice synopsis of the history of tap dancing in America!

This week, I came across more great tap music that I was able to add to www.TapDanceSongs.com!

You should definitely head over there and check it out. This week’s recommendation comes from an artist you might not immediately think of when you’re seeking tap music. Sign up below to receive updates about any tap music added within the last seven days.

photo credit: AMANITO

“If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?”

Most people think that the best dancing is showcased on famous stages before well-dressed crowds. After all, what can be better than a piece that has been honed and practice over time?

Before I answer that, allow me to paint a picture for you:

An instructor has just taught her last class for the evening and now she stands alone in the dance studio. It’s just her, a dance floor, a mirror, and a stereo. Maybe she has been experiencing some tough times in her life recently. Or maybe she has something to celebrate. Either way she puts on some music and begins to dance..

This isn’t being performed for an audience. She’s doing this for herself, from her spirit. This is a spiritual experience. No one is watching. It’s just her and the art form that she loves so much. Every movement is an expression of her fears, her joys, and maybe even her pain.

She dances with abandon. Why?

Because she needs to.

Dance is her healing. Her therapy. Her prayer.

Will you ever see what she does showcased on Broadway stages? Probably not! The purity of the dance comes from the fact that it is danced in truth…not to impress…and not to practice. While the best choreographers are able to approach this feeling, they can never fully capture it. That’s probably what drives them to work so hard.

Imagining what Alvin Ailey, Gregory Hines, or Katherine Dunham must have done in empty dance spaces inspires me. Fortunately, we each have the opportunity to dance in that same spirit. All you have to do is close the door of the studio and you have entered the temple.

Put on your shoes for the place where you dance is Holy ground!