{"id":1471,"date":"2015-11-03T00:53:43","date_gmt":"2015-11-03T01:53:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fullrenovations.com\/?p=1471"},"modified":"2025-04-08T15:36:21","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T15:36:21","slug":"sound-wisdom-a-guide-to-tap-dance-from-tony-coppola","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.fullrenovations.com\/index.php\/2015\/11\/03\/sound-wisdom-a-guide-to-tap-dance-from-tony-coppola\/","title":{"rendered":"Sound Wisdom: A Guide to Tap Dance from Tony Coppola"},"content":{"rendered":"

As I removed my tap shoes and sat down to write this article, I thought, \u201cWhat is the most important thing I\u2019d like my readers to get from this article?\u201d Well, obviously, I would wish for you all to fall in love with tap dance. I know, I know, that\u2019s quite a lofty goal, but maybe if you\u2019d get a standing ovation with a tap piece, you\u2019ll embrace tap with a healthy respect. It is a truly American genre (now danced worldwide), and it\u2019s a joy and a challenge to create music while you dance. To quote an old phrase: \u201cIt\u2019s a treat to beat your feet!\u201d It is my personal hope that rather than recycling the tap of the past, we can keep what is valuable from bygone eras and endeavor to take tap forward in an effective, energetic and entertaining way.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of your first considerations is to assess the purpose and demographics of the performance for which the piece will be performed. Is it a concert, or a recital, or a commercial setting (such as a showroom or a theme park), or a competition? And what kind of audience would you have: 60 people, or 600, or 2,000? And what is the age span? In addition, is the piece a solo, a small group or a larger production? All of these considerations will guide you in making one of your most important decisions – your choice of music. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"Coppola<\/p>\n

Coppola Rhythm Ensemble. Photo by Sergio Minero.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In choosing music, you should choose music that your audience can relate to, that they can attach to and enjoy the groove with the dancers. That doesn\u2019t mean predictable; it\u2019s good to have a few surprises or highlights in the piece, both audibly and visually. Your simplest consideration in choosing music is:\u00a0Can the audience hear the taps?<\/em> And that means all the way at the back of the theatre. Music that\u2019s too heavily orchestrated will smother the taps. Also, check out the acoustics in the theatre. In preparing your dancers, I\u2019ll assume that the level of tap technique is adequate to support the choreography. Young dancers should be in a class that includes a healthy dose of technique. A class which only works on a routine short-changes the dancers; they will have less substance to put into a dance.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a judge, I often see tap pieces which include several dancers who do not execute all the sounds. Make sure each dancer can do the steps alone and a cappella<\/em>. Then when you reassemble the dance it will be stronger.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve chosen your music, listen to it over and over before choreographing so that you can effectively use the phrases and\u00a0accents<\/em> in your choreography rather than just choreographing 8\u2019s. If you\u2019re creating an a cappella piece, you need to drill the dancers to keep time; there is generally a tendency to rush, which is very unsettling to the audience. Musicality is the goal of the choreographer and the dancer. (Challenge yourself with music in other meters such as 6\/8, 3\/4, 5\/4, 9\/8, etc.)<\/span><\/p>\n

So now that you\u2019re married to the music, it’s wise to create a theme – a series of steps or a phrase that\u2019s recognizable when it is reprised. It is the signature of the piece, and it should grab the audience both audibly and visually and show the character of the piece. Tap’s musicality can be applied to many styles, from traditional hoofing to Latin, to rap, to blues, classical, to rock and show tunes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some specifics:<\/span><\/p>\n