DANCE TODAY

DANCE TODAY

By the 1920s, tap had been recognized as a distinct dance form; by the 1930s, tap musicals had become increasingly popular and gave audiences the captivating entertainment that they wanted. To see the evolution of traditional African dance to modern day American tap in present day is astounding. What makes this learning process even more astonishing is how relevant the traditional African presence can still be seen in the modern vocabulary and aesthetic of tap dance (i.e.: shuffles, chugs, wings, scuffs, drags, loose upper torso, bent forward, bent knees, flat feet, etc.). As long as this art form is still thriving, the tradition of African dance will be kept alive as well.