I wanted to share another holiday celebrated on May 25th National Tap Dance Day #NationalTapDanceDay. Here is a fun tidbit about Charlie. When he was little he loved to dance and was teaching himself tap. One year my dad bought Charlie a pair of black dress shoes Charlie would refer to shoes as his dance shoes and wore them everywhere. At times even though my dad is gone Charlie still ask for this style of shoe which would go perfectly with his suit and would have been nice for PROM if he had had one.
National Tap Dance Day is celebrated on May 25th to honor the art of tap dancing. Tap dancing is a form of dance that incorporates complex rhythmic step combinations and an expression of character through sound and body movements. Tap dancing has many styles from clogging to soft-shoe, jazz, and many more styles of dance. NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY is a fun and exciting holiday which is also celebrated in other Countries apart from the U.S. including Japan, Australia, India, and Iceland.
National Tap Dance Day was the idea of Carol Vaughn, Nicola Daval, and Linda Christensen. NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY was first presented to the U.S. Congress on February 7th, 1989, and thereafter President George H.W. Bush signed NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY into the U.S. American Law on November 8th, 1989. NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY was officially observed for the first time on May 25th, 1989. The date of this day has another interesting history and for those that didn’t know it May 25th is actually the birthday of Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson, a significant contributor to tap dance.
There are some theories regarding the origins of tap dance. but it is believed tap dance originated in the 19th Century in the United States when slave owners took away the traditional African percussion instruments. To express themselves, the slaves turned to percussive dancing. These styles of dance with clog dancing from the British Isles created a unique form of rhythm and movement.
Thereafter, tap dancing evolved significantly. At the turn of the 20th Century, tap dancing became an important feature of popular Vaudeville variety shows. Tap dancers started incorporating complex syncopated rhythms into their movements. Some of the other talented tap dancers include Fred Astaire, Gregory Hines, and Ginger Rogers. These personalities made tap dance extremely popular and, over the years, tap dancing has become one of the favorite dance forms.
Tap dancing made its entry into Hollywood during the period from 1930 to 1950 where tap dance became a staple in movies and on television. Shirley Temple, in fact, made her film tap dance debut at the age of six. Tap dance has become so loved that from 2016 onwards, that tap dancing has generated more than 27 million mentions on social media.
LET’S CELEBRATE NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY
- If your Homeschooling your students like I am with Charlie National Tap Dance Day is a fantastic opportunity for you to read about the renowned tap dancer that contributed significantly to tap dancing (Mr. Bojangles’s) Bill Robinson. In fact, NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY is celebrated on Bill Robinson’s birthday and it would be a fitting tribute to look into the history of this celebrity tap dancer.
- Take the opportunity today and head out and watch a tap-dancing show because there are many events on National Tap Dance Day. Research your area and head out with your friends and family to watch tap dancing and don’t forget to get up and try your hand at tap dancing.
- Have you ever thought about learning tap dancing? Well, now’s the time to start. Celebrate National Tap Dance Day by signing up for a class or maybe make a date with your partner to attend a tap dance workshop!
TAP DANCING FACT”S YOU SHOULD KNOW
- When tap dancing originated, African American slaves would use the soles of their feet to tap dance.
- Before the proper shoes were invented for tap dancing, people stuck pennies on their shoes to make the tapping sound.
- here is a fun fact for you. Tap shoes can be considered musical instruments.
- Tap dancing can be used as a secret language to communicate with Morse code.
- Tap dance has various styles including Broadway, classical, rhythm, funk, and jazz.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY
- Tap dancing requires skilled footwork in sync with musical notes and tap dancing is a great way to find your inner rhythm and develop and enhance your sense of the beat of the music.
- If you are health-conscious and want a fun way to incorporate fitness into your life, then tap dancing is a great option. The various difficulty levels provide a great workout and it’s still fun to get your body moving. Tap dancing is actually an aerobic activity and can help you tone up.
- Think twice before you convince yourself you can’t tap dance. That’s the best part about this American dance form, it’s for anyone and everyone. With a little bit of practice and focus, you can master tap dancing and show off your moves.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
