Masterclasses
We're putting together a variety of masterclasses from a range of tap professionals! Click on the name of a teacher to see their class info.
Cora LaRedd and & Juanita Pitts: In The Steps Of Our Foremothers
Taught by Margaret Morrison on April 6th 12 - 1:30pm
For Advanced Beginner (Lvl 6) and Up
The 1940s rhythm tap styling of Juanita Pitts and 1920s-30s jazz time steps of Cora LaRedd illuminate the artistry of two African American women tap stars. Join us for a master class to learn Pitts’ and LeRedd’s classic tap steps, view video, and explore the history of these important Tap Mothers. In the height of the jazz era, African American women tap dancers thrilled audiences across the country by laying down the iron. But only a few of these women were ever filmed.
Mixed level class, for advanced beginner through advanced (appropriate for dancers familiar with the rhythm time step and BS Chorus)
Taught by Margaret Morrison, rhythm tap artist and tap dance historian. Margaret’s dance works and scholarship explore tap at the intersections of gender, race, queerness. She received the Flo-Bert Award and the ATDF Hoofer Award for her contributions to tap. Her work “Juanita Pitts: Race, Gender, and the Female Hoofer” is forthcoming in the Oxford Handbook of Black Dance, edited by Thomas F. DeFrantz.
Josh Hilberman Masterclass
April 25th 6:30 - 7:45pm
Groomed by tap and vaudeville stars of the 1930's, tap dance artist Joshua Hilberman has shared the stage with Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Jimmy Slyde, Brenda Bufalino, and most every tap dancer of note.
Long-time artistic collaborations include mentors Bufalino and tap's great pianist Paul Arslanian.
Together with dancer/producer Drika Overton, and the German duo Tap and Tray, Josh has been creating and performing original ensemble and solo theatrical productions for 35 years.
Josh has taught hundreds of workshops and tap festivals, including New York, Chicago, Stockholm, Vancouver, Helsinki, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Dusseldorf, etc. His deep understanding of tap dance in performance combined with a healthy sense of humor make him a fun, patient, enlightening instructor.
Hilberman's contributions to the evolution of tap dance receive mention in the 2010 book Tap Dance America, and he has been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the US Presidential Scholars Teachers Recognition Award, and the Premi Claqueta from the dancers of Barcelona, Spain for significant contributions to the tap community.
Settled happily in Liege, Belgium, most days Josh can be found at his lovely space for tap dance, the Claquettes Club, or at home making pancakes for his son Felix and wife Stephanie. For more information: www.claquettesclub.com
The Footsteps and Footwork of Tap Master Ralph Brown
Taught by Katherine Kramer on April 26th 4 - 5:30pm
Katherine’s own history in tap goes back to NY in the 1970s, during which time she had the great pleasure of studying for 2 years with Ralph Brown. She first heard Ralph, in his hot pink tap shoes, at an event organized by Jane Goldberg at the Village Vanguard in 1978. After moving to NY in 1931 and becoming a regular at the Hoofer’s Club, Ralph went on to working at the Cotton Club, where he performed and toured with Cab Calloway for many years. He performed as well with Charlie Parker, and Duke Ellington, among others, and was a member of “The Original Hoofers.” Ralph performed in films, and on Broadway in “Black and Blue.” His enthusiasm for tap was infectious!!!
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Katherine has kept his material alive in her repertory since that time and is committed to sharing both his history and artistry. More about Katherine at: www.KatherineKramerProjects.com