Tap Family Reunion
Company:
Brooklyn Dance Festival
DAY BY DAY Overview:
THURSDAY MAY 24th:
1-2pm: Open Archive: Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
Located at The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10037
FRIDAY MAY 25th: (*Dress To Impress)
6 pm doors, 6:30 pm show: *Performance: Raising The Bar
7:30pm-8: 30 pm: Reception celebrating Bill "Bojangles" Robinson's Birthday
*The Great Tap Family Reunion Photo
Located at The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Langston Hughes Auditorium, 515 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10037
SATURDAY MAY 26th:
10am-7pm Tap Con (Vendors, Demos, Giveaways and more)
9am-5: 30 pm Tap Workshops.
5:30pm-6: 30 pm Dinner Break/Tap Con photo session
6:30pm-7: 30 pm The Tap Family Feud Game Show
7:30pm-9pm The Cutting Contest.
Located at Ailey Studios, 405 W 55th Street, NY 10019
SUNDAY MAY 27th:
10:00am-1pm Footsteps of The Giants (Scavenger Hunt) taking place at Locations throughout NYC ending at Swing 46)
12:00 pm: Doors at Swing 46
1:00pm-6:00pm The Tap Family Jam & Closing Celebration
Located at Swing 46 Jazz & Supper Club, 349 W 46th St, NY, NY 10036
EVENT DESCRIPTIONS:
“Raising The Bar” Performance
Conceived and Choreographed by Award-winning collaborators Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Derick K. Grant & Jason Samuels-Smith, Raising The Bar is a new revue celebrating the timeless relationship between Tap Dance and Jazz: two of the most popular original African-American art forms that has since been embraced worldwide. Raising The Bar challenges perceptions of the standard chorus line, where dancers are instead offered moments to shine in their own right, through dynamic and intricate arrangements. Reminiscent of great American Vaudeville, the show concept while inspired by the era, includes a more contemporary feel.- Solo acts feature some of our Tap community’s own leading voices across styles and generations. This production debuts as part of The Tap Family Reunion weekend events in honor of National Tap Dance Day - celebrating Bill “Bojangles” Robinson’s Birthday (May 25th). In their previous collaboration, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards’ And Still You Must Swing had a sold-out debut at Jacobs Pillow and was recognized by the New York Times’ as Best of Dance (2016) before touring the country and abroad.
“Footsteps of the Giants”
Fun for all ages, participants will be guided through an interactive tour and challenged to race against time to solve a series of clues and perform activities throughout the course of the event. Footsteps of the Giants is a scavenger hunt that fully engages participants as they progress to each of the monuments of significance to Tap Dance history and culture throughout New York City. Participants can work alone or in groups, but only registered participants will have access to the network of map, clues, and group upload where they can compete for actual prizes.
“The Tap Family Feud”
In the style of some of your favorite game shows, we have created an original game show experience that utilizes Tap Dance trivia! Contestants will be selected from audience members and have the opportunity to compete for great prizes! Join us for a fun evening of laughs, memories and good times!
“The Cutting Contest”
The cutting contest is a tap dance improvisation battle formatted and made popular worldwide by Jason Samuels Smith. Audience members will be treated to watch and engage in an exciting exchange that is never the same twice! Contestants will be paired off into groups by age/level and given different time signatures and phrasing challenges to shape the battles along the way and receive credit based on their creativity, timing, phrasing, and ability to follow the established rules.
“Tap Con”
Come engage, learn, and exchange at this interactive Tap Market geared towards all things Tap! The event will run all day Saturday and offer items for purchase, trade/barter, demos, giveaways, footage, cultural relics and more! Wear your favorite tap gear, share stories, take pictures, and help celebrate this special art form we all know and love…
More information about the Tap Family Reunion weekend
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