When it comes to an Elon University dance show, some people may think of pieces that are both beautiful and open to interpretation. Tapped Out! is not that show. Solely based around the genre of tap, Tapped Out! went out of the box to appeal to the audience through noise and rhythm.
Julie Crothers, a senior dance major and one of the show’s assistant directors, spent Winter Term working with professor Gene Medler, who has taught the Tapped Out! course for at least eight years, and getting the show ready for the Jan. 24 premiere.
A mix of different tap styles and accompaniments, with pieces coming from Medler as well as students in the class, Crothers said this year’s show strived to be fast-paced and offer a lot of variety. According to senior Susannah Brooks, it seemed Tapped Out! did just that.
“Since I had seen Tapped Out! in years past, it was what I expected,” Brooks said. “However, a new twist this year that I hadn’t seen before was the accompanist who played music in a couple of pieces. I also didn’t remember the improv section of the show, but I thought it was a nice touch.”
That improv section, called “Instant Dance!”, was led by Julie Crothers. An audience member chose the song and the dancers choreographed it, letting the audience watch as the dancers pulled the dance together before them. But “Instant Dance!” was not the only number that mixed up the format of the show.
“A Tap Dance”, choreographed by senior Amy Wagoner, relied on the dancers to provide the beats and rhythm in the absence of music. This piece allowed the audience to truly appreciate all the noises of tap. There was also “Taking A Chance on Love”, where dancer Patrick Clanton sang a capella and all the dancers tapped in soft shoes. This dance challenged the audience to really hear the sounds the dancers made.
Freshman Gabriela Alvarez, who is a long-time dancer, said she thought Tapped Out! had more audience appeal, which made it a show that anyone can appreciate.
“It was much more audience based,” Alvarez said. “The goal was clearly to have fun and entertain the audience, rather than some other forms of dance where it appears the performers are in their own world and the audience is invited to interpret it.”
Crothers agreed. For her, the point of Tapped Out! is to tap (both literally and figuratively) into the audience’s sense of rhythm and fun, appealing to both sight and sound throughout the night.
“Tap is really entertaining and invites an audience that might not otherwise be drawn to attending a dance concert,” Crothers said. “Many dance concerts you attend just to watch, but tap dance stimulates your sense of hearing, too. Audiences get to view the dance as well as hear the intricate rhythms we create.”
After weeks of work, Crother’s mind was on the audience. While she said she hopes that those who attended enjoyed their experience, she also wants Tapped Out! to be a gateway into other dance performances on campus.
“I hope the audience is entertained,” Crothers said. “I hope that maybe people walk away having a more broad view of what tap dance is and can be. Also I hope that Tapped Out! can serve as a bridge to bring more of the general student and Elon population to art and dance performance events.”