We have had some amazing tap dancers and wonderful tap productions in Australia over the years, all of which have made an enormous contribution to our very unique tapping landscape. Who could forget David Atkins’ Hot Shoe Shuffle, Dein Perry’s Tap Dogs or Glyn Gray and Nathan Sheens BPM – Beats Per Minute!  Drew Anthony’s  The Fabulous Rhythm Boys ( originally with Leonie Page, Drew Anthony and Sean Hingston) and recently revamped as Rhythm Untapped with Chris Horsey, Mandy Carnie and Drew Anthony. Raw Metal, Caroline Kaspar, Bill Simpson’s Red Hot Rhythm, Paul Davis’ and Shane Preston’s One Big Blur, The Swift Brothers, Those Tap Guys ( Brisbane), Rhythm Works Oz (tap and percussion), The Russell Road Brothers ( Drew Kaluski, Ben Read and Garon Michalitsis), Lee McDonald’s Rhythm On Tap, Tap Works ( conceived and directed by Chris Horsey, Nathan Sheens and Rob Kelly) and The Next Step ( lead by Jason and Chris Lewis )  – all giving us their unique take on tap.

The differences in each tapper or group’s style and rhythm are marked and serve to further demonstrate what I have always known: TAP dancing is an amazing artform that comes in many different packages. Fast and furious, mellow and laid back, cool and stylish, quirky and loaded with personality – all these different approaches to tap have been around in Australia for years!

What or who inspired you to start tap dancing in the first place?

JASON SAMUELS SMITH (USA) The person who really inspired me to maybe want to become a professional was Gregory Hines. Because he was the epitome of cool!   

CHLOE ARNOLD (USA): I would say the person who made me want to become a tap dancer was Savion Glover and then I was introduced to Gregory Hines, Dianne Walker and Dr Jeni LeGon – they were all pivotal people!

SHANE PRESTON: What inspired me was watching the ABC Shows with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly and I was always jumping around to the music.

GRANT SWIFT: When I saw it done by Africans - I just really related to it. The freedom in it! It was so raw! So I watched heaps of video clips (The Nicholas Brothers etc) and as soon as I had enough money I took a plane to New Orleans and tapped on the streets…..and it has been on going since then.

CHRIS HORSEY: Fred Astaire! Watching old movies of Fred Astaire with my Mum in the lounge room. It was watching this footage in the first place and then that opened up the door to Gene Kelly and then discovering Sammy Davis Junior and The Nicholas Brothers who I used to watch religiously on video after school whenever possible.

So who do you admire now on the tap scene either in Australia or overseas, past or present?

JASON SAMUELS SMITH: I think there are a lot of great tap dancers but I still greatly admire dancers like Dianne Walker, Arthur Duncan, Dr Jeni LeGon .You know, those leaders of the tap community who have been there for a long time. I think there are a lot of up and coming dancers like Joseph Wiggin and Jared Grimes….

CHLOE ARNOLD: Jason Samuels Smith, Dianne Walker, Jared Grimes, my sister……..I think the people who are informing me and inspiring my work would be those people.

SHANE PRESTON:  Ted Levy, Dianne Walker – how they are all so humble is amazing. Also Jason (Samuels Smith) and Chloe (Arnold). Back here in Australia I get inspired and pushed by the likes of Ben Read and Drew Kaluski and those guys.

GRANT SWIFT: There are so many! The Nicholas Brothers were what attracted me to the artform and then I looked deeper. Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson, John Bubbles……he is incredible, Chuck Green, Baby Laurence, Jimmy Slyde, Gregory Hines, The Condos Brothers

CHRIS HORSEY: I have to say that it would be Savion Glover – it’s just so inspirational….he’s just so good!

What do you think makes a good piece of tap choreography?

JASON SAMUELS SMITH: Something that references maybe some older tap choreography and is recognizable to the tap community - like someone will say “heh that looks like a Jimmy Slyde step or a Buster Brown step”. So it is like a tap quote.

CHLOE ARNOLD: Musicality, clarity, style, charisma, energy and showing your individual personality

SHANE PRESTON: To me it is about rhythm and being visually appealing I suppose. Nice crisp, clean beats and talking feet. It is no use mumbling – they have to be talking.

GRANT SWIFT: Good rhythm. For me personally I just know it when I do it! It makes me feel good! It’s like a remedy – if it feels good….. it is good!

CHRIS HORSEY: It’s basically got to look like it sounds. That’s what excites me. It can be great chore and a great routine - but if it looks like it sounds, that’s what moves me!

Well - there you have it. Some fantastic insights and inspiration from the best!

So if you are a passionate tap dancer, you need look no further than researching all the names in this article and you will have oodles of tapping inspiration to last a lifetime!

And if you are looking for some new steps and combos go to www.tapatakoz.com.au and check out my whole range of instructional tap dance DVDs!

Till next time! Happy Tapping!

Christine