Tap Dance as a Percussive Art
Location
Sydnor Performance Hall, Schewel Hall
Access Type
Campus Access Only
Entry Number
107
Start Date
4-5-2023 10:15 AM
End Date
4-5-2023 10:30 AM
College
Lynchburg College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Music
Abstract
Tap Dance has varied in popularity with the American public since its origin in the 19th century. With the intent of improving music performance, the purpose of this research was to examine the musical aspects of tap dance. The particular problems of this study were to (1) trace the development of tap dance in America; (2) identify specific elements that make tap dance a percussive element; (3) explore composition methods for tap dance as a percussive instrument; and (4) showcase the percussion abilities of tap dance.
Tap dance developed in the early 1900s from West African percussive dancing and Irish/English clogging and became prevalent during the civil war. A percussive instrument produces sound when it is struck or shaken and tap shoes strike the ground in a rhymic fashion. When composing for tap dancers and musicians, one must first bridge the gap between knowledge areas; this can be done through proper notation and collaboration styles. Stomp Along, my original composition, will showcase how to incorporate tap dance into the music classroom.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Cynthia Ramsey
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Tap Dance as a Percussive Art
Sydnor Performance Hall, Schewel Hall
Tap Dance has varied in popularity with the American public since its origin in the 19th century. With the intent of improving music performance, the purpose of this research was to examine the musical aspects of tap dance. The particular problems of this study were to (1) trace the development of tap dance in America; (2) identify specific elements that make tap dance a percussive element; (3) explore composition methods for tap dance as a percussive instrument; and (4) showcase the percussion abilities of tap dance.
Tap dance developed in the early 1900s from West African percussive dancing and Irish/English clogging and became prevalent during the civil war. A percussive instrument produces sound when it is struck or shaken and tap shoes strike the ground in a rhymic fashion. When composing for tap dancers and musicians, one must first bridge the gap between knowledge areas; this can be done through proper notation and collaboration styles. Stomp Along, my original composition, will showcase how to incorporate tap dance into the music classroom.