Rhythm Tap Hits Oklahoma
February rain and snow did not chill the energy of the first tap festival held at the Edith Kinney Gaylord Center-Ann Lacy School of American Dance located on the campus of Oklahoma City University.
“Robert L. Reed, the artists, sponsors and the Oklahoma City community each did their part to make this inaugural event a stunning success,” said Randy Miller, managing director of the Oklahoma City Tap Festival. “In only three days the OKC Tap Festival managed to teach attendees entire dances and bring the spirit of the weeklong St. Louis Tap Festival to another region in the Midwest. Tap footage from Professor Reed’s vast library made for good conversation and inspiration for young and old alike.”
Two living legends, Ernest “Brownie” Brown and Harold Cromer taught their signature routines. Brownie, 92, was assisted by his partner, Reggio “The Hoofer” McLaughlin, teaching the infamous “Chair Dance.” They explained the history behind the dance. Harold Cromer, who is also over 90, taught his “Opus One” assisted by Sarah Reich. He told many Vaudeville stories in class and in the lounge where Reed had a reel of historic tap video clips running.
Robert Reed teaches Step Brothers routine.
Other faculty members included Reed, Chicago’s Bril Barrett, Robin and Robert Reed III, NYC’s Rod Ferrone, Detroit/NYC’s Denise Caston, NYC’s Avi Miller and Ofer Ben, Garu Prasanna Kasthuri, Reed protégé Logan Miller, Flamenco dancer Shannon Calderon, and the Hip Hop group Stick and Move Dance Crew.
Tonya Rogers, mother of MaKenna who is a member of the St. Louis Hoofers, observed that Oklahoma dance schools traditionally taught studio tap rather than rhythm tap. She believes that Robert Reed has helped changed that in the Oklahoma City area over the past years. “As someone who has to drive for three hours one way just for lessons, the chance to have so many great tappers in Oklahoma was fabulous. My daughter, MaKenna, usually only gets this experience when we travel for eight hours to St. Louis, or more when we go to Chicago. So, when we got to Oklahoma City, she wasn’t exhausted from a long road trip.”
Rogers says that, “Oklahoma should embrace this ‘Tap Festival’ idea that we have all known about for some time, as one of the true great tap experiences.” She believes that the faculty mix was well-planned because of the international styles represented. “The grace of the Rockette, the mixed rhythm patterns of the Guru and the crispness of the Flamenco, mixed with the rhythm qualities of the hip hop and the history of the legends made this a definite to be a repeated experience. This experience made me proud, as an Okie, to see this happening in Oklahoma.
“Who Rhythm Taps in Oklahoma?” Rogers asked rhetorically. “Everyone who participated,” she laughed in response to her own question. “Kudos to Mr. Reed for once again reinforcing to me, after all these years of experience with him, why we chose him to mold our daughter into the best tapper she can be.”
Nine-year-old dance sensation, Dario Natarelli states: “I liked dancing with Professor Reed since I haven’t seen him a lot since we moved to the East Coast. I also liked getting to dance with Brownie and Reggio and learning the Chair Dance and learning Opus One with Harold [Cromer] and Sarah [Reich]. It was fun seeing all my friends from the Colorado Hoofers and getting to perform a solo in the big show to a live band. The best thing was just getting a chance to learn from all the masters, and also doing hip hop and watching Katha dance with Mr. Prasanna…I guess I liked everything!”
Andrea Torres, a student at Oklahoma City University, felt the vibe had high energy and quality tapping. “The classes were smooth and, of course, Bril Barrett was doing his thing by teaching a hip-hop syncopated dance. The tap jam was my biggest highlight. It was a great way to end the night and people from all over participated with enthusiasm and a free spirit. It went on for hours and our management staff had to cut us off…. It was great to just go back to the root of things and learn from each other. I really enjoyed this weekend.” “This was a great first time festival,” concluded festival director Robert L. Reed, who appreciated the great depth of support from the many Oklahomans who attended the event. This “first time festival” exuded energy and should continue to be another inspirational annual event.