Europe-based Tap pro Pascal Hulin offers up a new YouTube video of a funk tap piece he choreographed featuring tap dancers Dorel and Costel Surbeck.

CHICAGO TAP THEATRE PRESENTS: THE HOURGLASS AND THE POISONED PEN
A SUPERHERO TAP DANCE OPERA

JUNE 27-29, JULY 5, 6, 11-13 and 18-20
AT THE ATHENAEUM THEATRE STUDIO 3 (2936 N. SOUTHPORT)

CHICAGO- Chicago Tap Theatre makes history again when it presents the nation’s first superhero tap dance opera sequel this June and July at the Athenaeum Theatre Studio 3. Co-created by comic book artist Andrew Pepoy (inker of Batman, X-Men, and The Simpsons, among others) and CTT Artistic Director Mark Yonally, The Hourglass and the Poisoned Pen follows The Hourglass, a superheroine endowed with powers she is struggling to understand as she battles the forces of evil embodied by the Poisoned Pen and other nefarious characters. Not just a strict sequel, this production also encapsulates last year’s The Hourglass in the Stop-Time Chronicles so that no one will be missing any important plot developments.

Bloch Dancewear is selling a new tap dance shoe developed in cooperation with tap dancer Jason Samuels Smith. The black patent leather shoe features a serious build-up on the sole and (probably) a phat sound. Order it online from the Bloch web site. Check out a close-up image in PDF format.

Long-time dancers Maurice Hines and Peggy Spina, and documentary creator Jean Bach, received Flo-Bert Life Achievement Awards at the 19th annual Tap Extravaganza yesterday in New York City. Read Melber Huber's background article on the ceremony.

Dr. Jimmy Slyde, one of the all-time great tap dancers, passed away early on Friday at his home in Hanson, Mass. He was 80. Savion Glover called Slyde "the Godfather of Tap" and "one of the true masters of the art form."

Here's the New York Times article

Some online resource links from Andrew Nemr:

Dr. Slyde's profile page in the Internet Movie Database.

An in depth biography posted as part of Dr. Slyde's 1999 NEA National Heritage Fellowship award, a Lifetime Honor.

A profile with links to audio and video content as part of the Massachusetts Cultural Council Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program.

The new documentary, Hollywood Singing and Dancing contains a lot of archival footage you've probably already seen, but the new commentary by some of Hollywood's musical legends, along with extended footage, makes it worth watching (look for it in your TV listings). From the promo:

For once, musical numbers are seen in their entirety, such as Fred Astaire's breathtaking tap dancing up the wall and across the ceiling and tiny Shirley Temple mimicking her beaming old black partner as they cleverly tap dance up the wooden staircase and back down again.

The Robert L. Reed Tap Heritage Institute is shuffling off to Okalahoma City February 15 - 17 for the inaugaural Oklahoma City Tap Festival.

Building on the success of the long running St. Louis Tap Festival, the Robert L. Reed Tap Heritage Institute is shuffling off to Okalahoma City February 15 - 17 for the inaugaural Oklahoma City Tap Festival. The Festival will feature over 25 workshops, a Tap Jam, Panel Discussion and masters showcase - "OKC Tap".

Workshops will be held at the beautiful new Oklahoma City University - Edith Kinney Gaylord Center.
OKC Tap will be held at the new Douglass High School Auditorium.

More information is available at: www.okctap.org
Or by calling: (405) 415-6785
Email: info@tapheritage.org

Women In Tap is a three-day conference celebrating "four generations of accomplished female tap artists, acknowledged as leaders in the profession," according to the conference web site. Those participating include a who's-who of female tap pros, including Brenda Bufalino, Dianne "Lady Di" Walker, Lynn Dally, Miriam Nelson, Acia Gray, Linda Sohl-Ellison, Heather Cornell, Michelle Dorrance, Josette Wiggan, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Chloe Arnold, Deborah Mitchell, Terry Brock, Barbara Duffy, Sarah Reich, Maya Guice, Anissa Irving, Sali Ann Kriegsman, Constance Valis Hill, Ann Kilkelly, and Jane Goldberg. The conference features panel sessions, documentary film screenings, a concert, and other events (schedule). It takes place February 8-10, 2008 on the UCLA Campus in Los Angeles, California.