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Sexism in tap

Issues against women and their right to equality has always been a long and difficult issue all over the world. Women have been working towards the rights of women to vote in elections , Starting in the late 1800s. Women worked for economic and political equality and for social reforms, and sought to change voting laws in order to allow them to vote. It’s is clear that women have always held less importance than men and this continues to be a issue even in today’s age. Tap dancers like the syncopated ladies might face issues like unequal pay. This would mean that despite being as talker as as certain male tappers or even more skilled in fact , the wouldn’t be paid an equal amount because of the gender. Another example of inequalities for female rapper would be the Me Too Movement , popularised as #MeToo , is a large scale protest against sexual harassment and sexual assault specifically in the acting industry. It started to spread virally in October 2017 as a hashtag on social media , specifically twitter ,  in an attempt to demonstrate the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment. It came after  sexual-abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein began to arise and then spread like wild fire. Female artists like the syncopated ladies might be faced with sexual harassment issues form men and women wanting to take advantage of them because they are in a better position of power. Unfortunately there are many resources to discuss these issues and take appropriate action and this is only just starting to improve these days. Also in today social climate sexual harassment allegation are never taken seriously due to the lack of evidence or people creating stories to benefit for the drama.

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Race issues in Tap

Tensions regarding race have always been a huge factor affecting tap and its development. The whole foundations of tap are based on the abduction of Africans from the home country and forced to work on plantations for white Americans. This inhuman act is the stimuli for early tap development. Oppression against enslaved black peoples continue for hundreds years and even after being freed their were still laws prohibiting an equal life. Tap dancers like Bojangles who grew up affected by these laws weren’t considered in any means as talented as their white counterparts. The 1968 folk song entitled “Mr Bojangles” inspired by reals event in which a white street performer uses Bill Robinson’s stage name as an alias to profit from his success and attract more attention. Here you can see a clear disadvantage in being black during this time as other are able to take your work and pass it as their own leaving you with less business , exposure and money.

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To help improve upon my weaknesses, I have decided to create an action that will help combat against these and advance them. The first would be to help with my pick up rate and that will be to create a video log. I will record myself and my teaching let performing the steps so have evidence of how to execute them correctly with the right sounds. I believe this will be an effective tool for me to use considering I can go to it at anytime and practise or just watch and listen. Regarding my knowledge of the practise, completely this project has boost my intellect ten folds and I have a very good understanding of the roots behind the genre, what and who influenced it , and the key practitioners who drive the genre today

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I would say a key strength of mine would be my performance skills. Disregarding any struggling with technique, I find it is always important to present my work as if I was performing on stage in a show. I’d like this is a good way to distract from any foundations that I could Improve upon because I am still engaging the audience with my facial expressions. Another strength I believe I posses would be my willingness to improve and continue despite failing. It is crucial to continue attempting material and try to perfect it in order to improvement and become a better tapper. In the future this will be a a beneficial skill to have as it’ll help improve my pick up rate and while working with professionals I will need to pick up work quickly in order to get things running smoothly. Industry professionals are less likely to want to work with you if they see you aren’t driven in getting their material perfected

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However pick rate in tap is something that I still struggle with quite a lot , once I have the step I can perform it quite well however it takes me a while to pick it up especially if it’s something I have never done before. I am also not very knowledgeable in specific tap styles such as rhythm tap or urban tap and don’t really know how to differentiate between the styles properly. This is all something I feel I should work on , and have been doing so , as if I wanted to work as a professional tapper the standard of my skills had to be so high in order to start out and book a job. I can not always rely on good performance skills if I don’t at first have a good basis for my technique.

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Before starting my BTEC qualification in September of 2016 , I had had no prior Tap training and had never put tap shoes on. I had zero knowledge of the foundations , any technique or history behind the style. Since working for over two years on the genre and start my HND qualification , I would say that my understanding of the substructure of codified Tap has improved vastly and since beginning this project I have now been able to enhance my intellectual knowledge on the history of tap , it’s roots , development and influential practitioners.

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SELF EVALUATION

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Performed mostly in musical theatre , Broadway tap is derived from English theatrical traditions and highlights formations, choreography and generally less complex rhythms.

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MGM , fully known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. , is an American owned media company that produces and distributes films and television shows. MGM is One of the world's oldest film studios and have been releasing films for nearly 100 years. The three decades that followed its founding , saw MGM producing timeless classics at an impressive rate of at least one a year between the late Thirties and early Fifties.  In the space of a year they released The Wizard of Oz , Ninotchka , The Shop Around the Corner and they also distributed Gone With the Wind..

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Eleanor first obtained her professional start in Atlantic City clubs, and at the age of sixteen she participated in revue ( a light theatrical entertainment consisting of a series of short sketches, songs, and dances, typically dealing satirically with topical issues) in New York at the Ritz Grill and Casino de Paris. Her Broadway career began in 1929 and she quickly became notorious for her ‘ machine-gun footwork ‘ , all while earning the title of world champion in tapping. It wasn’t till 1935 that she moved to Hollywood where she started featuring in MGM. Contrary to the fact that she was primarily a solo performer , Powell also danced along side Fred Astaire and George Murphy. After her divorce she made a return , however short but successful, to the night-club scene

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It was interested to see Powell adopting traditionally masculine properties in regards to her clothing , as she sported a top hat and suit. I mention this because the tap industry was clearly dominated by Caucasian men who would have had an advantage considering they are likely to be paid more than her , be given more opportunities and exposure and less likely to experience sexual harassment from those around them in the work place.

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Eleanor Powell - Broadway Melody (dance, finale)

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I can say this is by far one of my favourite tap works that I have come across during my research into the genre. Her use of facial expression was so captivating that on first watch I did not look to what her feet were doing i merely listened. Her use of turns and kicks were so original I had not seen anything done like this before and appeared to incorporate a lot of traditional jazz and ballet technique. Although her arm placement did appear choreographed , the were a lot more adventurous most likely being as she had to captivate an audience by herself this time. Upon further research I found out that this piece of work was one that she would perform regularly in her nightclub showcases. Powell always seems to execute rapid rhythms effortlessly however she never seems to be ground to the floor , every move seem light on her feet and airy.

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Here you can see a duet of tap legends Powell and Astaire in the “ Broadway Melody of 1940. This is the second half of the number ‘ Begin the Beguine ‘ and features a fun and light jazz accompaniment. What I can tell from watching this video is that choreography is a lot more codified with very specific arm placements that only slightly differs depending on gender. Powell dance clean and precisely in her heeled tap shoes while completing a lot of shuffles and hops. Although I am not very clear on the narrative, the two clearly bounce of each other creating a conversational atmosphere.

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Eleanor Powell & Fred Astaire "Begin the Beguine" Tap Dancing

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Eleanor Powell
Born : November 21, 1912
Died : February 11, 1982
American Dancer and Actress

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Glover infiltrated the dance industry at the very early age of ten years old. He starred on Broadway becoming known as ‘The Tap Dance Kid’. He differed slightly in appearance in comparison to the kids in age and by his teens in the industry with his urban style and his chilled demeanour had given way to an incredible career. Glover’s movement quality is often considered hardcore and adverse with quick, altering, and complex rhythms. When his project ‘Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk’ became a Tony-award winner on Broadway in the 1990’s, rhythm tap started to gain the international attention.Since his start in the business, Glover has continued to work  to garner attention to rhythm tap in a hopes to represent that style as an artistically challenging and commercially viable dance form. Though there are many difficulties surround hoofing as a full time job with very few dancers are able to make a living as hoofers, many companies and artists are vigilant to to highlight sound, rhythm, and individuality as integral elements of tap dancing

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This style closely derives directly from the dancing of slaves in Southern America in the early twentieth century and the dance rituals they brought with them from Africa.  Representation of the every day life , especially for Black people , was extremely important particularly in Glover’s work. He wanted to express something familiar for his audiences so that they could connect with things not being showcased in mainstream tap before. Rhythm tap is closely related to the origins of tap itself. With close links with jazz music , Hoofers (rhythm tap dancers) , frequently helped set the tempo for the band in American jazz clubs. They would converse by implementing sound and as a result.  Scarcely would these hoofer be aiming to create a clear narrative in their work, however they still sought to tell a story. Rhythm tapping could possibly be paired with any genre of music or instrument if executed properly and is repeatedly performed a cappella. The outcome of this is that it prevails as one of dance’s most intriguing and versatile facets. Dancers such as John Bubbles and ‘Bojangles’ Robinson were the pioneers of the rhythm tap we know today

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Focusing predominately on the acoustic sounds produced rather than the aesthetic appearance, rhythm tap emphasises how the sounds produced are communicated rather that how they look performing them.  ‘Rhythm Tap’ is a term used to distinguish the stylistic differences of the more relaxed style of dance and the Broadway style of tap. The Most evident of differences would be the use of structured and calculated arm and leg movements closely linked to the ballet and jazz dance traditions. Comparatively Rhythm Tap often utilises  the floor with grounded stances and banging

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The newest work from Glover is from the musical “Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1922 and All that Followed “. This video features a lively performance from the 70th Annual Tony Awards showing a high energy piece from the show titled ‘ Shuffle Along ‘. It features predominantly African American singers and dancers that capture the essence of what was know as the ’ Roaring Twenties ‘. Glover was nominated for a Tony Award for best choreography and a Drama Desk Award for his work on the show.

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70th Annual Tony Awards   'Shuffle Along'

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This next piece of work is choreographed By Savion from his broadway musical ‘ Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk ‘. It heavily depicts an abundance of features from black culture during 1990s including fashion and musical influences. The dancers tap over heavy percussion drumming on make-shift instruments while giving different reaction to trying to hail a cab. I loved the urban fusion in this piece, nothing seemed to codified and set. The dancers appeared to be free and the upper body was loose and expressive.

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Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk 1996 Tony Awards

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Here you can see a clip from the award winning Musical, Jelly’s Last Jam. We have infamous Gregory Hines and his pupil Glover in a call and response piece called “ The Whole Worlds Waitin’ To Hear Your Song “. The level of skill it requires to execute these moves is astounding. Glover delivers precise and intricate footwork in a number of beautiful solo member. The two also work incredibly well together when perform the same material and are always in time with one another .

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Jelly's Last Jam - The Whole World's Waitin' To Hear Your Song - 7/6/1992

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SAVION GLOVER
Born : November 19, 1973
American Tap Dancer , Actor and Choreographer

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However the public interest of all things must decline in the end due to advancement and interest in other areas. The 1910's saw the development of lower-priced cinema showings which soared in popularity. For the general public it was much more exciting and opportune to go and see a film than a vaudeville show.  Many Vaudeville performers saw this as a new business opportunity and left there circuits to go participate in large scale films. An extremely famous example of this would be The Three Stooges who first started working in vaudeville before going into film. As an lucrative way to gain a larger audience, directors of shows starting added in small films in between acts and during the 1920s most vaudeville shows were composed of films.  In the end , Vaudeville Managers started to cut the majority of the live acts from their shows. The fiscal depression of the 1930s that crippled America and major technological advancements of the radio and later of television contributed to the rapid decline of vaudeville and to its departure after World War II.

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1881 is said to the be the year that the first formatted performance of what would be know as vaudeville appeared. Tony Pastor, a circus ringmaster , ballad and Minstrel Singer turned theatre manager and impresario had always had a keen interest in performing. He inaugurated a theatre in New York City and set out to capitalise on the middle class responsiveness and steadily increasing spending habits by featuring family friendly variety programs in several of his New York City theatres. Pastor prohibited the sale and consumption of liquor in his theatres and eliminated controversial material from his shows in the hopes of attracting audiences from female and family-based shopping traffic uptown. His efforts proved effective and other competitors took note of his success and followed.

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We can see a clear connection between Minstrel shows and the rise of early Vaudeville Shows. The theatrical genre’s inception started in France in the late 18th century and was considered variety entertainment. 1865 was an extremely paramount year in US history. The 31st January saw Congress pass the 13th Amendment ( later ratified December 6th of the same year ) which enforces that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.". 1865 also saw the end of a four year Civil war which was primarily a repercussion of persistent dissension over the enslavement of black people between the North and South. Overall this was the first step toward any sort of racial equality in the United States with laws now put in place to boost the social living of black people despite the still present prejudice. With men returning from battle and the need to produce resources decreasing , mean are able to work and provide money for their families boost the economy and overall average wealth of families over the next couple of decades. This aloud for families to spend more money on leisure and entertainment which is why the vaudeville circuits became so popular.

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Mimicry and satire would begin to play a huge role in American entertainment with the development of The Minstrel Show in the early 19th century. Although white histrionic representations of black culture date back to as early as 1604, the minstrel show has later origins. These shows were led by caucasians in make up , this is known as blackface. This form of theatrical makeup was worn by non-black thespians to create a caricature of black people that promoted negative racial stereotypes. These shows featured comical parodies , variety acts , dancing and musical performances all depicting black people mockingly. White would be seen dancing the cultural dances portraying Black people as indolent while performing various jigs and persuasive footwork. The lampooning of those of African decent as unintelligent and idle emerge as brief entr’actes in the northeastern states during the early 1830s. Becoming a highly sort after art form, by 1848 blackface minstrel shows were dominating the nation and became very popular with audiences. Occasionally there were African-American performers amongst minstrel groups and even all black groups formed under the direction of white people.

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Another example of enforced dance as entertainment would be when Slave Plantation owners would often come together to judge contests in which their would slaves would participate with the chance to win an elaborately decorated cake. Originally referred to as the “ Prize Walk “ , it is said that Couples would stand in a square formation with men on the inside ,  dancing around in mimicry of their white owners attitudes and mannerisms.The steps were comprised of high-leg prances with a tilting of the head, shoulders and upper torso in a backwards motion

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This new percussive hybrid was characterised as a "black" genre of dance in which the torso is bent at the waist and motion being limited from the waist down. Prominent motifs included jumping, springing, and winging air steps which all aided in an air-born dancers ability to generate an expeditious and metrical shuffling of the feet. Contrary to the lack of freedom amongst slave plantations , dancing was exhorted and often obligatory. Jigging competitions featured buck-and-wing dances, shuffling ring dances, and breakdowns ( the name of a popular collection of dance moves but also meant a group of black people coming together to play music and dance).

The term ‘ Buck ’ can be traced back to the African term po’ bockorau ( a phrase associated with a Buccaneer ,a pirate originally operating in the Caribbean ). During this period , African males were referred to as Bucks and were often imitated and ridiculed by Minstrel and Vaudeville performers as forms of entertainment or profit. This pre-tap routine contained steps like the Pigeon Wing , in which a dancer will shake their foot in the air , that were a big part of this early from of folk dance. It said that this dance became favoured by Irish Buccaneers who brought the  Jigs and clogs with them.

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An advertisement for an assortment of clog shoes being sold in Lancashire.

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Both peoples had pride for artistic skills such as dancing and these ardent societies of the African and Irish intersect creating an amalgamation of what would be known as a new ‘ American ‘ style called “ Jigging “. A fusion between the 6/8 meter of the Irish Jig played on instruments like the Fife or Fiddle is seen conjoining with the Polyrhythmic drumming qualities of West African music. We begin to see two conflicting styles of movement merge, with West Africans bringing relaxed motions centred around the rotation of the hips, dragging/shuffling steps and propulsive gliding on a flat foot. Whereas in contrast to this, the Irish accentuate precise footwork that included shuffling and hopping.

Another percussive component that contributed to the development of tap as a genre was the Clog. The Lancashire district of England brought the Clog to America 1840s. This would later become a highly adaptable form over the remaining century having swiftly morphed into such new styles as the Hornpipe pedestal which were all done in hard shoes . However there was a distinct lack of syncopated rhythms present in any of these percussive forms. This absence of swinging rhythms would arrive later in such dance styles like the Buck and Wing and Essence dances that would lead to the Soft Shoe being used as an alternative.

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Here you will also see an imagining of what it would have been like with African and Irish labourers working along side each other on a plantain.

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Here you can see an image of African slaves being transported across the Atlantic. They are being forced to dance as a form of entertainment and to boost morale on board the ship.

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Tap began to emanate from the United States during the early 19th century through the integration of multiple ethnic percussive dances , predominantly African tribal rituals and Irish jigs. After the enactment of the Slave Laws in the 1740s , which interdicted the beating of drums due to fear of insurrection , these slaves developed artistic alternatives to drumming such as percussive footwork and bone-clapping. Many dance rituals of vital importance to their culture and traditions were adapted due to fear of punishment. Examples of this are the African American Juba , deriving from the African Djouba , travelled in a circle anti-clockwise and was differentiated by its rhythmic shuffling of the feet , clapping of the hands and patting the body as if it were a percussive instrument. Similarly, Irish Indentured servants who had signed contracts for laborious services in exchange for transport , food , clothing and shelter brought over dance steps like the Irish jig ( a musical and dance genre ). Opportunities for the integration between these races in such a cultural exchange have said to began arising as early as the 1500’s. During the notorious “middle passage” across the Atlantic , subjugated Africans being transported to the West Indies were brought up on deck to dance as a form of entertainment to traditionally British and European accompaniment like bag-pipes and fiddles. With these two communities thrown into an environment of hard labour and not a lot of boundaries, it is said that

"For an entire century, these two people are left out in the fields to hybridise and miscegenise and grow something entirely new," ~ Leni Sloan

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TIMELINE - exploring the historical development of tap as a dance genre

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Tap is a style of dance characterised by the percussive motion of the feet , creating rhythmic sounds using shoes fitted with metal on the heel and toe.

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Here I found a fascinating video produced by Professor Thomas F. DeFrantz of Duke University. Thomas is an expert in African and African-American Studies & Dance and produced this video to showcase how black social dances have emerged and developed from dance forms prominent in the 19th century. It was amazing to see such a unique perspective as he’s not just a professor studying texts and writings but rather actually training in the movement to become more knowledgeable in the culture.

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Duke University Professor Thomas F. DeFrantz: Buck, Wing and Jig