A foundation in the West Village is working to keep a uniquely American art form alive — tap dancing. About 300 people take classes there each week. NY1's Roger Clark has that story.
81 year-old Joy Schein has danced all her life. But she picked up tap dancing relatively recently, only 15 years ago.
"It really makes my life very happy and very full," said dancer Joy Schein.
Schein studies tap at the American Tap Dance Foundation's Center on Christopher Street. The foundation was co-founded thirty years ago by another longtime dancer, Tony Waag, to preserve what he calls an American art form, using shoes with metal taps on the heel and toe to create a rhythm — like a percussion instrument — it dates back to the mid-1800s.
"The real tap dance with the metal shoes grew up in New York City actually in the 5 points district downtown," Waag said.
The foundation sponsors the annual New York City tap festival, runs national tours and operates the tap Hall of Fame. The center is its studio, offering lessons to folks of all ages, including me — I got a one-on-one with faculty member Lynn Schwab, starting slow with a shuffle.
It's a lot of fun, the last time I tried for tap dance was a talent show in the Catskills 40 years ago, and I was wearing sneakers.
"Kicking becomes a shuffle," Schwab said. "Walking becomes that heal toe thing we were doing earlier. And we just sort of create a structure and then keep moving."