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Tap Attack have Got To Dance
Lucinda Hennessy caught up with the ISTD-trained semi-finalists of Sky 1’s Got To Dance .jpg)
Tap Attack are a 24-strong Tap group from across the UK who have represented England at three World Tap Championships. The dancers range from 13 to 21 years of age and the group’s ambition is to blast away the old fashioned stereotype of top hats and canes so
that the public can appreciate their modern style of Tap.
Tap Attack was founded in 2006 by ISTD Fellow and Guinness World Record breaking Tap dancer and choreographer, Jo Scanlan, and Tap dancer Dean Magri, with the purpose of offering UK based workshops, masterclasses and bespoke workshops for schools and colleges. Travelling the length and breadth of the country each weekend it became apparent that there was a huge number young talented tappers who were interested in regular, specialist training. This coupled together with an invitation from the International Dance Organisation to enter an England Tap Team at the 2008 Tap World Championships, resulted in the birth of the Tap Attack dance company originally comprising of 14 members. As a non-funded team, Tap Attack raise the money needed to participate in competitions by dancing in exhibitions to pay the costs of travelling. Despite the members of the group coming from as far as Scotland, Tap Attack train
Tap Attack was founded in 2006 by ISTD Fellow and Guinness World Record breaking Tap dancer and choreographer, Jo Scanlan, and Tap dancer Dean Magri, with the purpose of offering UK based workshops, masterclasses and bespoke workshops for schools and colleges. Travelling the length and breadth of the country each weekend it became apparent that there was a huge number young talented tappers who were interested in regular, specialist training. This coupled together with an invitation from the International Dance Organisation to enter an England Tap Team at the 2008 Tap World Championships, resulted in the birth of the Tap Attack dance company originally comprising of 14 members. As a non-funded team, Tap Attack raise the money needed to participate in competitions by dancing in exhibitions to pay the costs of travelling. Despite the members of the group coming from as far as Scotland, Tap Attack train
together in Reading and Swindon.
After nine months of dedicated training, the now 24-strong group, currently ranking second in the world, wanted to show the country just what Tap in 2011 is all about by entering into this year’s Got To Dance. Of reaching the semi-finals, Jo and her cochoreographer,
James Doubtfire said: “Nearly 5,000 acts entered this year’s competition, so to be selected as one of the 28 final acts covering many dance genres is a huge honour and testament to the company’s quality, hard work and commitment.”
Tap Attack, combining with the ISTD and guest artists, will be teaching at Rhythm Routes on Sunday 22nd May 2011.
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2011 edition of the ISTD Magazine
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2011 edition of the ISTD Magazine
