New Yorkers get their dance on with a tap class to pop music called POP TAP
778 views · Published 8 November 2018 · 5:11 · Indexed 9 October 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · Entertainment
(3 Nov 2018) NEW YORKERS GET THEIR DANCE ON WITH A TAP CLASS TO POP MUSIC Every Wednesday night, Broadway dancer Beth Nicely spends her one night off a week from the musical "Chicago" leading a group of enthusiastic New Yorkers in a joyful ritual: Tap dancing. But this isn't the traditional shuffling and hoofing. She choreographs to pop music and calls her one-hour lessons POP TAP. "It's a cool juxtaposition to put tap with different pop contemporary songs," Nicely said in a recent interview. The class began in January 2017 as a way for Nicely to help a group of friends planning to do a tap show. She said she'd choreograph it if they used pop music to up the fun factor. The classes continued beyond the performance date and Nicely said word of mouth led to growing popularity. "I couldn't keep up with the texts," she said of people asking to join. Now she posts on Instagram and on Facebook when a class is happening and asks those interested to direct message her for details. That's a way to keep it safe and to vet the dancers. Some tap experience is required. After all, her students have just an hour to learn a complete dance. The turnout is mostly female but there are some male tappers who occasionally take part. Nicely said her turnout includes other dancers, lawyers, bakers, the vice president of marketing for a restaurant group and moms who used to take dance and need some "me time." Dancers and dance teachers visiting New York have also attended while in town, learning about it from social media. "I think everyone in class will tell you it feels like creating and doing something special and fun," said Nicely. "Moving your feet, relieving stress, getting positive feelings." Nicely, who is originally from Columbus, Ohio, said the class is also a way for New Yorkers to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. "I think living in New York City, it's hard. It's hard to have a community or have a weekly, fun check-in time with the same group of people. It's just nice that it's become that. We do class and then we go to my apartment for pizza and wine after or we go to the Mexican place nearby for chips and guacamole. So, it's become this rare thing in New York where you have plans and hang out and do something with your friends that like to do the same thing as you." The regular tappers agree it's a highlight of their week. Also, the price is right. Nicely asks for $10 (USD) to cover the studio cost, assuring "it's not about profit." "It became this obsession of coming every Wednesday and it was on my calendar, set like a meeting," said regular pop tapper, Sarah McLellan. Nicely tries to come up with the routines a day or two before class but sometimes it can happen day of. Sometimes the music is fast, sometimes slower. She jokes that the slower songs are "con-tap-orary," instead of "contemporary." Dances are under one minute, so the performance video can post on Instagram. McLellan, who is originally from Australia, said friends and family back home watch the videos on Instagram regularly @poptapnyc. "I have people who I went to high school with, family members like aunts and cousins, and they wait for that video to go up. People just love it. They'll have their favorites in the class and point people out." Once a video gets posted, Nicely is continuously floored by the responses she gets. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7f31a7a1304cb7fab9781e54101a0fba
