MISSION STATEMENT

The American Tap Dance Foundation (ATDF) is a non-profit organization committed to establishing and legitimizing Tap Dance as a vital component of American Dance through creation, presentation, education and preservation.

Formerly the American Tap Dance Orchestra, ATDF was founded in 1986 by master tap dancers Brenda Bufalino , Tony Waag , and the late Charles 'Honi' Coles . From 1986 through 1999, the Orchestra performed in hundreds of concert, stage, and film projects and thrilled audiences around the world. From 1989 to 1995, the company also operated Woodpeckers Tap Dance Center in New York City , and presented year-round programming of performances, workshops, daily classes for adults and children, tap jams, lectures, and film presentations. In 2002, with a new generation of tap dancers and enthusiasts, the Orchestra was renamed, and under the direction of Tony Waag, renewed its vision of establishing the first-ever Center for Tap, -- an international home for dancers, based in New York City.

As a first-step in achieving its long-term goal, ATDF offers year-round programming, including: on-going Tap Classes for Youth and Adults, the Tap City Youth Ensemble, an annual Winter Tap Intensive, the Gregory Hines Youth Scholarship Fund, seasonal New Tap Choreography Showcases, the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame, Tap City on Tour and Tap City, the New York City Tap Festival featuring an extensive adult tap training program, a week of dynamic performances, innovative, pre-professional, and youth training programs, the annual Hoofer, Tap Teacher and Tap Preservation Awards and numerous tap talks, tap films, and tap jams throughout Manhattan. In collaboration with the Dance Division of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the ATDF is also proud to announce the recent development of an extensive film, print, audio and photo archive entitled the Gregory Hines Collection of American Tap Dance.