Welcome to the American Tap Dance Foundation Adult Program. The ATDF has been a global leader in tap dance artistry and education for over 30 years. We offer a range of drop-in classes and special workshops for adult amateurs of all levels—and professionals (adults & teens 13+).
Classes focus on the fundamentals and advanced artistry of rhythm tap, including clean technique, classic and contemporary tap repertory, jazz musicality, and improvisation skills. Our faculty brings decades of experience to the studio to create a supportive, fun, and rigorous environment for rhythm tap learning.
Don’t forget to check out our additional programming of tap talks, films, history events and premiere performances.
Tap Shoe Information & Recommendation: Before you buy tap shoes please get our information sheet from the Receptionist or your teacher about what type of shoes to purchase. Don’t have tap shoes yet? We have loaner shoes of all sizes to borrow for class. The following tap shoes are not recommended: high heeled tap shoes, jazz/split soled tap shoes, tap sneakers or shoes with nails on the taps rather than screws.
SOME RULES: No video taping, audio taping, or photo taking during classes, rehearsals or performances unless granted permission by the teacher. - You may bring a bottle of water into the studios. No food or drinks in the studios except for designated lunch events or areas. - Sorry - no observers allowed in any of the studios. (The guests you may see are VIPs) - Please no tapping in the hallways.
SAFETY: Do not leave your possessions unattended, ever. The American Tap Dance Foundation is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged personal property. Do not bring valuables to the studios or theater. Leave them at home or locked in a hotel safe.
HEALTH & INJURY PREVENTION: Make this an optimal learning experience for yourself. Pace your self, drink lots of water, stretch out before and after classes, don't dance into pain, and pay attention to injuries.
FOOT CARE & BLISTER PREVENTION: Do not make the mistake of wearing new tap shoes to class. To avoid blisters, break in new shoes before you come to class. You will probably be dancing more hours and more intensely than you do usually, and many students get blisters even with normally comfortable, broken in tap shoes. Use band-aids, medical tape and moleskin (all available at any drugstore) to prevent blisters before they start.
How do I know what level I am?
For the Adult Program see the description of Levels below.
I'm not sure how to choose the right program for myself - any pointers?
All of our teachers are great, so in the Adult Program select a schedule based on your budget, time availability, level and stamina. Read over the website and faculty bios, so that you have a good sense of our offerings. Make sure to select the appropriate levels for your class choices. The Adult Program schedule is designed to give adult students many choices in selecting a range of styles and a satisfying learning experience. Contact us if you need more info.
Description of levels (listed most basic to most advanced)
LEVEL ONE
Absolute Beginner Tap Workshops for Adults and Teens 13+
(4) Week Sessions If you have never taken a tap dance class, or have had less than 6 months of classes, this is the class for you. All basic tap skills are introduced to build a solid basic level of technique (shuffles, flaps, cramp rolls, Irish, shuffle ball change, etc.) and basic fundamental music skills are introduced as well. Students learn unique combinations using these tap fundamentals, and learn parts of the “Shim Sham”.
LEVEL TWO
Basic Tap for Adults & Teens 13+
This class is for the student who has taken an Absolute Beginner Workshop or is returning to tap and needs a review to help transition to the Beginning Level class. Tap skills including shuffles, flaps, cramp rolls, the Irish, shuffle ball change, fundamental music skills and parts of the “Shim Sham” dance and more will be covered.
LEVEL THREE
Beginner Tap for Adults & Teens 13+
This class is for students who have cultivated the basic vocabulary of tap, and have had at least one year of experience. Students add more skills and vocabulary, and develop a strong foundation of tap technique. Original combinations, simple time steps, paddle and roll combinations, and music fundamentals are explored. Choreography includes the instructor’s original creations and concepts from the “Copasetic Canon” which include the Shim Sham.
LEVEL FOUR
Advanced Beginner for Adults & Teens 13+
For students working at a faster pace, working on unique warm ups, more advanced technical skills, improvisation, improvisation games (structured improv), counting, original time steps and combinations, and more!
Advanced Beginner Repertory for Adults & Teens 13+
Want to add some “bankable” classic and historic tap choreography to your repertoire? This class is geared toward the FAST Beginner level, and is focused on introducing and exploring classic works and combinations of the Copasetics, Eddie Brown, Pete Nugent, Leon Collins, Buster Brown, and other great tap artists. Students should have some prior experience with various time steps, the shim sham, and paddle and roll combinations, and drawback combinations to be successful in class. Class will learn about the choreographer whose work they are learning, and where possible take a look at some archival video footage. This class is for students seeking to build a solid tap foundation, working toward deeper tap explorations in the future.
LEVEL FIVE
Intermediate Tap for Adults & Teens 13+
For students who have mastered an assortment of time steps, rhythm time steps, paddle and roll and more, this class will include developing a higher level of technique and more complex combinations. Choreography and combinations can include original combinations from the instructor, and / or steps and sections of dances choreographed by tap masters such as Buster Brown, Leon Collins, Steve Condos and Bill Robinson, etc.
Intermediate Repertory for Adults & Teens 13+
Are you ready to hone your performance skills through classic and contemporary tap works? Each Session students are introduced to a work of tap repertory geared towards intermediate level students. Students in this Repertory course are encouraged to also attend one of our weekly Advanced Beginning or Fast Beginning tap technique classes. Performance Opportunities.
LEVEL SIX (Int/Adv and Pro)
Technique & Repertory Workshops for Adults & Teens 13+
(4) Week Workshops with various masters & choreographers.
More Info
Improvisation (Mixed Levels)
Open Improvisation is a class which provides tools, ideas and concepts to help dancers become more expressive in their tap improvisation. The focus is on physical, mental, musical and emotional exercises to help expand creativity and to become more confident when improvising.