Ithaca College Will Host the First Finger Lakes Tap Dance Festival

03/23/06

The Ithaca College tap dance club, in collaboration with the Tap Legacy Foundation (TLF), has organized the first Finger Lakes Tap Dance Festival. Taking place Friday through Sunday, March 31 to April 2, the activities will include workshops, an informal student showcase and jam session, a panel discussion, and the screening of rare tap dance footage from the TLF archives. In addition, "Walking in Time," a public performance at the State Theatre in downtown Ithaca, will take place on Saturday, April 1, at 8:00 p.m. Five renowned guest artists will be featured, along with student dancers from Ithaca College and Cornell University.

Tickets for "Walking in Time" can be purchased for $12 (students/senior citizens) and $15 (general public) in advance, or $15 (students/senior citizens) and $18 (general public) at the door. Ticket information is available at (607) 273-4497 or 800-284-8422.

All other events will be held at Ithaca College. The panel discussion and screenings will be free and open to the public. For more information on registering to participate in the festival, visit www.fingerlakestapfestival.com.

"Our intent is to help individuals enrich their knowledge of tap dancing, to promote the history of the art form, and to share the cultural, technical, and artistic aspects of tap," says Arleigh Rothenberg '06, president of Rhythm 'n Shoes. "We encourage tap dancers of all ages and skill levels, as well as all others interested in this art form, to participate in the festival."

Featured guests at the festival who will also perform at "Walking in Time" include Dianne Walker, an authority on tap dance history; Edward "Rocky" Mendes, who studied under Jimmy Slyde; Michelle Dorrance, a founding member of Savion Glover's Ti Dii; Andrew J. Nemr, a student of the late Gregory Hines and now artistic director of CPD PLUS; and Emmy Award-winning choreographer Jason Samuels-Smith.

For more information on the festival, call Arleigh Rothenberg at (607) 375-2641 or e-mail [mailto:info@fingerlakestapfestival.com].

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