Belindas New York Tap Dance Company

  • Belinda

    Photo © Belinda Drexler

    Not just dancing, but dancing with passion

    Born and raised in New York City, Belinda started dance classes at the age of six in a New York dance studio which produced many professional dancers - who later went on to make a career at the Radio City Music Hall. "In America, dance classes are part of the school curriculum. They introduce children to the coordination of motion sequences," says Belinda. For Belinda tap dancing is a passion. The quick tap movements and step combinations which are coordinated to the rhythm of the music are both challenging and fascinating.

    At the beginning of the 1970s, Belinda moved from New York to Germany, and continued going to tap classes during her regular visits to the USA. Many worn-out tap shoes throughout the years and above all her talent led to the successful completion of her "Dance Education". In Germany in the 70s, musicals and tap dancing were not very well known, but Belinda remained true to her passion. Alongside her studies and her career, she always found time and the opportunity to tap. Once, the High School in Gauting needed a tapdance number for it's school performance and Belinda took the job of choreographer.

    That's how the idea came about to offer tap classes. In 1987, Belinda opened her own school and has now been teaching tap dancing for many decades. "There are no age limits when it comes to tap dancing and you can tap to just about everything - from swing to show tunes, mambo to techno", says Belinda. "Tap dancing is good fun at any age. You keep fit, you feel part of a group and you stay young in mind and body." With patience and experience in a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere, Belinda helps ambitious pupils to easily master their steps.

    For Belinda it is very important to integrate new styles and elements in her repertoire. She manages to find the right choreography for any and every theme and tap performance.

  • Broadway

    Photo © Belinda Drexler

    Source: Wikipedia

    The beginnings

    Between 1900 and 1955, tap was the main dancing style in the shows on Broadway and in American Variety Theater. The big bands which were popular at the time often engaged tap dancers and amateur tappers were frequently seen on American streets giving their best. It was difficult to distinguish between tap dance and jazz dance especially as dancers tapped to jazz music.

    The period from 1930 to 1950 produced musical stars such as Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly and Sammy Davis Jr. because the best tap dancers changed to film and television. Egon Bier who learned to tap with Fred Astaire introduced tap dance to Germany and was the first to teach it in his dance school.

    As rock 'n' roll changed the style of dancing in the showbiz industry in the 50s and a new jazz- dance style emerged, jazz dance and tap dance continued to develop parallel to each other as individual styles. The US tap dancer, actor and singer Gregory Hines (*1946), who died in 2003, made tap dance popular again in a number of movies in the 80s.

    The choreographies and dance steps of Savion Glover (*1973), also a US tap dancer and actor were transferred to the tap-dancing penguin "Baby Mumble" in the animated film "Happy Feet" (2006) with the help of Motion Capture technology.

  • Steps

    Photos © Belinda Drexler

    Textual source: Wikipedia

    step
    place the ball of the foot on the floor with a change of weight.

    stamp
    place the flat foot on the floor with a change of weight. Foot stays on floor.

    stomp
    place the flat foot on the floor, lift foot off floor (no change of weight).

    toe
    hit the floor with the tip of the foot, usually behind the other foot, without change of weight.

    ball oder tap
    standing on the heels of one or both feet, "drop" the ball on the floor, with or without change of weight.

    hop
    standing on one foot, jump up and land on the same foot.

    leap
    standing on one foot, jump up and land on the other foot.

    brush
    standing on one leg sweep the opposite leg forward or backward from the hip striking the ball of the foot. (Backward aka "spank")

    shuffle
    combine two brushes, one forward and one backward. A faster shuffle can be achieved by making smaller movements that are closer to the body. There are actually many different ways to perform a shuffle.

    slap/flap
    brush forward and a touch, similar to the flap but without change of weight.
    brush forward and a step (which is striking the ball of the foot on the floor with a change of weight; similar to a walking step, only done on the ball of the foot and the heel does not touch the floor).

    ball change
    two steps on alternating feet. The first step does not get full weight.

    scuff
    as a brush, but striking the floor with the heel instead of the ball of the foot

    dig
    place the heel on the floor, keeping the ball off the floor (with or without change of weight).

    pull back
    standing on the balls of one or both feet, jump up, hitting the ground with the ball(s) of the foot/feet, and land on the same foot (or again both feet)

  • Photos © Belinda Drexler

    Textual source: Wikipedia

    Step Combinations

    • cramp roll
      Steps and heel drops can be combined to make a cramp roll which produces a rolling sound like a horse gallop or a drum roll. It is performed by doing two steps (right then left or vice versa), followed by two heel drops (right then left or vice versa), releasing the first heel immediately upon completion. In other words, it is performed as "ball (R) ball (L) heel (R) heel (L)" and is often counted as "1 and a 2."

    • time step (single)
      shuffle - hop - step - slap - step

      time step (double)
      shuffle - hop - slap - slap - step

    • time step (triple)
      shuffle - hop - shuffle - step - slap - step

      maxi ford
      step - shuffle - leap - toe

    • shim sham
      shuffle - step - shuffle step - shuffle - ball change - shuffle - step

  • Training facilities in Stockdorf and Starnberg

    Photos © Belinda Drexler

    Classes

    • Belinda's New York Tap Dance Company welcomes new tappers

      Simply call to enroll or arrange a trial lesson:
      0170 5841462

      You are most welcome to participate in a free trial lesson.

    • You can join at any time, we will always find your level.

      We offer classes for beginners and advanced of all training levels and for people of all ages, starting at the age of six.

      Of course, boys and men are most welcome to participate, too.

    • Evening classes and workshops

      Training levels
      Beginners, intermediate, advanced

      People of all ages
      Children, teenagers, young & senior adults

    • Fun & Fitness

      Keep fit, feel part of a group and stay young in mind and body.

      The main thing is to learn the art of tap dancing and to have lots of fun!

  • Levels

    Challenging tap dance classes are not a question of age. Here, there's something for everyone - leisure activity, the desire for more exercise or a tap dance performance. Children, teenagers, young and senior adults - it's your own personal goal that counts. Beginners have little or no tap dancing experience. Intermediate have learned the basics or have at least one year of dance training. Advanced have very good technical knowledge and several years of dance training. With professional instruction and regular training, everyone can reach their desired level or achieve a higher level. Provided you do not see yourself as an absolute beginner, a free trial lesson will determine which level is the most suitable for you.

    In Stockdorf over the years, a group of tap dancers has come together in Stockdorf to regularly train their advanced skills. They meet in four different groups (each for one hour) on Tuesdays between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Depending on suitability and level of training, newcomers are welcome at the scheduled time. On Wednesdays, beginner and intermediate classes are available to people of all ages. These classes take place hourly from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

    Thursday evenings in Starnberg are reserved for adults only. Classes are offered for beginners, intermediate and advanced (one hour each) between 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

    You can find the details about class times and training levels under the menu item "Classes/Times".

    To arrange a trial lesson and determine your level, call:
    0170 5841462

  • Times

    To arrange a trial lesson and determine your level, simply call:
    0170 5841462

    Stockdorf

    Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
    advanced

    7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Adults
    8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Adults

    Stockdorf

    Wednesday, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
    all ages (beginners and intermediate)

    at 6:00 p.m. Beginners/Intermediate
    Teens (12 to 13 years of age)

    at 7:00 p.m. Intermediate/Advanced
    Teenagers (14 to 16 years of age)

    Starnberg

    Thursday, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
    all levels (Adults)

    7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Intermediate/Advanced Adults

    8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Beginners Adults

    To arrange a trial lesson and determine your level, simply call:
    0170 5841462

  • Contact

    Photo © Belinda Drexler

    Belinda's New York Tap Dance Company

    You are most welcome to participate in a free trial class.
    Belinda's New York Tap Dance Company has approximately 50 members aged between 6 and 76.

    Whether we are talking about Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced or a special workshop - there's something for everyone. Even if you're a bit rusty... together we can get back into the swing of things.

    After school or after work, if you want to stay fit in mind and body, there's always time to click your heels and learn the art of tap dancing. We look forward to seeing you soon!

  • Impressum

    Belinda's New York Tap Dance Company
    Belinda Drexler
    82131 Gauting
    +49 0170 5841462

    Programmierung & Design
    mccom solutions Schweiz
    www.mccom-solutions.ch
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    Texte und Bilder

    Alle Texte sind - sofern nicht anders ausgewiesen - Eigentum von Belinda Drexler. Dies gilt auch für Fotos mit Ausnahme der nachfolgend genannten Bilder:
    a red rose in the vase © oliavlasenko, Fotolia.com; Drei rote Rosen auf weiß © Smileus, Fotolia.com; Bildname nicht darstellbar © lizar_ptz, Fotolia.com; all about style © G. Nicolson, Fotolia.com; tap dance in silhouette © G. Nicolson, Fotolia.com; Dancing Tap Shoes © Franny-Anne, Fotolia.com; Eselspinguin (Pygoscelis papua) © Bigi Alt, Fotolia.com; Emperor penguins © kotomiti, Fotolia.com; Black and white tie. Vector illustration © ecco, Fotolia.com; Hammer © Schwoab, Fotolia.com; leather tap shoes with a top hat with white gloves for a formal performance © penywise, 123RF Stock Foto; Stock & Tuch, Pinguin Collage, Hintergrundbild Collage, Wandbild Collage © Dorothea Krogull

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