Home ยป Minutia
Minutia
Tap Dancing for Adults with Hillary Ayn Ryan
By Devon Hill
Throughout most of the 1920s, '30s and '40s, tap ruled Broadway musicals. The productions 42nd Street, Crazy For You, Dancing Man, Chicago and those featuring Gene Kelley incorporate Broadway style tap dance.
For those who have always wanted to learn tap but feared being put in a class with children or professional + Ryan teaches Broadway style tap dance classes to adults and focuses on absolute beginners. The class environment offers an atmosphere to let loose and embrace their inner dancer. Ryan said "people are surprised with how easily they pick up tap. She described that everyone wants to a Broadway dancer, and how at the first class the dancers become little children and just want to make noise with their tap shoes. Her favorite part of teaching is "watching people come into class feeling like they cannot do anything and slowly unravel their insecurities" when they see they are actually dancing a routine after only a few classes. It is clear that Ryan cares about her students and gives individual attention. The classes are extremely supportive with an emphasis on fun. Ryan herself has met many friends through teaching in addition to students becoming good friends with each other. One of Hillary's best friends was met in a class. The class is fun and friendship inductive because each dancer is a beginner and the class moves up together allowing them to bond.
There is no typical dancer in the Broadway Style tap classes. The dancers are varied.The oldest student is 67 and most classes include both men and women. The only similarity the students tend to share is their lifelong desire to learn tap. Classes are kept small so that individual attention is a possibility and no student "gets lost in the shuffle". There are usually no more than 10 students with the average around 8. Currently Broadway Style Tap has seven students and teaches a few semi-private classes. Ryan will offer more classes soon.
Ryan creates her own choreography and uses a new routine in each class that works to the class' strength. She says "it is fun to watch people perform something I created". Currently there is not a performance, but Ryan would like to have classes perform for charity. In November Ryan's voting post was located in a senior citizen home. The residents were very happy to have people there and enjoyed speaking to the voters. This incident made Ryan think this would be a great place for her class to perform. She has also considered the prospect of the class performing at a Children's hospital.
With the economy, Ryan thought the attendance would be negatively impacted. However, she has found that the number of students enrolled has actually increased. Interest in classes also tends to increase after a movie comes out that features tap or a Broadway musical comes to town. For instance, when Chicago played the number of interested people increased and told her "I want to dance like they do in Chicago".
Ryan gets call from people stating they want to take her class once they lose weight. Her response is no, come now. Do not wait to do what you really want; do it now. Instead of saying why you cannot do the class, just come and have fun with other beginner tap dancers. Ryan stresses that "no experience is necessary and that the most important aspect of the class is to leave your fear behind - don't let insecurity keep you from doing what you want".
Classes are at Evolution near Universal Studios. The classes run for four-weeks and prices range from $75-$80. Price drops to $68 per person when you bring two friends. For more information or to sign up in advance contact Hillary at: jazztapdance@hotmail.com or 818-472-6088.