Fun Tap Dancing Film

Everyone loves to cheer for the underdog. If that underdog happens to be a wannabe tap dancer, I’m the loudest cheerleader of all. No wonder I’m so excited about Dance Baby Dance, written and directed by Stephen Kogon, who also plays the leading role in this delightful independent film. Movies about tap dancers don’t come along too frequently nowadays -- so whenever one shows up, I’m a happy camper.

The plot is simple. Jimmy (Kogon) always wanted to be a successful tap dancer but an injury has confined him to an office occupation. He’s never lost his passion for tap dancing and now hopes to be chosen for a touring dance show. Kogon endows Jimmy with such likability that we can’t help wanting this guy to be successful. Do his dreams come true? It’s worth watching Dance Baby Dance to find out. 

Although a low-budget offering with less than perfect production values, this film makes up for that with its great heart and passion for dance.

As a former tap dancer myself, I felt compelled to write the poem below. 

Just tap tap tap that old time step.

Give it pizzazz and lots of pep!

Or shuffle off to Buffalo.

It feels so good if fast or slow.

Then shimmy with real style and grace.

Remember this is not a race.

Next do some wings like it’s a dare.

Feet a-flyin’, hands circling air.

Tap dancing chases blues away.

It helps you get through every day.

So tap tap tap as time goes by.

“Dance Baby Dance” will make you try

(Released by Indie Rights/Winds of Hope. Not rated by MPAA.)

Happy National Dance Day!

Out come the old tap shoes this morning. Why? To celebrate National Dance Day 2012, of course. And tap is still my favorite type of dancing. So I'm gonna brush up my time step, soft shoe and shuffle-off-to Buffalo moves today. Hope everyone else joins in with whatever form of dancing they prefer, even if it involves just swingin' and swayin'. Have fun!   

Everything Old Is New Again

Here’s some good news for movie fans! The Artist will be opening nationwide in January. This charming black-and-white silent film has already won numerous awards and seems on the way to a well-deserved Best Picture Oscar nomination. The film pays homage to silent movies. Its unpretentious plot follows an iconic film actor, who refuses to adapt to “the talkies,” and deals with his relationship with a spirited young woman whose star rises as his falls -- kind of like Singin’ in the Rain meets A Star Is Born. Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo, French actors, fit their parts perfectly here.

In my opinion, this movie boasts the best ending of the year. It’s definitely a must-see, especially for fans of tap dancing (like me)!

Please don’t miss The Artist.

For Bojangles

As soon as I woke up this morning, I rummaged through the closet, found my old tap shoes, put them on and began tapping up a storm. Why? To celebrate National Tap Dance Day, of course.

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, the King of Tap, was born on this date -- and National Tap Dance Day was instituted many years ago to honor this wonderful entertainer.

As someone who's spent some of the happiest times of my life practicing, performing and teaching tap routines, I'm delighted to celebrate the great Bojangles and the art of tap.

Warming Up for National Dance Day

Get ready, everyone, for National Dance Day next Saturday, July 31st! Lace up your worn-out tap shoes or dust off your old ballet slippers or put on your stompin’ boots and prepare to perform whatever dance moves make you happy. You might even prefer a barefoot hula or an old-fashioned twist while wearing any footwear at hand.

As an avid tap dancing fan, I plan to start out the day with a shuffle off to buffalo into the kitchen for breakfast. Then right before lunch I’ll perform my waltz clog while the soup heats up. The afternoon will probably be devoted to a variety of time step routines. And after supper, I’ll try to dazzle my hubby with some intricate soft shoe moves.

To finish off the day, watching one of the following DVD movies would make me very happy indeed: Tap, Mad Hot Ballroom, Footloose, Invitation to the Dance, Shall We Dance, Take the Lead, Dance Flick, Only When I Dance, Dirty Dancing, Happy Feet, That’s Dancing!

What are your plans?

(For more information about National Dance Day, go to: www.dizzyfeetfoundation.org.)

Hooray for Jerry Herman!

Movie addicts like me owe a debt of gratitude to Jerry Herman for giving us our anthem, “Just Go to the Movies,” a song from one of his many musical productions. And now, with the splendid documentary, “Words and Music by Jerry Herman,” we have the opportunity to celebrate the life of this legendary composer and lyricist while enjoying highlights from his other outstanding theatrical accomplishments.

“Just Go to the Movies” may not be mentioned in director Amber Edwards’ entertaining film, but her documentary boasts wonderful scenes from such Broadway hits as “Mame,” “La Cage aux Folles,” and “Hello, Dolly!” What a treat it is to see stars like Angela Lansbury, Carol Channing, Pearl Bailey, Mary Martin, George Hearn and Michael Feinstein belting out Herman’s endearing and infectious songs, especially Lansbury's spirited rendition of "Mame" and the "La Cage" cast's emotional rehearsal of "The Best of Times Is Now."

My biggest surprise? Those enticing scenes from “Mack and Mabel,” a musical I wasn’t aware of before seeing this film. How I wish I’d seen it on stage! Robert Preston and Bernadette Peters co-starred as Mack Sennett, a filmmaker called the “King of Comedy” back in the early movie years, and Mabel Normand, one of the stars he featured in his motion pictures. The numbers presented here really intrigued me. It’s hard to believe this musical flopped. Go figure.

Also fascinating to see and hear are the interviews with Lansbury, Channing, Hearn and Feinstein, who all seem to greatly admire Jerry Herman. And why not? Herman created the words and music for some of Broadway’s most popular shows -- even though he never learned to read or write music.

Personally, Jerry Herman earned a special place in my heart mainly because of two songs: “Tap Your Troubles Away” (I’ve always found tap dancing better than Zen) and, as mentioned before, “Just Go to the Movies.” While doing shows with the Mesa College Musical Comedy Troupe, every time we sang and danced to “Just Go to the Movies” (from “A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine”), my spirits were lifted by Herman’s lyrics advising everyone “to let some shadows appear on the screen” whenever “your life appears a bit lean.”

No doubt about it, watching "Words and Music by Jerry Herman" offers “the best of times” for musical theater fans. Happily, it’s scheduled for release by PBS Home Video on January 1, 2008.