‘Classic Tap!’ aims to preserve the golden era of tap dancing in film and Broadway

Diane Davisson knew she had to tap more than her feet to preserve the legacy of tap dancing.

The producer, choreographer and dancer tapped into the movement’s history, as well as on the shoulders of some of the scene’s most prolific stars. Davisson’s effort resulted in the production of “Classic Tap!,” which incorporates performances by five of today’s top tappers, including historian and author of “Tap! The Greatest Tap Dance Stars and their Stories, 1900-1955,” Rusty Frank; marathon tapper Dorothy Nichols; and director, choreographer and writer Mark Marchillo, who toured as a dancer for Beyoncé.

The event will honor the tap dancers’ famed mentors, such as actor-choreographer-director Gene Nelson, who starred in “Oklahoma!,” and “Lullaby of Broadway;” Rockettes and Academy Awards choreographer Miriam Nelson, who taught tap to Tony Danza and is featured in the movie “Tap;” and Joseph Narvaez, who danced in “West Side Story.” Vintage clips of the honorees shim-shaming and paradiddling will be presented throughout the event. Other archival videos, interviews and footage provided by Rusty Frank’s “Tapping with the Masters” will also be shown.

“We’re showcasing the incomparable rhythm and style of our wonderful mentors, whose classic tap skills and choreography deserve to live on,” she said.

According to Davisson, tap dancing, or tap for short, originates from three different regions of the world. She said the iteration of tap that most people are familiar with can be traced back to the influences of Appalachian clogging, Irish step dancing and African rhythms.

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The show’s title, “Classic Tap!” refers to the style of dance that’s been featured on Broadway and Hollywood musicals of the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s. The tap style often involves a story where people break out into the dance with a focus on upper body movement, presentation and utilization of the space on the stage.

“I thought it was very important to preserve this, and it’s why I call this a legacy project, because all of the dancers that we’re honoring were instrumental in this particular era of tap,” Davisson said.

In addition to the main performance of the evening, a troupe of dancers taught by Davisson will take the stage. She operates the Diane Davisson Dancers, whose members include a realtor, two professors, an elementary school teacher, a voiceover artist, a legal assistant, a graphic designer and a small business owner. The troupe—mostly made of seniors, with the youngest member in their late 40s—has toured in Brazil, Portland, Maine, and throughout Southern California, producing their own original productions.

Davisson joked that none of her troupe or herself are AARP members, and despite their age, they’re ready to tap away onstage.

“I want people to leave here wanting to dance, and if they didn’t dance before, I want them to feel welcome to start dancing,” Davisson said. “If they used to dance and they gave it up, I want them to go back to it and say, ‘Look at those dancers. They’re dancing so beautifully, and they’re in top shape, and they’re 60 years old and they’re still doing it, I guess I can too.’ I want people to be inspired to want to dance and also know that at any age, you can.”

Classic Tap!

Where: Moss, Theater, 3131 Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica.

When: 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22.

Tickets: $35 for adults and $17.50 for youth at eventbrite.com. Free parking is available onsite at the school.