Elite feet

Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s 16th annual Rhythm World festival is aptly named. Since July 24, there’s been a convergence of people from across the globe at Northwestern U.’s Theatre and Interpretation Center—and they’re all here to take the deep tradition of tap dance into the future.

About 400 dancers attend the festival to take workshops and master classes with great artists like Dianne Walker, Sam Weber and Randy Skinner.

While many come from across the U.S., there is a large contingent of students from Asia at this year’s festival, says founding director Lane Alexander. He rattles off the names of the far-flung cities from which they’ve traveled: “Beijing, Shanghai, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore—and Schaumburg. “Alexander’s joke is telling: The truth is that while dancers from other states and countries obviously feel the Rhythm World festival is worth the price of a plane ticket and hotel stay, many area tappers aren’t interested enough to cough up the bus fare. Of noninternational students, “The vast majority come from out of state,” Alexander says. “A lot of people from Chicago like to go to Vegas for the big conventions like Dance Educators of America, where there are, like, 200 students in a class.” (Not to mention, scores of JonBenet Ramsey types in the making.)

Alexander says that Rhythm World tends to attract a few “tap geeks” from each studio. And as we’ve learned from the Microsoft/Gates example, it is the geek who inherits the earth these days. Festivals like Rhythm World may be smaller and less flashy, but they offer students a chance to work closely with the masters in the field.

It’s these serious students who most often go on to have meaningful careers on Broadway and beyond. Nicholas Young (the lead dancer in the touring cast of STOMP), Jessica Chapuis and Michelle Dorrance (both appearing in Imagine Tap!) all went through Chicago Human Rhythm Project festival programs when they were younger. In fact, the coincidence of Imagine Tap! with Rhythm World is adding some zest to this year’s fest. “We have a packed schedule this year,” Alexander says, “because marvelous artists are in town.” Jason Samuels Smith, Ayodele Casel and Chloe Arnold are all teaching at Rhythm World next week, as well as performing in Imagine Tap!

Alexander says that the young tappers he sees just keep getting better and better. “The technical ability of these kids is astounding—those who are 16, 17, 18 years old are really amazing.” Audiences can check out some of these fresh talents this week at the Tap Slams and Cutting Contest, which Rhythm World is hosting during the evenings of Tuesday 1, Wednesday 2 and August 3 at the Wallis Theatre on Northwestern’s campus. The festival culminates with a weekend of celebratory performances: JUBA! Masters of Tap features Rhythm World faculty members on August 4, and performances by youth tap ensembles on August 5.

Still, with all the enthusiasm and achievement, there is concern about what the growing numbers of excellent tap dancers are going to find in terms of career. “Festivals are helping to grow new generations of tap dancers to do—what?” Alexander says. “People are excited about Imagine Tap! because it is the first big new tap show since [the 1996 premiere of] Bring in ’Da Noise, Bring in ’Da Funk.”

Will tap dance develop beyond the festival format or the once-a-decade Broadway-style blockbuster? That remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure: For the next week or so, tap dance is enjoying something of a harmonic convergence in Chicago.

Details about Rhythm World and JUBA! Masters of Tap are available at www.chicagotap.org, or by calling 773-281-1825.