Issue Date: September 10, 2006
Magic feet
A tap dance protégé brings in da noise on the 1989 hoofer hit "Tap."
It's not really about competing. You feed off each other's beats and rhythms.
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The Plot: Sure-footed felon Max (Gregory Hines) returns to Harlem after a stint in jail. Torn between his former life of crime and a group of passionate dancers (played by legends including Sammy Davis Jr., Harold Nicholas, Jimmy Slyde and a teenage Savion Glover), he struggles to find the right steps for his future.
Insider's Credentials: Cartier Williams has been tapping since he was 4. Soon after winning Amateur Night at the Apollo at 6, he began studying under Tony winner Savion Glover. He has toured in several shows, including "Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk" and last year's "Improvography II." Now a high school senior, Williams, 17, teaches tap part-time at the DC Dance Collective in Washington, D.C.
Overview: "This is one of the best movies ever. I watched it three times. It's an inspiration to dancers as well as anyone who doesn't tap. The tap challenges, the struggles between the hoofing and the show tap -- it all relates to the tap dance world now."
Scene 5: Challenge! -- A group of mature talents showcases rapid-fire footwork after Little Mo (Davis Jr.) challenges Max to a dance-off.
"It was so cool to see our elders and pioneers. Not all of those faces are here with us now. To see them all together at one point, to see one of the Nicholas brothers do a split and come back up! I have been challenged before, but it's more of a friendly thing. It's basically feeding off of each other's beats and rhythms. It's not really competing, but rather sharing a connection."
Scene 16: Louis Takes Over the Class -- Louis (Glover) teaches a tap class full of teens and entices one reluctant boy to the dance floor with his wild moves.
"This was one of my favorite scenes. It was so funny and crazy to see Savion at my age, him doing a back flip. As a teacher in real life, he is so kind. If you need someone to help you out, he will help you, he will break it down. He also introduced me to all kinds of footage of tap dance legends when I was on the 2000 "Footnotes" tour. It was looking back into history and learning what came from what and why we are here."
Scene 28: "Can't Escape the Rhythm" -- Max performs at a local rock club, melding tradition with technology to the delight of spectators.
"In the movie, they talk about tap dying and rock 'n' roll taking over. But to us, right now, it's not dying at all. It's just that there are more things out there to do. The last time I went out to [a club] was at Swing 46 in New York. You come in like a regular person, but you got your tap shoes in your back pocket. You see everybody and know that you are going to jam, and when you get up there, it feels really good."
-- Rebecca Louie
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