Tap In

Tap dance, probably because of the shoes, is often unfairly pigeonholed as one of the fringe forms of dance. True, we see why some may consider it the mime of theater or Hacky Sack of the circus arts, and we do understand how, if you’re not brilliant, it’s better to give it a pass -- it’s like being a magician that way. And of course we’re all for audiences not being subjected to bad tap. We have enough on our plates with butoh. But still: Good tap is thrilling, and sweeps aside all those concerns like Savion Glover executing a Bombershe Stomp or a Jimmy slide. (Yep, tap moves have sizzling names.) At the Bay Area Tap Festival, creating, nourishing, and celebrating highly honed tap is achieved through a series of discussions and workshops, but the concert performance is the true lure, bringing together greats in the field for a night of noise. The bios of performers Deborah Mitchell, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, John Kloss, Channing Cook-Holmes, and Sam Weber are peppered with film and theater credits (Riverdance, Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk, The Cotton Club, Bamboozled, and Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, to name a choice few). The “worked with” list of names is no slouch, either, including multiple mentions of Gregory Hines, Glover, and Michael Jackson. Accompanying the footwork is beatboxing by Carlos Aguirre of Felonious, hambone body percussion by the Unique Derique, and jazz by Marcus Shelby and Sista Kee.

The 2007 Bay Area Rhythm Exchange performance starts at 8 p.m.