May 24th “Start TAP DANCING Today”

NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY – May 25

NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY

National Tap Dance Day is observed each year on May 25. This day is a celebration of tap dancing as an American art form.

A percussive dance dating back to the early 1800s developed primarily from African and Irish influences.

Incorporating complex rhythmic step combinations performers often expressed enormous amounts of character through sound and bodily movement. From clogging to buck and wing styles, soft-shoe to the sand step and a little bit of jazz, tap dancing evolved from a stiff Irish jig to the bodily Cakewalk and vocal Ring-shout.

The popular Shim Sham of the vaudeville era became a line dance in the 1980s.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Use #NationalTapDanceDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

The brainchild of Carol Vaughn, Nicola Daval and Linda Christensen, National Tap Dance Day was first presented to U.S. Congress on February 7, 1989, and was signed into American Law by President George. H.W. Bush on November 8, 1989. The one-time official observance was on May 25, 1989. May 25 is the birthday of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, a significant contributor to tap dance born in 1878. National Tap Dance Day has continued to be celebrated each year on May 25.

There are over 1,500 national days. Don’t miss a single one. Celebrate Every Day with National Day Calendar!

RELEVANT VIDEO

“Let’s all have FUN and start to DANCE again – just like those good ole days, when we were so young – and so full of excess energy – that no matter what we did – we still had even more time and energy to do more!”

Dancing is so much FUN – that we can do this by our self – and then, for more FUN – have our Family and FRIENDS – just join in and see all of our DAYS – filled with even more terrific memories and extra GOOD TIMES! D.V.