The study of tap takes many different forms across college campuses. Some schools have multilevel programs with full-time faculty, while others are known for their student-run groups and showcases. Whether the goal is to pursue tap professionally, become a tap teacher, or simply keep percussive dance part of the college experience, students can find a variety of schools that could be a good fit, if they know what to look for during the college search process.
Study the Faculty
When researching a dance department, start by looking into the careers and current projects of the tap faculty. “See what their work looks like and decide if that’s the way you want to dance,” says Aaron Tolson, director of the Aaron Tolson Institute of Dance at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Faculty will serve as educators and mentors during a student’s tap journey, which will look different for every dancer. “The most important thing is to understand the style of tap that you’re looking for and the community that you want to be a part of,” says Heather Cornell, assistant professor at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. A dancer captivated by Dorrance Dance’s Nutcracker performance at The White House might seek out featured performer Josette Wiggan, who teaches tap and vernacular jazz at the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, for example. A student excited by the intricate footwork of Anthony Morigerato in his “Operation: Tap” videos could investigate Marymount Manhattan College, where he has been an adjunct faculty member.
Heather Cornell of Hope College. Photo by William Frederking, Courtesy Cornell.
It’s also important to study the qualifications of the faculty members. Cornell recommends contacting tap faculty and asking specific questions: Who did you study with? What’s your connection to the professional world? Do you have a full-time position? “An institution with respect for tap as a legitimate art form should be searching for experts in the field to teach it,” she says.
Lisa the Touche of Pace University. Photo by Maria Nunes, Courtesy the touch.
At some schools, such as Pace University in New York City, students benefit from working with a dynamic roster of part-time faculty. Ray Hesselink, Dolores Sanchez, and Sara Brians are just a few recent instructors for Pace’s commercial dance and musical theater programs. “Everyone teaching there is still working in the industry,” says adjunct professor Lisa La Touche. “The students are getting insight into what’s happening in auditions and creative projects.”
A major hub like New York City isn’t the only place to go to work with top-tier tap dancers, however. “You can find great artists doing great work who are not always at a dance mecca,” La Touche says. In Pennsylvania, for example, Ursinus College is the professional home of interdisciplinary tap artist Michael Love, while Muhlenberg College has classes with Robyn Watson, tap instructor for the 2016 Broadway production of Shuffle Along, and seasoned educator Nicole Hockenberry.
Find Your Fit
Even if a school has tap offerings, it’s vital to ensure that those opportunities are compatible with a full academic and social schedule. “Understand what your aspirations are, and then look at the program requirements and structure,” says Cornell. “Some places have tap, but you only take it once over four years. Make sure you’re going into an environment where you can move forward in new ways.”
A student interested in rhythm tap, for example, might look into Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts, where there are six levels each semester. It’s also part of the curriculum at Oklahoma City University, which offers 10 levels of tap in addition to tap-specific electives. For students who find teaching more appealing than performing, there are schools with tap pedagogy courses, such as Dean College and Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
Tap students who want to cultivate relationships with musicians should also investigate the music department of a prospective school. Is there a history of collaboration with dancers? Do they study jazz and world music? “Look at the music scene in the city or town where you’re going, and make sure there are going to be collaborators,” Cornell advises. Boston Conservatory at Berklee, whose tap faculty includes Imagine Tap! alumni Derick K. Grant and Kelly Kaleta, offers performance opportunities with Berklee musicians. Berklee has even accepted a tap dancer, current undergraduate and 2022 YoungArts finalist Dylan Szuch, as a tap dance percussionist.
If a school doesn’t have a robust tap community, students can build one. “Every school can have a tap club if you have the right person backing you,” Tolson says. “You can be the person that spearheads it, and that lineage can carry on and be something that you started.” TONIK Tap at Northwestern University, Hofstra’s RHYTHMiX, and Taps at Yale are just a few thriving tap clubs that organize performances. Some also host master classes or attend competitions.
La Touche recalls a student who arranged their school schedule to be able to take her class at Steps on Broadway in New York City. The student found that La Touche’s research on tap history was also relevant to their university history courses. “There’s only so much you can get in the classroom,” she says. “The point of college is to deepen your understanding of your subject matter, which is more than just footwork.”
Aaron Tolson of Saint Anselm College. Photo by Bernardo Nogueira, Courtesy Tolson.
Although there are many factors to consider when pursuing tap in college, the good news is that there are more options than ever before. “Tap is on the fringes of a lot of programs, but at the same time, it’s in more and more demand from students,” says La Touche. “There’s a bigger hunger from students to have more tap.”
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