The wooden stage thundered as her nimble feet drummed what some of the world’s best percussionists would, in a moment of epiphany! The dainty 20-something had a charming smile throughout the performance on that chilly Dublin evening, as her feet wove a magic spell at high speed!
The rustic, basal tones of the indigenous Bodhran drum followed her pulse, and then her smashing crescendo along with the orchestra of fiddles, whistles, banjos and pipes had the spell-bound audience on its feet! I was reminded of what a West African music chieftain once said in French, reflecting on the fact that life is actually rhythm; “il n’y a pas de mouvement sans le rhythm” ( there is no movement without rhythm), the scintillating Step Dance symbolising the innate cosmic rhythm of the universe!
One of the world’s most fascinating dance forms is Tap Dance, where feet rather than fingers drum-up mesmerizing rhythms. There are several forms the art of foot tapping per se, has acquired in different parts of the world through history. In India, along with masterful hand and upper-body movements, the incredible footwork of the Kathak dancers reproduces intricate and heart-pounding tabla and pakhawaj rhythms and vice versa with syllables like ‘dhetedhete ghagetete’ and full-bodied ‘dhaan-taan-ghdaan’ punctuations that give dimension to the various renditions.
In Spain, the talented community of Romani Gypsies who trace their origins back to India, create mind-boggling rhythmic patterns with their feet during Flamenco performances. Both Romani men and women immerse themselves in spontaneity and their expressive and explosive tap dancing is an irresistible treat to people from around the world visiting the scenic Andalusia region of Spain.
Ireland is Western Europe’s foot tapping capital. Along the cobbled pathways of Dublin, Galway, Cork and practically throughout the country, young Step Dancing mavericks render earth-shaking rhythms at open-air sessions, mega-festivals and concerts along with informal sessions every evening at quaint old pubs. The Step dancing is usually a part of a larger performance comprising of dance music. While solos are a pure treat, Step Dancing is often accompanied by Jigs ( 6/4) and Reels (4/4) as the performers dance to their rhythms and improvise. While a special type of shoes (often having a metal tap on the sole) are required along with wooden surfaces or sound boards for the feet to resound, step dancers are generally known to be lean and light-weight to enable agility, mobility and speed.
Global icon
Ireland’s legendary dancer Michael Flatley and his celebrated act ‘Riverdance’ made history with extraordinary thematic performances, phenomenal rhythmicity, drama and a superlative play of sound and light. Flatley, the 59 year-old Irish-American remains a global icon and has mentored one of the world’s most renowned choreographic tour de force in the form of the traditional Irish dance form through famed shows such as ‘Lord of the Dance,’ ‘Celtic Tiger,’ ‘Riverdance’ and ‘Feet of Flames.’ It is believed that Flatley insured his feet for around $ 40 million and is considered one of the ten most expensive celebrity body parts ever insured.
Sean Nos is another form of Irish foot tapping dance and is generally performed solo. Believed to be an ancient form of both singing and dancing, it embodies more free-style, casual movements as compared to the conventional and more stylised Step Dance that is characterised by special clothing, high kicks and hands rigidly kept to the side. Sean Nos is more improvisational.
Known to be a fusion of many ethnic ‘percussive dances’, Tap dance acquired two forms, Rhythm (Jazz) Tap and Broadway Tap. The emergence of ‘Minstrel Shows’ in the 1800s gave a platform to tap dance. Legends such as Master Juba and William Henry Lane were among the black stalwarts of the otherwise white Minstrel troupes and laid the foundations of tap dancing.
The writer, a multi-linguist is an international performer and composer
