Tap-tastic dance class in Telford celebrates one year anniversary
With nerves and a little excitement the Tappin’ In project groups in Telford started learning to tap dance on 7 February 2022 with 24 individuals split between two classes and they haven’t stopped yet!
Telford & Wrekin Council worked in partnership with the Tappin’ In Project, a mass participation tap extravaganza by Stephanie Ridings, Artistic Director and Lou Lomas, Producer who brought this exciting opportunity to Telford last year. Telford plus four other regions from the Midlands all took part learning to tap dance for a final performance in Birmingham last June as part of the Birmingham 2022 Cultural Festival that ran alongside the Commonwealth Games and was also part of Birmingham International Dance Festival 2022.
The project was due to end for the Telford groups after that final performance in June 2022 but the groups decided that they would love to continue honing their skills. Kerry Perks-Sismanidis, tap dance teacher for the Telford groups, applied to the Tappin’ In project for funding to continue the tap classes for another two months. After that, the passion of the dance group to continue was so strong, the classes have continued with members paying a weekly subscription creating “Tap Fit”, their new regular class. Twenty original members from the Tappin’ In project are still dancing together each week and are loving it.
Councillor Carolyn Healy (Labour) Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Green Space, Natural and Historic Environment and Cultural Services said “The members of the Tappin’ In project in Telford have had an amazing 12 months. Together they have grown to develop their tap dancing and confidence, making friends and connections along the way, boosting both their physical and mental wellbeing.
It is fabulous to see that from our initial On Your side investment for the project, the group have grown into Tap Fit – providing a legacy of the Tappin’ In Project in Telford.”
Tap Fit is an adult tap dancing class that takes place in Oakengates each week on Monday evenings, the class is of mixed ability welcoming new members, one recent new starter said “I’d been looking for an adult tap class for a while and then I was told about this one, I came along. It’s great exercise and different to going to the gym. It’s entertaining and you can meet friends”.
Photo credit Andrew Moore
