The Music Center's Study Guide to the Performing Arts
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DANCE TRADITIONAL ARTISTIC PERCEPTION (AP) ® CLASSICAL CREATIVE EXPRESSION (CE) Artsource CONTEMPORARY HISTORICAL & CULTURAL CONTEXT (H/C) The Music Center’s Study Guide to the Performing Arts EXPERIMENTAL AESTHETIC VALUING (AV) MULTI-MEDIA CONNECT, RELATE & APPLY (CRA) ENDURING FREEDOM & THE POWER THE HUMAN TRANSFORMATION VALUES OPPRESSION OF NATURE FAMILY Title of Work: About the Artwork: Scientific Rhythm (Tap Improvisation) Bill Robinson, the legendary ‘buck’ dancer, fascinated Creator: and inspired Eddie Brown. One day Robinson held Producer: Rhapsody In Taps an audition and Eddie, a young teenager at the time, Dance artist: Eddie Brown (1918-1995) prepared himself for it by learning an original Background Information: Robinson routine. He did this by purchasing a record Eddie Brown didn’t set routines, he improvised. He did of Ain’t Misbehavin’ which had a special arrangement his dancing in the moment - for that one instant when featuring Robinson’s tapping. Brown played the the idea came to him. He stated, “Inspiration is what it’s recording over and over on an old gramophone slowing all about.” Creating, performing and teaching tap dancing it down so he could hear every tap. He attended for more than 60 years, he achieved the highest level of many performances of his idol to observe the structure of excellence through perseverance, self-discipline and the steps in order to duplicate them. When he auditioned drive. Raised in Omaha, Nebraska, he was the seventh the piece, Robinson was absolutely amazed and son in a family of nine boys and two girls. Although Eddie Brown got the job, but his parents felt he most of his brothers were musicians and dancers, he was wasn’t old enough to leave home. the only one who became professional. Starting at the Creative Process of the Artist or Culture: age of five with his uncle Sam, dancing became his passion. Forms of tap and clogging were introduced by the He toured with his uncle during the summers, but most Irish and the English. ‘Buck’ dancing was a flat- of his learning took place on the street corners of his footed form of tap done by early African Americans. neighborhood, dancing with 20 to 30 other hoofers. In Bill (Bojangles) Robinson took ‘Buck’ to the balls of these daily sessions, each person would jump in and the feet and John Bubbles, another tap dance pioneer, perform, working off each other’s ideas. Brown began introduced ‘rhythm’ dancing by dropping the heel with ‘buck’ dancing, progressed to ‘rhythm’ dancing and cutting the tempo in half so and finally developed his own style, called ‘scientific that more taps could be done with- rhythm.’ He gave it that name because you could hear in each bar. Every tap dancer the rhythm, but couldn’t see the movement which develops his own style, performing created it. His career began with the Bill Robinson similar steps in different ways. Revue at New York’s Apollo Theatre during the 1930s Audiences found Mr. Brown’s style and he appeared with Billie Holiday and Joe Turner at mysterious because they couldn’t the Savoy, as well as with jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie, determine how he made his sounds. Count Basie and Duke Ellington. He taught and Photo: Philip Channing performed internationally and was featured with “The mistakes turn N. Y. Rhapsody In Taps, a Los Angeles-based dance company into new and better ideas.” Eddie Brown under the artistic direction of Linda Sohl-Ellison. California Nebraska Discussion Questions: Audio-Visual Materials: After the video has been viewed: • Artsource® video excerpt: Stompin’ at the Savoy, Eddie’s • What words would you use to describe Eddie Suite, and Rhapsody In Taps “30th Annviersary” video, Brown’s performance? courtesy of Rhapsody In Taps. • Do you know of other cultures which incorporate • Artsource® audio recording: Yankee Doodle, traditional rhythmic tapping into their dances? (Spanish, song arranged by and courtesy of Paul Tracey. Mexican, Filipino, Hawaiian, African, German, etc.) • Photos: courtesy of Rhapsody In Taps. • What do think are the main characteristics of tap Additional References: dancing? (rhythmic patterns, use of feet, taps, etc.) • Ackerman, Karen. Song and Dance Man. Alfred A. • How is tap dancing the same as other forms of Knopf. NY: 1988 (Caldecott Award Winner). dance you have seen? How is it different? • Stearns, Marshall & Jean. Jazz Dance, the Story of Summary of Mr. Brown's Philosophy on Teaching: American Vernacular Dance. Da Capo Press, 1994. Eddie Brown loved to teach as much as he loved to Sample Experiences: perform. He said, “I can’t stand it when someone LEVEL I only does something half-way. Make every tap count. * • Clap simple rhythmic patterns which can be echoed If you’re only going to do something halfway, you by the group. Everyone in class create one. The rhythmic might as well not do it at all.” Rather than count pattern of simple word combinations can be used. each pattern, he got students to hear the taps and feel • Clap four counts on the beat and four counts adding or the length of eight counts or eight bars. He constant- subtracting sounds within the same amount of time. ly said to his students, “Get used to using these ears.” Continue clapping four counts plain and four counts of a Brown stated that it is the combination of steps which rhythmic pattern. Snaps, clicks, stamps can be added. make a tap routine seem complex, but you can learn • One person moves into a circle of seated students and each part separately. This is how he learned Bill improvise using walks, runs, hops, jumps, gallops, skips, Robinson’s routine, which led to his first success. leaps and stop action. The circle of students should clap Eddie gave his students short patterns, which they the rhythm made by the feet of the solo dancer. learned before combining them into longer LEVEL II • Learn some of the basic tap dance steps, then put them sequences. He recalled that the slaves were put in a * together in simple combinations, leading to a dance. predicament when they couldn’t express themselves • Using the toes and the heels only, explore ways to make through their music, native languages and dance. But rhythmic patterns. Share and try each other’s ideas. their rhythms were in their memories, and once • Clap simple rhythm patterns, then repeat them with something is recorded in your mind it can’t be taken your feet. Try phrases of different lengths. (4, 8, 12- away from you. You will find a way to express it, but count.) practice and hard work, which hoofers call LEVEL III ‘woodshedding,’ were his keys to success. * • Each student creates a 16-count phrase, using the basic Multidisciplinary Options: tap steps in different combinations. Teach to a partner or • Think of something that you want to learn, then select several patterns from members of the class and put find a book or person to teach you. Use the concept into a 16 or 32 count sequence that everyone learns. of ‘woodshedding’ (to practice alone) to achieve this. • Explore the musical concept of different note values by • Photocopy and read the interview segment with moving to the time value of whole notes, half notes, Eddie Brown, pages 17-19. Direct students to quarter notes and eighth notes. Build a sequence using interview a friend or person they admire. Design five these ideas. Do a walk, then add the full body. questions to ask what will reveal something special • Xerox the interview segment with Eddie Brown on about their life or how they learned a skill or became pages 17-19 in this unit. Students state why they think interested in work or a hobby. Share these. the contributions of Bill Robinson, John Bubbles and 2 Eddie Brown are important to tap dance. * Indicates sample lessons About Rhapsody In Taps www.rhapsodyintaps.com Rhapsody In Taps, a Los Angeles based touring company, features seven tap dancers, six jazz and world musicians and special guest artists. The modern dance background of Artistic Director/Choreographer, Linda Sohl-Ellison, is reflected in Rhapsody In Taps’ diverse repertoire, which pays tribute to the rich heritage of tap as well as exploring innovative choreographic directions for the concert stage. Rhapsody In Taps has been a leader in the ‘tap resurgence’ that began in the 1980’s. RIT is one of the nation’s very few tap dance companies that creates original, often experimental repertoire and maintains a consistent ensemble of company dancers. In 2007 the company was honored with a Milestone Award from the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors for more than 25 years of performances, programs and arts leadership in Los Angeles. Linda Sohl-Ellison Founded in 1981, Rhapsody In Taps has a history of creating original works, touring and presenting, assisted by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, James Irvine Foundation, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Panasonic, Target, California Arts Council, N/S/C Partnership, Brody Arts, Times Mirror and others. The company has created more than 75 works, all performed with live music. Music commissions have included works by renowned jazz artists Al ‘Tootie’ Heath, Cedar Walton, Louie Bellson, Phil Wright, Gildo Mahones; collaborations with noted percussionists, Monti Ellison, M.B. Gordy, Michael Bissonnette, Brent Lewis and projects with world music masters: I Nyoman Wenten (Balinese gamelan music) and Leo Chelyapov (Jewish klezmer music). In 1986, Rhapsody In Taps created its first big band work for a performance at UCLA’s Royce Hall with an all star jazz big band and later had the distinction of performing concerts with the Louie Bellson Big Band.