Tap Dancing on Stage
By Emma Filosa
Many have seen the astonishing performance given by the cast of Something Rotten at this years Tony Awards. The show itself has audiences roaring with laughter as actors on stage poke fun at every show you could possibly think of, but the one part in particular that stands out to me is the dance break in the show stopping number “A Musical”.
The dance break in a musical is literally a dance break to make fun of how pointless dance breaks are. Particularly, every musical theatre fan’s favorite kind of dance break – a tap break. Leading character Nick Bottom, played by Brian d’Arcy James, wonders what the purpose of a tap dance break is since it doesn’t advance the plot or character to which the character Nostradamus replies “it’s entertaining!” This actually got me thinking – why DO we have dance breaks?
Almost every musical nowadays has a tap dance break. The Book of Mormon, Aladdin, Newsies, Billy Elliot, A Chorus Line, Anything Goes, and Thoroughly Modern Millie are just a few musicals that feature a spectacular tap number. And the silly thing is that every time a tap dance break begins, the crowd goes wild with excitement. But why do we that? Really, all that is happening is a combination of foot movements to some fun, upbeat music. What’s so exciting about that?
Well in my humble opinion everything is exciting about that. Try and tell me that you don’t get a little teary eyed with excitement when dancers shuffle their way onto the stage with big smiles on their faces as they time step their way to your hearts. I think it’s the same reason hockey fans love when the players get into heated arguments. Do fights between the athletes advance the game? No. Would the game be just as good without a fight? Maybe. But does the crowd get excited when a fight does happen because they were eagerly awaiting one? Oh yes! And that’s exactly what a tap dance break is to musical theatre fans. Thankfully for us though, the thing we eagerly await doesn’t put anyone at risk of a black eye!
So perhaps Nostradamus was right. A dance break doesn’t do anything except entertain. But us show people, we live for just that – the entertainment. So next time you find yourself at a show with a show stopping tap number, I urge you not to question it. Instead, just let it be entertaining and let yourself have fun. Some things in life and on the stage are meant to have a long history and clear purpose – but others are simply meant to be entertaining.