- THE CAPITAL TIMES Thursday, October 2, 1997
Arts & Entertainment
On Tap in the Gallery Lounge:
By Stephanie L. Kardohely
Capital Times Staff
When Robert F. Burden Jr. conducts his
ensemble it's not with his hands, but with
his feet. Burden is Artistic Director of Tap
Team Two & Co., Inc., a Philadelphia
based dance company which recently per
formed at Capital College, Harrisburg Cam
pus as part of a six campus tour through the
Penn State System.
Performing in the soft light of the Gallery
Lounge a charismatic Burden and his vi
brant "orchestra" of feet dazzled the audi
ence with an energetic display of hoofing
or street tap dance.
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Unlike many other dance companies Tap
Team Two performs with no music. All
that is heard are the sounds of the feet.
Assistant Artistic Director Corinne Karon
dubbed this performance style "tap a
cappella." In the absence of musical cues,
strict attention to counting aids the com
pany in attaining seamless lines of rhythm.
Surprisingly, the tight rhythms often be
come melodic. In the opening number, Ali,
the youngest company member at age 13,
taps a rhythm as one by one, others add
distinct rhythmic patterns creating a tex
ture of parallel strains. The effect is a wash
of interconnected "melodies".
Explaining how the physicality of hoof-
Tap Team Two & Co., Inc.
ing translates to music Burden says, "Hoof
ing creates music with the feet and you
become part of the music itself'. While
Performing Burden "sings the dance" to
himself. Burden and other Company mem
bers lend an easy air to their performance
by ad-libbing songs and joking with each
other as they perform.
Assisted by 'company member Amy
Browne Smith, Burden traced a short His
tory of tap steps from flat-footed steps, to
toe steps, to steps combining the use of heel
and toe. "I like to entertain and educate at
the same time." says Burden.
During performances Company members
also field questions from the audience re
garding tap and the background and expe
rience of the Company members.
Preserving the history of tap is an impor
tant goal for Burden. Plans are in the works
for a tap museum in Philadelphia. Accord
ing to Burden the museum will ensure that
"the artform will have life even after the
greats are gone".
Burden points out that since the Big Band
Era tap has figured prominently American
society. "What many people don't realize
is the integral part tap has had in American
culture," says Burden. He adds that once,
"Tap dancing was a major form of dance.
Moms and grandmas in the kitchen knew
how to tap dance. There were clubs for tap
dancing. Tap was the dance of the lower
and middle class." In addition to preserving
the past, keeping pace with pop trends in
dance is important to keep the company
growing artistically. Referring to a hip hop
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number, Burden comments, "That is one
number that is fun to watch even more than
being in it. I like the different styles of hip
hop incorporated in the dance."
The hip hop number along with "Funk
Laid Back" which includes both house and
hip hop steps are favorites of Company
member Corinne Karon. In addition to
performing newer dance steps, Karon, hav
ing just returned from two months of study
ing dance in Ireland, added yet another
dimension to the program.
Her distinctly Irish solo served to remind
the audience that tap is also well rooted in
Irish history and culture.
So what is Burden's all time favorite
piece? "J.B. (a tribute to James Brown)"
says Burden. is a piece that, has a distinc
tive style. According to Burden, the piece
has been evolving for years. The steps are
often subtle, relying on flat-footed steps
rather than the sharper toe steps. Says Bur
den, "It keeps getting better. New things
are always added. I literally become James
Brown in the number."
One of the Company's goals is to perform
in Africa. To meet this goal Burden stresses
the importance of daily practice, but adds
that the future of the Company lies in
working with youth to continually broaden
the Company's creative base. "This Com
pany is always learning about each other
and society. Working with youth, that's
going to keep us going," Burden adds.
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