New tap dance group shuffling at IU

This summer was busy for Laura Miller and Hannah Morton. The two used the time to brainstorm strategies for creating the on-campus tap dance club, Hoosier Tap Co.

Miller and Morton, co-directors, said the group is a great place for experienced tap dancers to unite.

“We just realized that since we love dance so much, why not start a tap company?” Morton said.

After participating in an advanced tap class at IU, Miller and Morton realized there were no companies or groups at IU focusing on tap dancing. Both said having a group
like this on campus is important.

“We go to school with so many people,” Morton said. “There has to be other people here that love to tap dance and would love to be a part of this. We just threw the idea out there, and it was so receptive to people and we thought, ‘Yeah, we could make this happen.’”

Both Miller and Morton said the semester is off to a fabulous start.

“The dancers are incredible,” Miller said. “I wouldn’t trade them for the world, and we just keep getting a lot of opportunities coming our way.”

The co-directors said they are planning a performance at this year’s IU Dance Marathon as well as an event in the spring that brings together local musicians and vocalists.

“That’s obviously the best thing about dancing — performing for others,” Morton said. “It’s not just coming in here once a week to get to tap together in a hot room, it’s also getting the chance to perform for the community and IU campus and to get our name out there.”

Along with performing, Miller said she hopes HTC will bring attention to tap dance.

“We want to bring back the knowledge and everybody’s appreciation for tap,” she said. “It’s not always appreciated the way that we would hope, so why not just show what we have.”

Morton said tap is slowly gaining recognition again due to shows like “So You Think You Can Dance.”

“Getting that kind of publicity from shows like that is really, really great for tap dancers and the art of tap in general,” Morton said.

Morton said part of appreciating tap’s artistry is realizing the musicality
involved.

“It’s so rhythmic, and then you also have dynamics in tap,” she said. “Not very many people understand that you can’t just tap loudly all the time. You have to be attentive
to your listener or your audience. You get to be a musician or a percussionist as well
as a performer.”

Follow dance reporter Olivia Williams on Twitter @obwillia.