Tap dance is a mixture of African drum rhythms and dance movements, English clog dance and Irish Step but it is intertwined with Swing, Lindy Hop, the Waltz and Foxtrot, amongst a few, making it a mixture of many styles and elements. In 1882, Thomas Rice added metallic soles to his shoes to add noise to his rhythmic movement and other minstrel and vaudeville actors immediately followed suit. Tap dancing spread wildly and soon became a popular form of comedy. Also emerging from the vaudeville period where the Charleston kicking dances of the chorus girls with their clacking noise on stage, the buck and wing styles of some minstrel shows and Dutch-style wooden soled shoes. Hence, tapping with a leather shoe and metal sole began to be governed by tap masters, among these, John Bubbles and ``Slap and Happy`` (Howard Daniel and Leslie Irvin). On a side note, ``soft-shoe dancing`` or ``character dancing`` is dancing without the metallic soles.
It is remarkable and ironic to think that a dance form that once started out to ridicule African-American people is now recognised internationally and praised as a milestone of success and a great representation of African-American artists. Take the time to read about the history, it is eye-opening.
Ethel Bruneau is a Montreal legend when it comes to tap dancing. Having started dancing at the age of 3, she grew up in Harlem and took classes with Mary Bruce, a famous creative inspiring teacher that taught not only Gregory Hines but great dancers such as The Nicholas Brothers, Josephine Primus and Bill Robinson. By the time she was a teenager, Ethel had danced at Carnegie Hall and had been on television across North America on The Ed Sullivan Show as a bona fide hoofer. In 1953, at 16, she ventured to Montreal when she started working for Cab Calloway which in turn led to a working relationship with Roy Cooper, a Montreal talent agent. She recalls how busy St-Catherine street was back then. Nightclubs boomed from St-Catherine to St-Laurent, every club had a band, shake dancer, stripper, tap dancer and/or MC. It was the Las Vegas of North America. She recalls thinking, ``This is amazing, I`m in another world and I`m going to stay here``. Not only a dancer but a trained singer, she decided Montreal was the place to be. In 1955 she met her French Canadian husband, Henry Bruneau at the Main Café. A waiter named Red for his bright red hair, they were married at Union United Church in 1957 and had 2 children. In 1962, performing at the Plaza Hotel, a fellow musician mentioned how great it would be if she decided to teach tap in and around the Montreal area. Hence a 60 year career began. Having taught hundreds of children, she will forever be recognised as an icon in Montreal. She is still teaching today at 79 and says she wakes up every morning to dance and she goes to bed happy. She received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement award because of her significant role that contributed to African-Canadian artistic culture and life in Canada. This Sunday you can join her at the Klaxson Studio at 4055 St-Catherine West from 10:00 to 1:00 to celebrate May 25th`s National Tap Day . A remembrance created by Carol Vaughn, Nicola Daval, and Linda Christensen to remember Bill ``Bojangles`` Robinson who broke protocol and toured solo. In the early 20the century, for African-Americans, this was rare. A long history of dance, politics and entertainment but a remembrance that will not be forgotten. Visit the school at https://www.facebook.com/Ethelbruneautapdancing?fref=ts or the webpage at http://tanyarivard.wix.com/ethel-bruneau for more information.
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