This is the second drawing in my tap dance series. Tap dancing, like art, can act as a means of communication. One of my goals with my tap dance series is to bring tap conversations to a wider audience and increase the appreciation for this style of dance.
I have been titling all the drawings to go along with this idea of using dance to communicate. The first drawing is named “Riff”. According to the American Heritage dictionary a riff is “a clever or inventive commentary or remark.” A riff is also a common tap step. Its two sounds are created by brushing the ball of the foot followed by a heel strike on the same foot. Looking at the drawing, you can see the blur of the foot on the left shows the motion required to create the different sounds in the riff.
The drawing shown above is titled “Icebreaker”. An icebreaker can be a comment that eases tension and acts as a conversation starter. The dance conversation has to start somewhere as well. Why not with a strong, simple sound like a thumping heel to start the beat?
