TAP CITY, The NYC Tap Festival, Returns For 19th Year; Public Events Begin This Sunday

Tap dance workshops, performances and special events herald the return of the American Tap Dance Foundation's Tap City, the NYC Tap Festival, the week long tap dance festival celebrating its 19th year in tap's hometown, New York City. The 2019 festival week, Saturday, July 6 through Friday July 12, will include Tap Treasures, a walking tour of the Broadway Theater District and Radio City Music Hall; Tap Ellington, a tribute to the jazz legend and his contribution to the art of tap dance; Rhythm in Motion, a boundary breaking take on tap by NYC's finest tappers & choreographers; the ATDF Tap Dance Awards and a Tap City cruise around Manhattan with a live band and tap jam performances. *Full lineup below.

TAP CITY, The New York City Tap Festival celebrates the American Tap Dance Foundation's ongoing commitment to establish and legitimize tap dance as a vital component of American dance through creation, presentation, education and preservation. ATDF is in a unique position as both a promoter of the new and preserver of the living history of tap dance.

In July, the American Tap Dance Foundation will celebrate 33 years since its founding by tap master Charles "Honi" Coles, his protégée Brenda Bufalino, and the Foundation's current artistic and executive director, Tony Waag.

EVENTS INCLUDE:

Sunday, July 7 - Tap Treasures Tours - Orientation and presentation 9:30am-10:30am at Broadway Dance Center, 322 West 45th Street.

Tap Treasures Tour Part 1 (11am-1pm), a walking tour of the Broadway Theater District featuring SEVEN historic Broadway theaters, which hosted major productions during the tap dance renaissance, marking pivotal moments in tap dance history. Locations include the St. James Theatre, the Broadhurst Theatre, the Minskoff Theater, the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Sony Hall (formerly known as the Diamond Horseshoe), the Ambassador Theatre and the August Wilson Theatre.

Tap Treasures Tour Part 2 (2pm-5pm) "Radio City Music Hall" - A tour of the famous venue, in groups of 25, starting approximately 15 minutes apart.

To purchase TAP TOURS tickets visit: https://atdf.org/TC19PerfsEvents.html or call (646) 230-9564

Sunday, July 7 - TAP ELLINGTON (5:30pm-7pm) - Birdland, 315 West 44th Street. Tap City guest artists will join together in a musical celebration of Duke Ellington's life, music and unique legacy of introducing, promoting and presenting tap dancers to audiences all over the world. Master of ceremonies Tony Waag and the Duke Ellington Center's Big Band will join together in honor of this legendary icon of American Jazz with tap dance performances by emerging raw talent, contemporary soloists and leading tap masters. Dancers include Lisa Latouche, AC Lincoln, Max Pollak, Felipe Galganni, and Tony Waag. Vocalists: Ty Stephens & Allyson and Tucker-Mitchell. To purchase tickets visit: https://www.birdlandjazz.com/e/tap-ellington-featuring-the-duke-ellington-center-big-band-60936533813/ TICKETS: $30-60. Tap Ellington is presented by The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts, Inc., Artistic Director/Founder: Mercedes Ellington, in association with the American Tap Dance Foundation.

Monday, July 8 - The Copasetic Boat Ride (Boards 6:30pm, Sails 7:00pm, Returns 10:00pm) - Circle Line Marina, Pier 83, West 42nd St. at Hudson River VIDEO Tap City's cruise around Manhattan with live music, entertainment and tap jam performances by Tap City festival students, teachers and local tap professionals. Top Tapper Nicholas Young, New York-based, dancer, musician, choreographer and cast member of the Off Broadway sensation STOMP, will host the Tap Jam. Tickets: General $45 (In Advance) $50 (On-Site) To purchase tickets visit: https://atdf.org/TC19PerfsEvents.html or call (646) 230-9564

Wednesday, JULY 10 - The ATDF Tap Dance Awards (8pm) -The Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre, Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street. Film presentations and performances will honor the ATDF Hoofer, Tap Preservation & International Tap Dance Hall of Fame awards. VIDEO This year's award winners include Chloe Arnold & Michela Marino Lerman (2019 Hoofer Award); Hank Smith (2019 Tap Preservation Award); and Lady "Di" Dianne Walker, Ruby Keeler & The Rockettes (2019 Tap Dance Hall of Fame Awards) Tickets: $20 ($15 until day of show) To purchase tickets visit: https://www.symphonyspace.org/events/vp-tap-city-awards-2019

Thursday, JULY 11 - RHYTHM IN MOTION Tap Dance Concert Performance (8pm) - Peter Norton Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street. Boundary breaking takes on tap by NYC's finest tappers & choreographers. Rhythm in Motion premieres fresh and innovative new work showcasing the rich diversity of contemporary tap dance by young and emerging talent and premiere choreographers in the field. Directed and Curated by ATDF Artistic Director Tony Waag. Rhythm in Motion Choreographers include: Vikas Arun, Jason Bernard, Brenda Bufalino, Christina Carminucci, Felipe Galganni, Lisa La Touche, Margaret Morrison, Max Pollak, Charles Renato, Tamii Sakurai, Dolores Sanchez, Leo Sandoval, Samara Seligsohn and Caleb Teicher and more.

Purchase tickets at https://www.symphonyspace.org/events/rhythm-in-motion $50 Regular Admission ($45 until day of show) $25 Children, Students & Seniors (Children under 12 years of age, Students with valid picture ID & Seniors over 65 years of age) For additional information call: 646-230-9564

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