Tap or Die depicts the process of bringing a tap show from Chicago to New York, but in a larger sense Jackie Paré's documentary offers a defense of tap dancing as a resilient art form that is worthy of respect. For 2006's Imagine Tap!, choreographer Derick K. Grant created a multimedia show with vocalists, DJs, and other dance styles, such as break-dancing. Grant credits tap for giving him a voice and helping him stay on the straight and narrow while growing up in Boston. Inter-titles cite notable tap dancers, including Dr. Jimmy Slyde and Gregory Hines, while clips from performances showcase the work of Grant's contemporaries, such as Guillem Alonso Alcalay and Acia Gray. Tap also changes form as it moves from country to country, absorbing various cultural influences along the way. As Grant notes, "Tap has created bridges for me to travel all over the world." Dancers in the film complain, however, that tap doesn't enjoy the legitimacy of modern dance or ballet—in part due to its association with vaudeville and the working class—but they credit Hines and Savion Glover for revitalizing tap's popularity with shows like Glover's Tony Award-winning musical Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk, which featured Grant. Although Paré reached out to Glover for an interview, he declined her request, and while the dancers here praise his talent, they also regret that he hasn't done more to promote tap or mentor new dancers. An engaging overview of an original American dance form, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)
Tap or Die
(2013) 62 min. DVD: $295. DRA. Filmakers Library (dist. by Alexander Street Press). PPR. Volume 31, Issue 1
Tap or Die
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