Hoofers Will Convene in Bloomfield To Tap Their Toes

Kick up your heels, tap dance enthusiasts.

For those who adore the sights and sounds of fancy footwork, classes and performances begin Thursday in Bloomfield at the second annual Jersey Tap Fest. The event runs through Sunday.

Hillary-Marie Michael, the event founder, said she created the festival last year as an opportunity for dance enthusiasts of all levels to come together and educate each other in the beloved art.

Michael, of Basking Ridge, said most people only experience tap dance through studio shows and dance competitions and she wanted to provide another venue for dancers to learn more without any pressure.

"No trophies, no medals, just the joy of sharing the stage and the art," Michael recently said.

Last year's festival, which was held in the South Orange Performing Arts Center, drew 60 participants from throughout the Garden State and others from Pennsylvania, California, North Carolina, New York and Florida.

Tap dance classes for performers of all ages and skill levels will be held at Broadway Performing Arts, 357 Broad St. from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

A public jam session will be held 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25 and a student showcase will be held 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Broadway Performing Arts; tickets are $10 each.

Tap 'N Time, the main show, will be held 7:20 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Westminster Arts Center of Bloomfield College, 467 Franklin St. General admission tickets are $22, and tickets are $15 for students and senior citizens.

Performers who are scheduled to teach include Karen Callaway Williams of Riverdance and the New Jersey Tap Ensemble; Nicki Denner of The Nicki Denner Latin Jazz Trio; Jeffry Foote of the New Jersey Tap Ensemble; Jason Janas of Imagine Tap and the New Jersey Tap Ensemble; Michael, the festival founder; Deborah Mitchell, founder and artistic director of the New Jersey Tap Ensemble, Black and Blue; Hank Smith, a Bloomfield College associate professor; Kyle Wilder of the New Jersey Tap Ensemble; and special guest Yvette Glover, jazz vocalist and mother of Savion Glover.

Dancers who are scheduled to perform include Karen Callaway Williams, Janas, Michael, Foote, Smith, Wilder, the Boston Tap Company, NJ TAP2 (the New Jersey Tap Ensemble Youth Company), Beat Club Crew, Mary No & Co., and What's On Tap.

For more information, call (908) 202-7635 or click here.