PLEASE NOTE!

Due to funding shortages we will not be able to produce our annual National Tap Seminar in the Summer of 2004. Funding permitting, we hope to resume this unique event at a future date (funding and government institutions seem to care very little about this, but YOU can help, just click here and please, let your business and personal acquaintances know that they can help too!) Meanwhile, we DO offer another great, week-long intensive in  the Summer (Click here for all available info.) The Spirit Of Tap Conference actually offers far more class/course choices than the NTS, and has been receiving very high praise. See you there! 

 WHAT'S NEW AND WHAT'S HOT

Please note!
This web site contains the most complete and up-to-date information on the NTS (we no longer produce brochures as they contain only a small fraction of the information available on the web site and they are quickly outdated.) If you still have any question after carefully reading this page as well as visiting the FAQ page. the Registration Page, the Faculty Page and the Studio & Surroundings Page please contact our staff by email or call  301-790-1180 (or toll-free 1-888-683-8277 from anywhere in the USA) and they will be happy to help you!

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 SEMINAR CONCEPT AND PHILOSOPHY
An unparalleled amount of combined professional experience give the NTE cast and guest artists a truly unique prospective on the state of tap dance, jazz music, show business and their closely intertwined histories. What these extraordinary performers know, what they learned from their own legendary mentors on and off the stage, what they have experienced themselves on the stage and in movies around the world is not the "stuff" that can be found in a book, in a video or on the Internet.  

Held once a year, the company's National Tap Seminar is therefore a unique and wonderful opportunity for tap students and teachers to learn from the masters and to spend unforgettable times together in the Rocky mountains of Colorado, one of America's most beautiful regions. The NTS is held in Conifer, a small, quiet and charming Colorado town southwest of Denver that is secluded in the "Colorado Front Range Mountains" yet only a one hour drive from the Denver International Airport. The host studio, Peak Academy of Dance (PAD) prides itself in providing quality dance education year round and in making sure that NTS students and faculty are well taken care of. They have tap dance floors rated from good to very good by our very picky faculty as well as excellent sound systems. They also provide good meals! The work is intense but the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. Highly qualified instructors and strictly limited class sizes (much smaller than in most intensive tap workshops and camps) result in a lot of personal attention and significant student progress. Students often learn so much that they come away feeling that they've been on a "tap time warp." The NTS is also attended by many tap teachers who go back home with tons of material to pass on to their own students. Hey, that's what it's all about!

Tappers have been traveling from around the world to attend NTE's intensive seminars. (See Scrapbooks at the top of this page for pictures from previous editions.) This will be the 8th edition of this popular program. Aside from offering some great classes, the NTS is a multi-cultural, cross-generation, non-gender specific event that regularly brings together people from Asia, Europe, India, South America and all over North America, which makes the whole world feel like a very small and tappy place! (student feedback is included throughout this page and can also be found on the FAQ page.)  Students who register on the web site (97% last year) are automatically subscribed to their own free and private Internet NTS message board, which allows them to exchange tips, get to know each other before the Seminar and chat about tap by email. The NTS message board also makes it easy and quick for tappers from faraway cities and countries to seek lodging in local tappers' homes.

Come and join in the fun!

 ABOUT CONIFER, COLORADO...
Conveniently located on Highway 285, about 30 miles (45 kilometers) southwest of downtown Denver (about one hour from Denver International Airport,) Conifer is close to a few other charming mountain towns that boast historical landmarks such as Central City, Black Hawk, and Idaho Springs. The famous Red Rocks Amphitheater is nearby in Morrison. Red Rocks is a magnificent natural amphitheater carved by Mother Nature out of sand stone over thousands of years. The historic Georgetown Loop Railway is also close by. Please see the Studio & surroundings page as well as the  FAQ page for extensive information on the area, including activities, lodging, etc. Directions to the studio are provided in each Student Information package.

 COURSES

TIPS

Courses and classes are for all ages (ages 8 & up) unless indicated otherwise.

Watch for the symbols below, which have been added to as many some course descriptions as possible to help you with class choices
:
     C stands for "Classic" and indicates a course that all tap dancers should take at some point in their life, such as for example a time steps course.

     R stands for "Repertoire" and indicates that a course places more emphasis on material, steps, routines, composography, etc ("what to" dance.)

     S stands for "Skills" and indicates that a course places strong emphasis on learning skills and proper technique at a given level ("how to" dance.) 

     NEW means new course this year OR new teacher for this course OR entirely new material taught in a returning course.

These symbols are merely intended to help you pick the best possible courses and should not be taken in an absolute sense. After all, any repertoire-oriented course requires skills. Likewise, a skills-oriented course will always feature some type of repertoire, even if it's a short combination of steps!

If you have never worked with the National Tap Ensemble before, we highly recommend that you use all the tools and info available on this web site prior to deciding which courses you'd like to attend: NTE's professional Tap Dance Level Scale, NTS FAQ page.

Attention returning students: the faculty noticed once again last year that a number of students had moved "up one level" from the previous year and were having significant difficulties with the skills required. Please remember that the fact that you have been tapping for a year since the last event does NOT mean that you should automatically sign up for a higher level this year, unless you and your regular teacher(s) agree that improvements have been dramatic. Keep in mind that it takes several years for the average student in a typical studio environment to move up one level on our professional Tap Dance Level Scale.

If, after checking out all the above resources you are still unsure what to sign up for, we'll be glad to help. Send an email to our director with your questions. Make sure you give Chris Baker a good description of your background and experience, including the name(s) of the teacher(s) you have or had. The more specific and the clearer you are, the better he will be able to advise you!

We do our best to help you pick the courses and classes that will be most beneficial to you. Should that still not be totally successful, moving to another course is possible at the end of the first day (Monday) IS allowed, with faculty recommendation. 

 215    The World of Percussive Step Dancing    level 2-3    Ira Bernstein    R    NEW
Mr. Bernstein will teach a variety of percussive step dances from his wide, international repertoire. Material will be selected from Irish step dancing (reels and jigs), English clogging (hornpipe or reel), French-Canadian step dancing (reels or "Le Brandy"--12/8 time), Appalachian flatfooting and South African Boot Dancing. For all the styles, emphasis will be placed on the musicality (rhythm and tone) and style of the different forms.
Note!
Regular tap shoes will suffice for all the dances done in class. However, if you already own Irish hard-shoes (fiber tips or nails, not soft-shoes) or English clogs (not open-backed Scandinavian clogs or completely carved-wood Dutch clogs), bring them to use for those dances, though they are by no means required to participate in this course.

 408    Repertoire, Shim Sham Craze, part 2    Level 4-5    Cassandra Baker    C    R    NEW
She’s at it again! In this course Cassandra teaches you several more variations on the Shim Sham Shimmy, the “Tap Dancer’s Anthem,” (including the historical background of each one.) This year Cass will be introducing a NEW two-chorus “Bill Robinson Shim Sham” (originally performed by Shirley Temple) among all the other Shim Shams in the course which span over seventy years of creativity by some of America’s great masters of tap.
Note!
This course IS more difficult than the “standard” Shim Sham Craze course (301) often taught by Ms. Baker. Sign up ONLY if you are working at a solid level 4 or above. Come jump, pop, and skid-dle-e-bop with us... and don’t forget your Shimmy!

419    Eddie Brown’s Scientific Rhythm Tap    ML (Multi-Level) 4-7    age 12 & up    Chris Baker    C    R    NEW 
This course explores the legacy of the late great Eddie Brown (one of Mr. Baker’s illustrious mentors) who liked to describe his own style as “Scientific Rhythm Tap.” The material taught covers some “classics” as well as some unbelievable rhythms and steps created by the legendary hoofer. Eddie Brown’s Scientific Rhythm Tap also features excerpts of a beautiful piece created by Mr. Brown for the national company, personal anecdotes, and footage of the great master which has never been shown to the public.
Note!
1 - This course is part of our new Masters Of Tap Dance series, subtitled “Exploring An American Legacy: Tap Dance Giants At Work” which features courses, research, reconstructions as well as other educational and performing events.
2 - This course will be taught at “two speeds.” Because of the complexity and sophistication that are inherent to E.B.’s works, both intermediate & advanced tappers (levels 4 and 5) and pre-pro to professional level tappers (6-7) can truly get a lot out of this “exploration” class. Eddie Brown’s material has incredible depth and is a bit like a Picasso painting: it looks simple and easy (some will say simplistic, compared to a Renoir), that is, until one picks up brush and starts painting...
3 - Although this is a rep. course, a few technical skills that are central to Eddie Brown’s work, such as thirds (also called scuffles, riffles or multiple-count shuffles) press cramp rolls and paddle & rolls will be demonstrated, reviewed and practiced. However, signing up for this course is NOT recommended if you have never done these steps before.

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Notes about courses below 
- These are courses for levels from truly advanced to pre-professional and professional level dancers (levels 5 to 7, regardless of age). Students are expected to be highly skilled technically, to be able to "phrase " with their taps (i.e. to hear and perform melodic/rhythmic lines, not just steps) and to be proficient in different tap styles.
- At this level some very advanced concepts and techniques may be explored and steps are not "broken down," unless the instructor feels that it’s absolutely necessary.
- Not up to those levels yet? Sign up as an observer. Watch them do the hard work!
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 509    Skills A La Carte    level 5-7    Chris Baker    S    NEW
Are there steps or rhythms that constantly “bug you” (you know, those that always seem to be so hard to perform) even though you are an advanced tap dancer? Do you feel really strong at performing most rhythms, except for a few that make you stumble or loose the beat? Is there an area where you feel weak, which in turn limits the impact of your performance and the joy you get out of it? This course is definitely for you! Once again Chris Baker breaks new ground, this time by offering tappers at advanced to professional levels a “clinic” that gives them the unique opportunity to actually participate in choosing what each daily class will concentrate on! Wanna learn easy ways to do pick ups in all directions? How to do a 5-count wing? How to do a 7-count shuffle? How to change rhythms and phrasing at will? How to feel more comfortable with Improv’? How to deal with stage fright? No problem, all you have to do is ask! Chris is famous for his ability to help tappers “fix” their problems, going as far as undoing and rebuilding fundamentals that were taught incorrectly to the dancer years or decades ago.
Note!
1 - By “skills” we mean any skills, including musical skills, performing skills, etc. (not just technique, there’s a lot more to tap than technique!) The ultimate goal is this course is to help tappers liberate themselves from those pesky weaknesses, whatever they may be.
2 - In order to provide an atmosphere that is as nonjudgmental and relaxed as possible no observers will be allowed in this course.
3 - Yes, you will actually have a chance to place a request describing exactly what you’d like to work on! Please do so in the Comments box of your registration form. Start with what comes to mind, you can always add on to that by emailing the NTE staff later, as long as you do so before June 14. Of course, you do not have to request something, but, hey, why would one miss out on such an opportunity?

 516    Tap On Film: Hollywood Repertoire    level 5-7    Cassandra Baker    C    R    NEW 
Learn composography (tap choreography) recreated in all its authenticity from one of Hollywood’s greatest classic Shirley temple films. A fantastic opportunity to rediscover how the great Bill Bojangles Robinson’s tap dancing style could adapt to very different types of rhythm, including military music. An entire piece will be reconstructed, complete with its contagious rhythms, props, and those challenging Bojangles steps that really keep you on your toes!