| History of the Rhythm Tappers
by Val Gitter
The Rhythm Tappers of Sun City West was organized as a charter club for tap dancing in 1981. The original group met in the R.H. Johnson Social Hall. They worked on several routines in 1982 and, in the Fall of 1983, appeared in the Variety Show. In 1985 the class moved to Beardsley Park Recreation Center. Lessons and practice were only once a week. From 1983 until 1989, the club grew slowly but remained as one class meeting twice a week - with everyone learning the same routines at the same time. As the membership grew, so did the need for more room and for a new teacher and choreographer. In 1989, the club was fortunate to contract with a nationally known instructor, Nian Cadman. Lessons and practice were moved to the Stardust Theatre stage when the new theater opened in March of 1989. In 1992, when the dressing room area was added to the back of the theater, both the stage and the back room were used for concurrent classes - a total of five classes, all being taught in the mornings. From the time Nian joined the group, a yearly show was added - a Winter Wonderland. In April of 1990, the Rhythm Tappers held their first Dance & Dessert social at R.H. Johnson Social Hall. In 1991, the name was changed to Spring Frolic. Also, in 1990, the Rhythm Tappers began their first foreign travel program with a visit to Japan, staying with Japanese families and performing trips abroad, including trips to Australia, New Zealand, China, Russia, Ireland, England, Spain and Holland. Over the years Jazz classes were added as well as Clogging and Pom Dance. Since 1992, the Rhythm Tappers Drill Team, now known as the Jazzy Poms, has marched in a variety of local and out-of-state parades. Many of the dancers have been featured on local and national television shows including Good Morning, America, Date Line, and The Art Linkletter Show. They have been featured in articles in Women's World and Prevention magazines and have been videotaped in Sun City West by camera crews from Japan, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, and most recently Australia, shown on television in those countries. The Rhythm Tappers have entered many State and National Competitions with tremendous success. In fact, a few were selected to dance in a movie made at Universal Studios in Hollywood. Rhythm Tappers now have three instructors teaching a total of eleven classes twice a week (Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Practices are on Fridays, led by teacher's assistants.
The organization has grown in size and diversity over the years, with some dancers from the original founding group still active. The Rhythm Tappers have always provided a wonderful experience in dance and friendship for their members and look forward to continuing to do so. |
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