May 25^th used to mean little more than a beach day or barbeque.  However, 1989 marked the passage of Resolution 131, declaring May 25^th National Tap Dance Day.  “By golly, there ought to be a law to make everyone love tap dancing,” said Representative John Coyners of Michigan, who won congressional approval of the day along with then-Senator Al D’Amato of New York.

The truth is, not everyone loves tap dancing, nor can any law to make them love it.  And, if you’re not a fan of Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire, the art of tap dancing may rarely cross your mind.   There are, however, enough people who do love hoofing to keep celebrations of National Tap Dance Day tapping out a steady beat of activity.  The day’s festivals, shows, and parties have caught on in places as far away as Australia, Japan and India.

Celebrated on the birthday of tap legend Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, National Tap Dance Day was the brainchild of Carol Vaughn, Nicola Daval, and Linda Christensen, who thought of the idea in Washington D.C.’s Metro Subway.  The women lived and breathed tap, and Vaughn was one of tap’s greats from the start of the 1970s tap revival.

In order for National Tap Dance Day to be named, both houses of Congress had to endorse the enactment.  Luckily, Al D’Amato, one of the two lawmakers in place alongside Coyners, was a fan of tap dancing.  With the lawmakers’ support, the women rallied hoofers and teachers all over the world to sign petitions and write letters.  After some time, the trio ultimately picked the date to be Bill Robinson’s birthday not only because he was a tap pioneer onstage and in movies, but also because many people still did not know of the African American contributions to tap.

Just over two decades later, National Tap Dance Day is still recognized and celebrated with enthusiasm, and New York City is no exception.  This year, there will be special events such as the Tap Extravaganza taking place on May 30^th at Bayard Rustin High School for the Humanities, featuring performances by the American Tap Dance Foundation and the Broadway Tap Dance Center.

If you’re interested in improving your own tap dancing skills, or can teach someone else to do the shim-sham, shuffle-ball-change or the time step, visit our Dance Community page and sign up for Betterfly today!