WINONA, Minn. — Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) is offering TAP CAMP Monday through Thursday, Aug. 10-13, with an optional in-person gathering on Friday, Aug. 14.
Each day campers will receive a pre-recorded tap lesson, including a warm-up, technique lesson, and combinations. Students will then have the opportunity to connect virtually over Zoom with instructors and classmates each evening to clarify material and learn additional tap history or concepts.
A free, in-person, optional gathering for campers will take place Friday, Aug. 14, from 9 to 10 a.m. outside of MCA’s Valéncia Arts Center where tappers will dance the combinations and choreography they learned throughout the camp. This gathering will be weather permitting and will follow strict social distancing guidelines, including a limited number of students and no parents are allowed. Masks must be worn by all for the safety of students and instructors. Parents are welcome to park on Vila Street or in the Cotter Rec Center parking lot to watch from their vehicle. Students will need to bring along a water bottle labeled with their name and a tap board, or arrange to utilize one of the limited tap boards from MCA.
Times and ages/levels:
Tap II (intermediate tap dancers, ages 10 and older, with a minimum of 2+ years of experience, younger students by invitation only):
- 45 minutes to 1 hour of pre-recorded content daily available by 10 a.m.
- Zoom meetings Monday through Thursday from 6 to 6:30 p.m.
- Optional bonus in-person class Friday, Aug. 14, from 9 to 10 a.m.
Tap III-V (intermediate and advanced tap dancers, ages 12 and older, with a minimum of 4+ years of experience, younger students by invitation only):
- 1.75 to 2 hours of pre-recorded content daily available by 10 a.m.
- Zoom meetings Monday through Thursday from 5 to 5:45 p.m.
- Optional bonus in-person class Friday, Aug. 14, from 9 to 10 a.m.
Cost:
Tap II: $59
Tap III-V: $109
Instructors: Carter Full, Nathan Graff, and Christine Martin
Visit mca.smumn.edu/about/policies to learn more about available need-based scholarships. Contact mca@smumn.edu if you are in need of borrowing tap shoes or have questions about placement. If you need an affordable, locally-made tap board, they can be ordered today through our registration system for $54 and you will be notified when it is ready for pick-up. The boards will be 2- by 4-foot and are oak finished wood with foam pads to give the board a sprung feel with a clear resonant sound. Sample photos can be found on mca.smumn.edu.
About MCA
The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA), an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, is a nonprofit community arts school offering programming in dance, music, visual art, and theatre. Classes, lessons, workshops, and camps are offered for students of all ages from birth through older adults at the Valéncia Arts Center. For more information about MCA or Galleria Valéncia, visit mca.smumn.edu, email mca@smumn.edu, or call 507-453-5500.
Photo caption: Tappers during the National Tap Dance Day celebration in the Twin Cities.