The American Tap Dance Foundation’s First Friday Film Series continues tomorrow at 8 pm with “Tap Ellington”

The second installment of the American Tap Dance Foundation’s First Friday Film Festival, Tap Ellington, will take place this Friday, November 4 at 8pm, in-studio at The American Tap Dance Center, 154 Christopher Street #2, and live streamed here. The in-studio showing has suggested donation of $5.00, the live stream is free. Mercedes Ellington, granddaughter of the jazz great and CEO/Artistic Director of the Duke Ellington Center for the Arts, will be the evening’s special guest. Ms. Ellington will participate in an open discussion following the screening, hosted by Tony Waag, ATDF Executive Director.

Tap Ellington was presented on Friday, July 14 in 2017 at the Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center. It was a musical celebration of a man’s life, his music and a unique legacy of introducing, promoting and presenting tap dancers to audiences all over the world. Master of ceremonies Tony Waag and the Duke Ellington Center Big Band conducted by Eli Yamin joined together in honor of this legendary icon of American Jazz, with tap dance performances by emerging raw talent, contemporary soloists and leading tap masters including Brenda Bufalino, Ayodele Casel, Mercedes Ellington, Sarah Reich, Caleb Teicher, Sam Weber, Jossette, Joseph Wiggan and others.

Duke Ellington composed a number of songs specifically for tap dancers, and many of America’s greatest tap dancers worked with Duke Ellington. Ellington wrote tunes such as Bojangles and Tap Dancers Blues, and incorporated the seminal tap dance solo David Dance Before the Lord into his Concert of Sacred Music, often performed by tap dance virtuoso Bunny Briggs and the elegant rhythm tap dancer Buster Brown (1960’s to 1980’s). The Library of Congress “Tap Dance in America” Database, created by Constance Valis Hill, lists 195 records in their search engine under Ellington/Tap Dance.

The ATDF First Friday Film Festival evenings, hosted by ATDF Executive/Artistic Director Tony Waag, revisits tap dance productions from the past, direct from the ATDF archives. All are open to the public, with proof of vaccination required, masks optional. Space is limited. To reserve your place visit Shows & Events or call 646-230-9564 to register. 

The third installment of the American Tap Dance Foundation’s First Friday Film Festival, will be Tap Treasures, in-studio and live streamed on Fri., Dec.2, 8 pm.

The American Tap Dance Foundation (ATDF) is a non-profit 501c3 organization committed to establishing and legitimizing Tap as a vital component of American dance through creation, presentation, education, and preservation. On January 2, 2010, the American Tap Dance Foundation opened the doors to its current home, the American Tap Dance Center. Find them at atdf.org.