Little Rock Tap Fest is in it's 2nd year. Operation: Tap had the opportunity to sit down with directors Matt Boyce and Savannah Harrington and find out more about Arkansas' Tap Festival!
OPTAP: Where is LRTF hosted this year? When will it be taking place?
LRTF: Little Rock Tap Festival is hosted in Central Arkansas. This year's host studio is a brand new studio in Little Rock called "The Dance Project". This year's festival is June 6th-9th.
OPTAP: How many years has LRTF been taking place?
LRTF: This is our second year to hold Little Rock Tap Festival.
OPTAP: What for you makes LRTF a unique experience among all of the events available to tap dancers?
LRTF: Our faculty is what makes Little Rock Tap Festival unique. All of our teachers are true masters of their disciplines, and participants will get to take class from the absolute best of Irish step dancing, body percussion, stepping, music theory, Broadway, drumming, and of course, tap.
OPTAP: Who will be apart of the faculty this year?
LRTF: This year's faculty will include festival founders Matt Boyce & Savannah Harrington, master teachers Anthony Morigerato, Nick Dinicolangelo, Aaron Tolson, Jason Nious, and Katelyn Harris, and local artists Mary Rose O'Donovan, Allison Stodola Wilson, Sydney Kneuven, Maegan Hickerson, and Lorri Yung.
OPTAP: What level of tap dancer and age is this event geared towards?
LRTF: Little Rock Tap Festival has a place for all ages and levels of tap dancers. We have 4 levels: 8 & under, Beginner (recommended for dancers age 9-11), Intermediate (recommended for ages 12+ or advanced 10-11), and Advanced (recommended for advanced tap dancers ages 13+).
OPTAP: Are there performance opportunities for the participants? or a Performance for the participants to attend?
LRTF: Participants will have the opportunity to perform their tap solos for live feedback from our acclaimed faculty. At the end of the week, participants will also get to perform their final combo for parents and friends in our final showcase. Also included in registration is a ticket to the Untapped professional tap company show that will be holding performances following the festival, June 10th-11th. They will see several of the festival faculty members perform in this show.
OPTAP: What special events will be taking place at the festival this year?
LRTF: A special event is held after classes each night. The first night's event is the live solo showcase & critique session. The second night's event is a Q&A session with the faculty. The third night, we will be holding an improv battle for festival participants. Dancers participating will battle until one dancer remains, for amazing prizes from our sponsors! The last night's event is the final showcase performance.
OPTAP: What is the classroom experience/vibe at LRTF? Class size? Class length? Topics? Etc?
LRTF: Dancers will take part in hour-long classes in all different styles. Little Rock Tap Festival is a very high-energy event, filled with excitement for trying new styles of dance. With classes in Irish step, body percussion, stepping, music theory, and drumming, every dancer participating in the festival will walk away a more versatile dancer, knowing something new!
OPTAP: What is the cost of attending LRTF? Is there a host hotel? What kind of opportunities are there for lodging? If I am coming from out of town do I need to rent a car to get around or is public transportation and walking an option for me?
LRTF: Little Rock Tap Festival is a four-day event, with 8 & under/beginner levels take place in the morning, and intermediate/advanced levels taking place in the afternoon/evening. Online Registration pricing is as follows- 8 & Under: $175 / Age 9+ (all levels): $250.
Multiple lodging recommendations for participants traveling from out of town are listed on our website, one of which is within walking distance to the host studio. Participants flying in from out of town will be able to rent a car, or utilize local transportation, which is inexpensive, easy to find, and safe.
OPTAP: Choose one word to describe LRTF.
LRTF: Well-rounded.
FOR MORE INFORMATION and to SIGN UP go to: littlerocktapfest.com