Dancing queen

Dancing queen

Sarah Reich will show off her moves at a swing-dance party in Bangkok tomorrow night. Life caught up with the woman credited with reviving modern tap

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
Dancing queen
Sarah Reich.

Hailed as a woman who has revived modern tap dance, Sarah Reich commands a strong following -- her YouTube videos have garnered almost 1 million views. Fusing a funky street style and catchy beats of today with classic tap techniques, it's not just swing music that she taps into: Lady Gaga's Bad Romance and Star Wars theme songs are among her playlist. The tap awakens, indeed.

Widely recognised in professional dance circles, the 27-year-old was featured in Dance Spirit Magazine's article, "20 Hot Tappers Under 20", when she was only 15 and was named one of the "25 To Watch" in a 2009 Dance Magazine article. Since then, Reich has been in high demand to perform, choreograph and teach in more than 40 countries. On top of countless television appearances (such as Fox's So You Think You Can Dance) and vast international travels, Reich also finds time to run her own company, Tap Music Project, which offers a weekly class/tap jam for the Los Angeles tap community. The California native performs as a featured artist with Postmodern Jukebox, which has been on live tours in America and Europe in 2015 and 2016, but will be performing in Thailand this weekend.

Tomorrow, the tapper will be bringing her energetic live shows to Diga Diga Doo at Shanghai Mansion in Bangkok's Chinatown, a swing-night dance party expected to be attended by hundreds of dance enthusiasts. Bring out the shiny shoes, big hair and swirling skirts, Reich will lead you on your way.

Does tap dancing require an innate sense or understanding of music and rhythm?

Tap dancers are musicians. We are percussionists. However, this is not strongly discussed in most tap classes. I was very fortunate to grow up with teachers that stressed musicality and improvisation and now I teach that, as well. Over the years, tap dancers have become much more musical and there are now companies that focus on the musicality aspect of tap dance more strongly. I am seeing more original collaborations with live musicians than ever before.

How do you recommend people in countries like Thailand learn to tap since there are limited classes available? Is this form of dancing something one can learn on YouTube?

There are some instructional videos on YouTube. However, tap dance is best learned in a room with someone passing down the knowledge and technique. It's important for aspiring tap dancers to still watch a lot of YouTube to be inspired by the tap dancers of the past and present. Watching these videos is another way of learning about the spirit of tap dance.

What was the hardest part of tap dancing for you when you first started out?

I started performing when I was five years old. Getting over stage fright was something I had to conquer. I was shy and nervous. But now, I feel the stage is my home. Granted, I have had many years of experience by this point.

What are three solid rules to live by when it comes to tap dancing?

1. Stay true to yourself. 2. Always respect the tap dance legacy and current culture/community. 3. Stay humble and hungry for growth.

What are some of your favourite songs or artists to tap into?

Oscar Peterson and Erroll Garner because they are both incredible jazz pianists that inspire me.

What was it that got you to start tap dancing and what do you like most about it?

My parents put me in dance class when I was a young girl. I started studying tap, ballet and jazz. But it was my teacher, Paul Kennedy, who made me realise the beauty of tap dance and that's when I fell in love with the art form. What I like most about tap dance is that I can truly express myself and be myself with my shoes on. It has become a way of life for me and I am extremely thankful that I get to do what I love with the people I love.

What suggestions do you have for those just starting out?

As the great tap master, Jimmy Slyde, would say, "enjoy the journey". If tap dancing speaks to your soul, keep doing it. Every tap dancer is a part of the family and we must keep tap alive. Tap dance is a universal language, the language of rhythm and dance. The way you tap is the way you are. When you improve your tap dancing, you improve yourself.

Visit www.digadigadoobkk.com.

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