Download ISTD Tap Dance History.indd - Imperial Society of Teachers of

The Tap dance Faculty
Our mission is to educate the public in the art of
dancing in all its forms, to promote the knowledge
of dance, to provide up-to-date techniques, and to
maintain and improve teaching standards across the
globe. The ISTD is always moving with the times to
keep pace with the latest developments in dance.
We regularly update our syllabi and introduce new
faculties to respond to changes in the world of dance.
ELAINE MAYSON
Established in 1904 the Imperial Society of Teachers
of Dancing (ISTD) is one of the world’s oldest and
most influential dance examination boards. Ever since
its inception the ISTD has developed new styles and
dance genres, and today with 12 faculties, no other
dance examination board has the breadth of genres
that the ISTD offers.
T
ap dance is an American art form,
secure basis for its future creative development
born of the fusion of cultures on
and ensured its survival as a rich, rhythmical
American soil. Influenced by African
dance genre. The work grew in to an
rhythms, Irish stepping and English clogging,
independent Faculty which now offers
it developed in the late 19th century and by
one of the Society’s most successful and
the early 1900s was firmly established in the
popular syllabi.
vaudeville of America and in the music halls of
Zelia Raye (1900-1981) studied dance in the
Britain. Its popularity spread even more widely
USA. Following the publication of her book
in the 1930s when it became a significant
Rational Limbering (1929) she was invited to
component of musical films.
form a Committee and create an examination
As a genre within the ISTD, tap dancing
Above: ISTD Tap Talent Day
syllabus. She founded the Stage Branch in 1931;
initially played a minor role. In the Stage
it later became the Modern Stage Branch and
Branch syllabus of the 1930s it was the third
eventually the Modern Theatre Faculty. The
and sometimes optional component, along
first Committee was announced in 1932 and
with the Musical Comedy and Acrobatic
examinations were held in 1933. Raye’s book
Divisions. However, the sound foundation
American Tap Dancing was published in 1936.
established in these early years provided a
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GEORGE MAY
The survival of the Stage Branch owes its success to the
In 1957 Zelia Raye received the Imperial Award. In the same
tenacity and diligence of Miss Raye. Her life is well documented
year she resigned as Chairman and from 1957 to 1970 Marjorie
in Pam Eddleston’s book Zelia Raye and the development of
Davies and Olive Ripman took the role jointly.
Modern Theatre Dance (2002). Here Eddleston describes her
A significant milestone occurred in 1970: tap would no
as ‘a dynamic and imaginative woman, far reaching in her
longer be an optional extra at the end of the Stage Branch
vision.’ The book also pays tribute to ‘the talented people
examination. A new syllabus was created which established tap
who contributed and developed this vision with dedication
dance as a separate examination though the separation through
and devotion’.1
to Major and Status Examinations took many more years to
These ‘talented people’ were an extremely important part
achieve. Interestingly, however, the early compulsory link with
of the development of tap. Joan Davis, Janet Cram, Tom Parry,
modern dance and the Stage Branch impacted strongly on the
Doreen Austin, Victor Leopold and Marjorie Davies were among
style, line and movement of ISTD trained tap dancers. The new
the first to collaborate with Miss Raye. With their artistic and
format for tap examinations occurred alongside the renaissance
creative ideas about tap dance, these pioneers contributed to
of tap in America.
the development of the Branch. Its continued success owes a
Sheelagh Elliott Clarke became Chairman from 1970 to 1974.
great debt to the talents of those such as Moyra Gay, Daphne
In the early 1970s a newly structured Advanced Tap syllabus was
Peterson, Gwen Carter, Marianne Jepson and Patricia Crail.
choreographed by Daphne Peterson (Imperial Award 1984).
In its infancy, the original graded syllabus for tap was
Miss Peterson’s legacy to the Society is legendary in both tap
technical and based on a simple vocabulary of steps. It grew
and modern dance; her clever, uncluttered choreography has
slowly but steadily via the introduction of sequences at each
stood the test of time.
level. In 1936 Tap Medal Tests were introduced.
Congress lectures provided inspirational ideas for
additional syllabus material. The lecturers were drawn from the
Committee, all of whom had a connection with theatre,
Top left: Daphne Peterson, major
contributor to Grades, Majors
and Medals and creator of 1970s
completely new Advanced 2 Syllabus.
and from members of the theatrical profession. One of the
latter was Paul Draper, of theatre and movie fame. Another
influence was Buddy Bradley, an American who had taught and
choreographed for many of the famous tappers in the USA.
He eventually settled in Britain in the 1950s. There remains a
Top middle: Moyra Gay, major
contributor to Grades, Majors
and Medals, teaching the Senior
Division Tap Test syllabi at the
1975 Congress.
close link between current trends in theatre and films and the
development of the syllabus.
In 1955 tap was declared to be only an optional section within
Top right: Zelia Raye, founder
of Stage Branch in 1931.
the Stage Branch examinations. The decision coincided with the
demise of tap in films and theatre which resulted in a difficult
time for professional tap dancers.
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In 1974 Murielle Ashcroft (Imperial Award
being ‘compiled to simplify the teaching of tap
1979) became Chairman of the Modern Theatre
dancing - which is proving a very successful
and Tap Branch. Passionate about the ISTD
method of teaching rhythm.’2 Currently it
and particularly the Branch, hers was to be a
could be defined as a structured and effective
momentous leadership during which time
technique which is highly successful for the
immense progress was made with the Tap
acquisition of rhythmic skill and security.
Dance syllabus.
In 2012 Deborah Capon inherited the role
New Senior Medal Tests were produced,
of Chairman of the Committee. Although her
choreographed by Gwen Carter and Moyra Gay
tenure was short she laid the foundations for
in 1975.
thoughtful forward planning. Since September
In February 1977 the Marjorie Davies Star
2013, the Tap Faculty has been safe in the hands
Tap Awards were launched. This popular award
of the Chairman Jackie Hayward with Nick
quickly became an important event in the ISTD
French as Vice-chairman and a Committee of
dance calendar. In 1978 Levels 1 and 2 of the
Carol Ball, Helen Green, Alison Forrester, Jason
Popular Tap Tests were introduced by Patricia
Di Mascio, Heather Rees and the invaluable
Above: Paddy Hurlings was the
Crail and Marianne Jepson and further levels
secretary Caroline Lavelle. The current
very first Chairman of the newly
followed in the ensuing years.
Committee members are very aware of the
independent Tap Dance Faculty
In 1985 Murielle Ashcroft appointed a small
responsibility of being caretakers of this
Committee in the year 2002.
sub-committee to update the Grade and Major
long-standing but still flourishing Faculty.
Below: Murielle Ashcroft ,
Tap syllabi. The team consisted of Gwen Carter,
Heather Rees
Chair (1974 - 1998) who was
Patricia Ellis and Heather Rees (Imperial Award
instrumental in major changes.
2013). There was a completely new structure
which provided a much more challenging and
up-to-date approach to the genre. Daphne
Peterson and Sheelagh Harbinson joined the
team at Major level. When Murielle Ashcroft
retired in 1998, Patricia Crail (Imperial Award
1993) took over as Chairman. Patricia was
instrumental in developing the work overseas.
In 2002 the Tap Faculty became an
independent and separate Faculty from
Modern Theatre. It was formed under the
chairmanship of Paddy Hurlings (Imperial
Award 2005) with Deborah Capon as Vicechair. There were immediate developments to
ensure the continuing success of the genre; for
example, Tap Awards replaced the Tap Medals
and a new Grade 6 was created.
From 2007 the grades syllabus was
gradually up-dated. The new work included
more close-work and rhythm tap. The creative
tap team at this time comprised Committee
members Nick French, Helen Green and
Tracey Lee, led by Alison Forrester.
Worthy of note is the contrast between the
minimal content of the syllabus of the 1930s
compared to the rich vocabulary of steps some
Above: Pat Ellis at the Moulin Rouge,
Paris 1957. Pat was part of the 1980s
team for the complete restructuring
of Grades and Majors. In her career
References
in theatre she worked with such
1.
luminaries as Frank Sinatra,
Michael Bentine and Sir Tom Jones.
Eddleston, P. (2002) Zelia Raye and
the development of Modern Theatre
Dance, London: ISTD, p.7
80 years on but the principles are the same.
2.
In April 1935, in an article written by Zelia Raye
Dancing Times, April, p.3
Raye, Z. (1935) South African
in which she described the values of the Stage
Branch syllabus and announced the intention
With thanks to Helen and Tony Green
of introducing the subject to South African
for access to Daphne Peterson’s
Teachers, the tap technique was described as
archives
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