Tap Team Dances To The Top

After only three years, the UConn Tap Team has received a bid to Nationals.

The team, co-founded in spring 2004 by Lindsay Van Housen and Jessica Bennett, has 18 members, two of whom are alternates.

Tryouts are held every fall. Approximately 50 girls audition. The girls that make the team secure their spot for the rest of their undergraduate career.

"Girls don't need to re-audition once they make the team," said Jessica Bennett, the Tap Team president. "They are automatically on the team for four years."

"Since our inception we placed at all competitions we've been to," Bennett said.

The team's list of achievements is quite extensive. In 2005, they competed at Dance America and Star Power, getting awards at both competitions. At this year's Dance America, which was held in New York City on Jan. 27 and 28, they received two first place finishes, winning best choreography for adult line tap for "Rodeo Clowns" and for adult production tap for "P.H.D."

Bennett said that the best choreography award was "the biggest award we have ever received."

In addition to those awards, the team walked away with their first bid to Nationals.

Vice President Ashley Blanchard is pleased with the accomplishments of this year's team.

"The team worked really hard, and getting a bid to nationals is incredibly rewarding," she said. "We've got some amazing talent on the team along with two phenomenal coaches. For my senior year I really couldn't have asked for much more."

The team prepares competitions in many ways - not only do they practice more frequently than usual, but they receive professional training as well.

"They usually study new dances and work with choreographers before competitions," said Kate Durant, the Club Sports advisor.

"They take master classes in New York City to prepare for competition and to improve their individual skills," said Ashley Green, a graduate assistant for Club Sports.

At Nationals, the dancers will perform two routines, which are the same routines they did at their competition in January. Nationals are in Las Vegas this year during the first week of July.

The team has been able to get a significant amount of funding, according to Bennett. She is pleased with the Undergraduate Student Government's (USG) efforts.

The funds that USG appropriates to the team are not sufficient to cover the costs the team incurs. To make up the deficit, the team has various fundraisers throughout the year. "Night with the UConn Tap Team" is an annual fundraiser in which they teach dance to people from ages 10 to 18.

Those who want to dance in a non-competitive environment can join Tap Club, also run by Club Sports. Unlike the tap team, the club is open to anyone who wants to join and meets only once a week. There are 30 people in Tap Club, including the 18 members of the Tap Team, and there is no limit to the number of members who join. The Tap Club and the Tap Team currently share funding, but Bennett is hoping this will change in the near future.

"I'm hoping the Tap Cub will define themselves as their own entity," she said.

Those who wish to see the Tap Team perform can watch them at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on March 30 with the Conn Men, Extreme Measures and the UConn All Stars, among other groups.