Knock On Wood News Tidbits for Tappers January 2008
IN THIS ISSUE -Knock On Wood Studio News -Tappers With Attitude News -Spring Break Camp -Healthy Ideas: Drink Water! -Getting to Know Us: Meet Ms. Shannon -Click -n Clack, the Tap-It Sisters CALENDAR DECEMBER 23-January 6 KOW Closed for Holidays JANUARY 7 KOW Winter Session Begins FEBRUARY 3 Professional Tap Teachers' Seminar DONATIONS MAKE A DIFFERENCE DONATE NOW GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES: Please pledge your support for TWA, Inc. via the Combined Federal Campaign. Our number is 68430. Thank You!		TAPPERS TOAST to a TAPPY NEW YEAR! Wishing our Knock On Wood families and friends...        A HAPPY, TAPPY,             HEALTHFUL                     NEW YEAR! KNOCK ON WOOD Studio News Winter Session Begins January 7 If you haven't registered yet, now's a good time! This 10-week session includes all the classes and instructors you know and love. Classes DO fill up, so advance registration is recommended. TAPPERS WITH ATTITUDE News TWA's Most Excellent Adventure: Ti Ta Wu ("Tap Dance") Diplomancy Our trip to Beijing as part of Chicago Human Rhythm Project's "JUBA! Masters of Tap" program was truly the adventure of a lifetime. Forty-nine American tap dancers (ages 11-85) were joined by as many young Chinese tappers; history was made as we explored our common language - our love of tap dance! Watch our website for a photo gallery of the trip, coming soon. And read more about the trip in the April issue of "Dance Spirit Magazine," which will include TWA's Travel Diary. (Pictured above: Justin Allen, Liza Mayman, Jason Samuels Smith, Hannah Kenton, Maria Guerrero) Tapping Into TWA Like all hard-working dance companies, Tappers With Attitude Youth Ensemble relies on  its talented dancers to help the company in many ways. This year, our three Dance Captains and two Assistant Dance Captains are in charge of warm-ups and stretching sessions, ChoreOpps (teaching sessions dedicated to existing TWA choreography) and plenty of other "duties as assigned." Our pre-professional ensemble is grateful for all their hard work and good energy; these community-minded young women are developing into terrific leaders, and really outstanding role models. Thanks to (pictured L to R) Zoe, Maya, Lena, Maria, and Melissa. Sneak Peek at Future Performances:    - BlackRock Center for the Arts (March 8)           NEW! 2nd show added    - Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (April 26)    - Library of Congress (May 23)    - Atlas Theatre (May 31-June 1)    - Wolf Trap Theatre-in-the-Woods (June 24-28)    - Kennedy Center, Millennium Stage (June 26)    - Smithsonian's Discovery Theatre (July 2 & 3)
2008 SPRING BREAK CAMP: Dance Passport Do your kids need something FUN to do over Spring Break?! KOW is excited to offer Spring Break Camp: Dance Passport, directed by Ms. Shannon Quinn. Each day will feature tap dancing (3 levels) and a class from our dance sampler: Irish, African, Indian and Salsa. Kids will also learn some history and do arts and crafts related to the special country of the day. Dance Passport is for boys and girls, ages 7-12 and will take place from March 24-28, 2008. We expect it to fill quickly, so register early! (Registration form will be available on the web site in early January.) HEALTHY IDEAS: Toast the New Year the Healthy Way! We care about our tappers and want to remind everyone of the importance of staying well hydrated. Water helps keep you healthy. Those muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons that work so hard for you when you're dancing need water. Make sure you drink water before, during, and after your class. Our New Year's wish for everyone is to stay healthy and injury-free. Knock On Wood is going greener in the New Year! We will be installing taller water faucets in the bathrooms, to accommodate water bottles. Please bring YOUR refillable water bottle with you to class and help us phase out the use of plastic bottles. GETTING TO KNOW OUR FACULTY: Meet Ms. Shannon Ms. Shannon Quinn been on KOW's faculty since 2005. She magically appeared when we were looking for someone wonderful and patient(!) to work with our new tap class for 4-year-olds; since that time, she has expanded this group to include 3-year-olds. Shannon taught both of KOW's week-long summer camps last summer and we're thrilled that she will be directing our brand new Spring Break Camp this spring. Shannon graduated from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, with a BA in Dance Education and K-12 certification. Besides teaching for KOW, she works full-time at Dance Place as Outreach Coordinator and Box Office Manager, and is a member of the modern dance company, Carla & Company. She has also worked with several other DC-based choreographers. CLICK 'N CLACK, the TAP-IT SISTERS - Trivia Corner Everything is Copacetic! Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (May 25, 1878-November 25, 1949) was a pioneer and pre-eminent African-American tap dance performer. His importance to our art form is evident - National Tap Dance Day is celebrated on his birthday. He's known not only as a brilliant performer and community hero, but this inventer of the "stair dance" also developed the widely-used neologism "copacetic." QUESTION: What was Bojangle's other best known amazing skill, and what world's record does he hold? (Look for the answer in next newsletter.) Answer from December newsletter: In New York City's Harlem, at 131st St. & 7th Ave. (The question was, "What was the location of the Hoofers Club?")  Knock On Wood and Tappers With Attitude appreciate the work of Dance/MetroDC in its efforts to unite and support the DC area's dance community. Dance/MetroDC is the only comprehensive source for dance performances, events, master classes, workshops, jobs, auditions and more in the DC metro area. Check their website for more information or to subscribe to their newsletter.
Knock On Wood Tap Studio 8700 Georgia Ave., Suite B Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-495-0395

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