OMAHA PERFORMING ARTS

Got rhythm? Dorrance Dance does.

The New York City-based company is bringing tap dance to Omaha later this month – and it’s not what you expect! If you’re like me and took tap lessons as a kid, you may be having flashbacks to poorly executed time steps and double wings.

Dorrance Dance’s performances, on the other hand, are electrifying – literally. In ETM: Double Down, three musicians, a break-dancer and eight ace tappers make music on an electric dance floor.  

Here are 3 more fun facts about the performance:  

1. A first for Omaha Performing Arts

   This is the first time we’ve presented an tap company as part of our Dance Series at Omaha Performing Arts. It’s a key aspect of our mission to bring diverse art forms of the highest quality right here to our community – and we can’t wait for you to experience it.

2. Company founded by Michelle Dorrance

   Choreographer Michelle Dorrance is known for her let-it-all-hang-out style and speed. She’s a 2015 MacArthur Fellow who’s received rave reviews for the way she breathes new life into the traditional art form of tap.
   
   

   
   A dancer steps on an electric tap pad.

3. Performed with electronic tap “instruments”
   In ETM: Double Down, Michelle Dorrance collaborated with Bessie Award winner Nicholas Young to turn the whole stage into an instrument. With the right programming, the sound of a single footfall can sound like a snare drum or a note on an arpeggio on specially designed tap pads.