This weekend the Outpost Performance Space will play host to what has become an Albuquerque tradition -- the fifth-annual Tap Jam.
Tap Jam coordinator and choreographer, Bill Evans, began making up dances at age three when his aunt took him to see a musical. He began taking classes in third grade and since then has studied flamenco, ballet and has made a name for himself in the world of modern dance.
Evans started presenting entire evenings of tap dance, which became known as Tap Jam back in 1992. The idea behind Tap Jam is to bring quality tap dancers of various ages and styles together.
Most of the performers are professionals but several students will also take part in this year's show. Evans says the show depicts the "breath and variety" of tap. Tap Jam is all about variety and big-time contras.
"What makes this show unique is having the opportunity to see how the artists have grown over the past year," Evans said.
All of the pieces will be new and, according to Evans, many of the dancers are going in a new direction.
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The show will include 16 pieces including works by Mark Yanolly from Chicago, Broadway's Skip Randel, Houston's Acia Gray and former UNM student, Brenna Kunn. The show will also include pieces by Albuquerque's Sarah Hutchinson, Windy Barker, Fishback Studio and Sandra's School of Dance.
Evans plans to unveil his new 10-minute piece to the music of Freddy Freeloader by jazz great Miles Davis. Evans calls his new piece "complex and progressive." He says the music's subtle underground beat gives the piece intensity and focus. Tap Jam is a show designed to help the audience experience tap as a form of music. The pieces are fast-paced, some are comical, some serious, but the bottom line is that Tap Jam will leave everyone who attends with the impression that tap dance is an accessible musical form they can relate to.
Tap Jam will run March 2 and 3, 7:30 p.m. at the Outpost Performance Space at 210 Yale Blvd. Tickets can be purchased at the Outpost and at the Book Stop next to Flying Star in Nob Hill. For more information call 268-8898.
