Happy Chappy Tappy show brings tap world to Chapman

From March 31 to April 2, students and the larger Orange County community are invited to take part in tap classes and performances. Photos courtesy of Abby Kozel

Tap dance is intricately woven into the cloth of American history. When Africans were brought to America via the slave trade and stripped of their ability to play repercussion music, tap dance was born.

Through the years, tap dance blended with the dance of Irish immigrants and later became ingrained in the mainstream artistic world by Broadway and Hollywood stars. The history of tap dancing is a long winding road and will be on display April 1 as The Happy Chappy Tappy show returns to campus. 

The 15th annual Happy Tappy Chappy Show will be in Memorial Hall at 7 p.m.

Going into its 15th year, the Happy Tappy Chappy Show, which will take place in Memorial Hall at 7 p.m., will feature performances by the Chapman University Tap Ensemble (C.U.T.E.), tap classes 138 and 238 and special guest dancers. 

Preparations for the Happy Chappy Tappy Show have been underway since the beginning of the school year, with longtime tap professor Brandee Lara at the helm. 

“I so firmly believe in sharing the art form,” Lara said. “Purposefully, we choreograph pieces that are short, sweet and fun.” 

The show will be a combination of equal parts education and entertainment. Lara told The Panther that she’s tried to bring an air of lightheartedness to the show, knowing their audience is not educated on the finer intricacies of tap.

“I have fabulous guest artists, so they’re going to see some virtuostic tap dancing,” Lara said. “But they’re also going to see student pieces that are fun and lighthearted. Some are definitely meaningful, and people choreograph for very personal reasons, but for the most part I would say our show is going to appeal to an extremely wide audience.”

Classic tap dances will be performed, including the Shim Sham and BS chorus. Student pieces will be featured, as well as professional tap dancers that have come with the sole purpose of sharing their craft. 

While the Happy Chappy Tappy show is the centerpiece of the weekend, several classes along with a pre-show open stage will take place from March 31 to April 2, making up what is known as Tap Fest Cali, Chapman’s own miniature tap festival.

Junior television writing and production major Abby Kozel, who serves as C.U.T.E. president, told The Panther she is looking forward to learning from expert teachers and seeing the tap community come together on campus. 

“It’s very common in the tap community to go to different festivals around the country,” Kozel said. “I really like how interconnected (the tap community) is and how there’s so many different festivals (where) people come together to teach the youth and educate people on tap.”

Teachers who will impart their tap wisdom include Gisele Silva, a member of Syncopated Ladies, and Luyz Baldijao who has developed a dance methodology known as “SynTAPsis.” These classes are open to anyone in the community, whether they have been tapping for years or just slipped on their first pair of shoes. 

Sophomore broadcast journalism and documentary major Ruthie Weeks told The Panther she will attend several of the classes and perform in the show as a member of C.U.T.E. 

“We’re lucky enough to have a lot of these professionals teaching classes throughout the weekend,” Weeks said. “I’m super excited to attend these classes and get some experience with different styles of tap dance and different teaching styles.”

Lara told The Panther that people who attend the Happy Chappy Tappy show should dispel any expectations they may have and ready themselves for some surprise performances. During performances of the Shim Sham and BS Chorus, people who know the dances will be invited on stage to participate. 

“Any art form should not be exclusive because that’s not what art is,” Lara said. “Expect a really super fun night, with a surprise near the end of the show, performed by the boys who take tap.” 

The Happy Chappy Tappy show will be the culmination of a weekend filled with educational tap classes. And if Lara reaches her goal, the history of tap will be dancing front and center in Memorial Hall. So carve out some time on April 1 and follow the sound of tap shoes. 

To learn more about the Happy Chappy Tappy show and buy tickets, visit their ticketing website. Tap Fest Cali’s schedule and information can be found on their website, and more details can be found on C.U.T.E.’s Instagram.