Research Catalog

Title

Closing the gap [sound recording] / discussion by Fred Strickler (as moderator), Leonard Reed, and Linda Sohl-Donnell.

Author

Reed, Leonard.

Publication

2000.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Sohl-Donnell, Linda.
• Strickler, Fred.
• International Tap Association.

Description

3 sound discs (ca. 131 min.) : digital; 4 3/4 in. +

Summary

• Disc 1 (ca. 47 min.). Following Fred Strickler's introductory remarks, Leonard Reed speaks about the recent celebration held by Kansas City in honor of his contributions to tap dance; Linda Sohl-Donnell, Reed, and Strickler speak about the Shim sham [choreographed by Reed in the 1930s]; Reed, Sohl-Donnell, and Strickler discuss choreographing, improvisation, experimentation, set routines, and signature works, mainly from the perspective of their preferences and audience expectations; discussion of contemporary tap dancing trends, including the enormous influence of Savion Glover; the development of tap dancing into a concert art form; Reed's dislike of evening-length tap dancing programs; further debate regarding set routines and improvisation; one of Glover's major innovations in tap dancing as the use of hip-hop music accompaniment; Reed reminsices about first seeing jazz tap dancing, by [Charles] Baby Laurence [ends abruptly].
• Disc 2 (ca. 47 min.). Reed reminisces about great tap dancers of the past; discussion of the process by which tap dancers learn and develop; Gregory Hines, including the role he played in renewing interest in tap dancing; the evolution of tap dancing in performance and its increasing inclusion in the dance curricula at academic institutions [short gap]; performance issues, including types of accompaniment and the use of stop time; Sohl-Donnell and Strickler speak about their academic activities and current projects, in particular, Sohl-Donnell's work-in-progress [titled Nusantara?] that combines various elements of Balinese dance and tap dance; Reed speaks about his current work on a Shim sham variation; Sohl-Donnell and Reed speak about Reed's participation in Sohl-Donnell's children's shows, in particular his jokes; Sohl-Donnell, Reed, and Strickler reminisce about a memorial for Foster [Johnson] at the Variety Arts Theater in Los Angeles [ends abruptly].
• Dsic 3 (ca. 27 min.). Reminiscing about the memorial continues; Reed describes a standard routine he performed with Willie Bryant; his filming of tap dancers; his relationship with the Apollo Theater and its effect on his friendship with Cholly Atkins; Reed's wife, Barbara [née Da Costa] Reed; Reed's work with singers, in particular with Marvin Gaye at Motown [Record Corporation]; discussion of the current state of the tap dance world, including the relative lack of venues suitable for tap dancing and electronically-amplified taps compared with acoustic taps; Reed's manner of keeping time and his dislike of challenge-style dancing.

Donor/Sponsor

• Gift of the International Tap Association.
• National Endowment for the Arts, 2002-2003.

Alternative Title

• International Tap Association Closing the Gap project
• Dance Audio Archive.

Subject

• Reed, Leonard
• Glover, Savion
• Strickler, Fred
• Hines, Gregory
• Sohl-Donnell, Linda
• Tap dancing
• Jazz tap

Note

• Discussion among Fred Strickler as moderator, Leonard Reed, and Linda Sohl-Donnell, on May 18, 2000 in Long Beach, Calif. This discussion is part of the International Tap Association's Closing the Gap project.
• The transcript was not prepared by the Library and may contain misspellings.

Access (note)

• Transcripts may not be photographed or reproduced without permission.

Funding (note)

• Preservation was funded in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, 2002-2003.

Call Number

*MGZTL 4-2340

OCLC

NYPY05-R10034

Author

Reed, Leonard. Interviewee

Title

Closing the gap [sound recording] / discussion by Fred Strickler (as moderator), Leonard Reed, and Linda Sohl-Donnell.

Imprint

2000.

Funding

Preservation was funded in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, 2002-2003.

Local Note

Archive original: *MGZTCO 3-2340 nos. 1-2

Archival transcript: *MGZMTO 3-2340

Preservation master: *MGZTP 4-2340 nos. 1-3

Dubbing master: *MGZTD 4-2340 nos. 1-3

Restricted Access

Transcripts may not be photographed or reproduced without permission.

Connect to:

Request Access to Special Collections (Dance Division) material

Local Subject

Shim sham (Dance)

Audiotapes -- Reed, L.

Audiotapes -- Sohl-Donnell, L.

Audiotapes -- Strickler, F.

Added Author

Sohl-Donnell, Linda. Interviewee

Strickler, Fred. Moderator

International Tap Association.

Added Title

International Tap Association Closing the Gap project

Research Call Number

*MGZTL 4-2340 [sound discs]

*MGZMT 3-2340 [transcript]

*MGZTL 4-2340