Tap dancer Molly Smith, director of Chicago Tap Theatre's new production Can You Hear Us Now? The Queer Tap Dance Revolution, joins us to talk about the inspiration behind their latest work. The show runs June 20th - 23rd, 2024 in Chicago.

Click here for tickets: https://chicagotaptheatre.com/events

Become a Tap Love Tour micro-producer through our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

Today we are joined by Brazilian Tap Dancer and Podcaster, Leonardo Dias. Brazil has been hit by record breaking, devastating floods. Leonardo has made a specific call to the international Tap Dance Community for help. So let's show up.

Click here to donate: https://ko-fi.com/post/Help-the-victims-of-Southern-Brazil-Flood-N4N5XQXAB

In this episode, dancer, researcher, narratologist, and author Felix Lambert shares some insights he gained from his recently released 7 volume anthology book ‘Watch Your Step: A History of African American Dancing’.

Purchase your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CLKWDRS9?binding=paperback&qid=1712266061&sr=1-1&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

This week Travis Knights and special guest Allie Stewart are joined by the co-founder of The Jazz Tap Ensemble, Lynn Dally. The gems that Lynn drops in this episode shine so bright. Visit https://jazztapensemblelegacy.org/ to purchase archives of her decades of work.

Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

This week, Lisa LaTouche and I are Absolutely privileged to be joined by the incredible Dr. Daniel Black. He is an author and professor of African American studies at Clark Atlanta University. His books include The Coming, Perfect Peace, Black on Black and many more. In this conversation, we talk about how to reclaim Tap Dance and shed the stain of minstrelsy.

Make sure to pick up your copy of Dr. Black's book 'The Coming' at your local Black Bookstore.

Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

In this episode, we connect with Pamela Hetherington and Conner Kelly to explore the history of the Philadelphia Tap Dance scene and their upcoming inaugural Brewerytown Tap Dance Festival. Register for the Brewerytown Tap Festival at https://www.brewerytown.org/

Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

On today’s show, we are joined by co-host Brinae Ali as she opens up some of her research process with us for her multi-year initiative, The Baby Laurence Legacy Project. Ali has curated some phenomenal guests to talk about their personal experiences with legendary Tap Dancer, Baby Laurence. Joining the conversation today is renowned Dunbar High School Music Educator, Charlie Funn, founder of The National Center for African Communitarian Culture, Sanifu Mwananchi, and Keystone Korner Baltimore Club Owner/Presenter, Todd Barkan.

Additional audio:

-Jazz Hoofer: Baby Laurence Documentary

-Count Basie - Cute

-Duke Ellington Lost Concerts album

Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

On today’s show, we are speaking with Sandra Seaton who is a playwright, librettist, former professor of creative writing and African American literature at Central Michigan University and the curator of the Dr. Bunny Briggs and Olivette Miller archives housed at Yale's James Weldon Johnson Archives. Our conversation spans the archives, Flournoy Miller and Shuffle Along, the Columbia Race Resistance and the importance of Black storytelling.

Link to Dr. Bunny Briggs and Olivette Miller archives here: https://archives.yale.edu/repositories/11/resources/12332?fbclid=IwAR3VFDfj8dcGpQY297eF3A2fw1CyfF9t0d0655A_eUefc78YqapPZuqfqCw

Additional audio: Duke Ellington Sacred Concert featuring Bunny Briggs

Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

The Tap Love Tour family is expanding in a big way! On today's show we have a special guest host. One of my favorite dancers alive, Josette Wiggan, is sitting in as guest host interviewing the incomparable tap dancer, choreographer, actor, and musician, Jason Rodgers.

Connect to Jason Rodgers here: https://www.jasonjrodgers.com/

Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

This week, we are joined by critically acclaimed playwright and artistic director of New Harlem Productions, Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, for a masterclass in collaboration, art-making, theatre and storytelling. The episode opens with a tribute to the incredible Dexter Jones, R.I.P.

Connect with Donna-Michelle here: https://www.newharlemproductions.com

Additional audio:

Tap Love Tour Podcast Episode 98: Searching For Henry featuring Dexter Jones

'Jammin On Broadway' documentary sourced on YouTube

'Where's The Beat' from Bring In Da Noise Bring In Da Funk

Hoofers Award Gregory Hines sourced on YouTube

Ossie Davis story of Louis Armstrong sourced on YouTube

Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber