By Melanie Minty, arts columnist
It’s THE weekend. Labour Day, then school starts. There will be crazed consumers collecting school supplies for their kids. It’s not just the stores that will be bursting. Traffic volume definitely increases this time of year as well. We are busy, busy, busy getting back to the routine of the school year. We do everything for our kids – and sometimes forget to look at the adult inside.
As you get your kids engaged in all their wanted activities, stop a moment and ask yourself if there’s something you have always wanted to do. Life gets in the way, I know. There are schedules, work and raising kids is – often—exhausting. This is your story of your life.
How will you tell your story? School schedules, driving daughters to dance classes, standing in the rain for soccer practices, helping with homework, keeping current with your career – is this what we will see if we look at your life story? Let’s just suppose that you have finally decided to take tap dancing lessons, because you always have wanted to do it. I look at learning to tap dance as a lifetime achievement. Wish I had started sooner, but there it is. Life gets in the way.
“Listen to my feet and I will tell you the story of my life.” I found this quote, attributed to John Bubbles, on the West Coast Tap Dance Collective’s website (westcoasttapdance.com). This not-for-profit society exists to promote, develop and preserve the art of tap dancing. The aim is to build an inclusive network of tap dancers of all ages and levels and to connect a nostalgic past to a bright future. Works for me.
John William Sublett, aka “Bubbles” (Feb. 19, 1902 – May 18, 1986), was a vaudeville performer, and performed in the duo Buck and Bubbles. But what I found most interesting was that he is known as the father of “rhythm” tap. Gosh. My favourite kind of tap, except maybe soft shoe. I did not know that this style of tap was so old. John’s is amazing, and all tappers should read about him and his life – he even gave tap dancing lessons to Fred Astaire in 1920. Astaire considered Sublett the finest tap dancer of his generation. Seriously. Talk about lifetime achievement.
Start your lifetime achievement now, sign up for adult tap classes. You may not be able to tell the story of your life by listening to your feet, but it is an inspiring idea. Michael Jackson did absolutely admire Bubbles’ dancing and used his steps for inspiration. Oh yes, there is more: The late pop star named his pet chimpanzee Bubbles. Now you know the tremendous impact of the art of tap dancing.
Now that the summer is wrapping up, there is just one more thing you should do. Oh, don’t give me that big sigh and say, “I’m soooo busy.” But here is just one more thing to add to your schedule for this already-busy Labour Day weekend: White Rock Players’ Club supports the Green Room Theatre Camp’s 2017 production of Welcome to Smalltown.
Written by and starring eight local Surrey youth, Welcome to Smalltown is an all-ages dramatic comedy that offers the audience a rare glimpse into the everyday exploits of their peculiar rural community. The show runs from Sept. 1 to 3 at Coast Capital Playhouse and 50 per cent of the proceeds will be donated to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, which provides pediatric palliative care to B.C. children and families. This is kids helping kids, and I know that project is on your list of things to do as well. This is so easy to do; buy a few tickets and accomplish two things at the same time: support emerging talent and help sick kids. White Rock Players would love to see the place overflowing with people who “are eager to support today’s generous and talented youth.” Tickets at the box office, or online at greenroomtheatrecamp.com. Tickets are $12/$17. Small price for a big reward. Add it to your list of lifetime achievements.
melminty@telus.net