Riverdancers Do A Class Act Dozens Pack Dance Studio Workshops To Learn Intricate Steps From The Pros

‘Five, six, seven, eight … “

The hands clapped, the feet shuffled, the hips slightly swayed.

To the funky beat of house music, the dancers covered the floor with quick, accented movements. The sound of tap shoes bounced to the ceiling, reverberating against the walls.

The Carol Lee Studio of Dance was packed Wednesday with dozens of people who wanted lessons from members of “Riverdance,” the Irish step-dancing extravaganza that sold out an entire week of shows in Spokane. Students came to the north Spokane studio from as far as the Tri-Cities just to learn techniques in tap and step-dancing.

“‘Riverdance’ has such a big name,” said Van Porter, one of the show’s dancers who’s teaching the workshop. “Even if you don’t dance, you still want to be a part of it.”

About 30 people took Porter’s “New York City tap” class Wednesday. Before trying out the steps on their own, they watched his staccato-sounding feet skip and slide in front of the mirrored walls.

Compared with traditional tap, Porter’s style is more flat-footed with heavier accents, said Carol Grover, the studio owner. His feet become a blur as he moves in a shuffle-toe, shuffle-toe-toe-toe.

Some of the dancers later smiled with surprise - pride, joy, utter amazement - at themselves for learning the moves. Others were serious, their faces contorted with concentration.

“Tap is back,” Grover said, her voice barely audible above the clicking of the shoes.

Tap took a backseat to ballet and jazz in the ‘60s and ‘70s, she said, but the charm of the dance, as well as the popularity of shows like “Riverdance,” brought it back to the forefront. Of the 400 students at the Carol Lee Studio of Dance, only 10 or so aren’t taking tap lessons.

“It’s so intricate and exciting,” Grover said.

The popularity of tap and step-dance was evident in the workshop turnout. The classes were announced last Thursday, right after the “Riverdance” troupe contacted the Carol Lee studio. Despite the last-minute notice, more than 60 people signed up for the four sessions scheduled Wednesday and today. Each class cost $12.

“It was really hard, but I took it as a challenge,” said Andrew Reynolds, a 14-year-old from Spokane who’s taken tap classes for eight years. “It’s drumming with your feet. I like the rhythms you get to make.”

The dance is more than just moving the feet, Grover said. Tap dancers also must be familiar with the various sounds they make with every little movement. It’s less structured than ballet but has more footwork than jazz dance.

Even more challenging to students was the step dancing.

“Oh, my God,” one student mouthed as she watched Michelle McKittrick of “Riverdance” move to a fast-paced Irish jig.

McKittrick was light on her feet, lifting her knees high above the floor. As she hopped up and down and crossed her legs in the air, her lower body looked as if it were controlled by a puppeteer.

“It’s an art,” Grover said. “But to do it, you also need physical strength and stamina.”