Time to Tap is back and with that, a brand-new, fabulous host, Claire Miller!
From renowned performances to teaching future tappers, Claire is joining us for our annual fundraising event to give you a tap dance experience like no other.
Claire has been tap dancing for as long as she can remember and has performed live at the Love Supreme Jazz Festival and Royal Albert Hall Elgar Room.
Following her success, she recently opened her own tap dancing school in East London called London Tap Academy to pass on her tap dancing skills to tappers of all ages and abilities.
We caught up with Claire about her upcoming debut at Time to Tap!
RCLCF: Hi Claire, thank you for getting involved with this year’s Time to Tap. Tell us a bit about you, your job and dance experience.
Claire: “I’m a tap dancer based in London. I like to perform with live jazz music and my credits include Love Supreme Jazz Festival, the Royal Albert Hall Elgar Room and the London Southbank Centre. You can catch me dancing at the London Tap Jam, and as a guest artist with bands lead by Corina Kwami and Lauren Dalrymple.
In 2016-17 I was part of Tapestry Dance Company in Austin Tx under the direction of Acia Gray. I am an alumnus of the Jacob’s Pillow Tap Dance Programme (2021), directed by Michelle Dorrance, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards and Derick K Grant, and I have studied with dancers such as Josette Wiggan, Heather Cornell and Roxane Butterfly.
I recently opened a dance school called London Tap Academy that provides tap dance classes for all levels and ages. It’s really important to me that tap dance is accessible to anyone who wants to learn, the classes are an inclusive space, and that we try to maintain a connection to the history and culture of the art form.”
RCLCF: What inspired you to start tap dancing?
Claire: “I don’t remember when I started but it was when I was very young. I took a break as I focused on competitive figure skating and returned to tap dancing in my twenties. I think this is the story for a lot of dancers in the UK- we learn as children and come back as adults with a fresh perspective!
What inspired me most about tap dance as an adult was the community. I have friends all over the world that I met through tap dance and that’s really wonderful. Tap dance is so rich in oral history and tradition and it’s such a privilege to be part of that.”
RCLCF: What do you love most about tap dancing?
Claire: “I really love that tap dance celebrates individuality! For me, tap is about finding connection, exchanging ideas and being part of a culture of live jazz music. I love we celebrate tap dancers for who they are and the life experiences they share through the dance.
I also love that as a tap dancer, I get to be both a dancer and a musician. It’s really interesting to see how both movement and music have evolved over time. There is so much variety in the work created by tap dancers today!”
RCLCF: What does it mean to get involved in Time to Tap?
Claire: “Roy Castle is such a joyful dancer and it seemed he inspired so many people. Learning about him in these last few months has really made me excited to help Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and help carry on his legacy.
I can’t wait to see everyone tap dancing together for a great cause. So many people are affected by cancer and benefit from the hard work of charities and it truly is an honour to be involved!”
