When is too old to start tap dancing?

I’ve been having such a nice week. I’ve been gardening, op-shopping, cleaning the house, cycling, doing karaoke, playing the piano, and watching tv. And yes, I had the windows and doors closed when singing karaoke and yes, it would have been very embarrassing had anyone heard. On the gardening front, I’ve caught so many slugs and snails in my beer traps that I’m beginning to wonder how any vegetables survived at all?

Lately I’ve been considering taking up tap dancing. I’ve never done any tap dancing before and never did ballet or anything else as a child but I’ve always been enthralled by the tap dancing numbers of the 1940s and 1950s and Eleanor Powell, Fred Astaire, and Ann Miller – to name just a few. Tap dancing is quite versatile: you can do it on your own or with a partner. It’s also a form of music in many ways in that you’re dancing and creating music at the same time. I want to do this (fast-forward to 2 minutes in to see the tap routine).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rej2ta1j4Uo

Ok, I realise I’m never going to be able to do that but I can still dream. What do you think? Can 40-somethings learn how to tap dance?

Posted

September 28, 2016

Journal

Rachel M

Tags:

Ann Miller, dancing, Easter Parade, musicals, tap, tap dancing

Comments

10 responses to “When is too old to start tap dancing?”

matthewcevans

September 28, 2016

Wow, glad I re-read that title! I thought it said “When is too old to start lap dancing?”. Maybe that’s a topic for a different blog article….

Reply
1. Rachel M
  
  September 28, 2016
  
  Is that a Freudian slip to see “lap dancing” instead of “tap dancing”? In any case, I don’t have any plans to try lap dancing. Although I have thought about trying pole dancing:
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vq0xxZkkA4
  
  Reply
  1. matthewcevans
    
    September 28, 2016
    
    Yes, I definitely must have issues. 🙂
    
    Maybe I need to take up lap dancing.
TanGental

September 28, 2016

Of course you can tap dance at 40. 40, he screams. No age whatsoever. Get out there, woman and TAP

Reply
1. Rachel M
  
  October 2, 2016
  
  Yes, yes, definitely. Obediently obeys and start tap dancing
  
  Reply
  1. TanGental
    
    October 4, 2016
    
    Can’t wait for the video! In the tartan!
Hangaku Gozen

September 28, 2016

No reason at all, as long as your expectations are realistic. 🙂 A friend of mine teaches both ballroom dancing and piano, the former to adults and the latter mostly to children, though she has had adult students. Her oldest dancing student was a 75-year-old man who learned how to dance as a surprise to his wife on their 50th wedding anniversary. She said he was very sweet and patient, and it was a pleasure to teach him. On the other hand, she says she gets too many adults who want to learn to play piano “yesterday:” they’re too easily discouraged and don’t practice enough; they get upset because they’re not playing Mozart and Beethoven after just three months of lessons. Of course, it should be fun learning a new skill; I think as long as you’re enjoying yourself and don’t take it too seriously, you’ll master it quicker than the student who wants to be Ginger Rogers after one class!

Reply
1. Rachel M
  
  October 2, 2016
  
  I do sort-of play the piano but I had lessons for years as a kid and I still can’t play a piece first go when I pick it up. I have to practice and practice it. So I find it pretty funny that adults starting out think they’ll be experts after a few months. I’ll keep that in mind when I start tapping.
  
  Reply
PedalWORKS

September 28, 2016

I can’t believe you asked. You are never too old to start something new, and never too old to improve on what you already do.

Reply
1. Rachel M
  
  October 2, 2016
  
  So true! I just always thought people who took up dance classes as adults had taken dancing lessons as a kid. But maybe not and even so, I’m sure there are exceptions.
  
  Reply