Well into his 90s, it took no prompting for the white-haired, gentlemanly Ebsen to break into a "shim-sham-shimmy," a simple shuffle-tap dance followed by outstretched arms and a shimmy: the traditional hoofers' hello.
For those who choose to progress, the Nordictrack is the foundation on which they can build their individual style -- sort of like a shuffle in tap dancing".
But then there is the Sundance Side Shuffle, which taps into the broader possibilities of VoD (video on demand) and digital platforms.
Hannibal, Sharifa LaGuerre and Ayana Wiles-Bey morph into reporters, record flaks, a cut-rate Diana Ross Apollo Theater announcer, a fleet-footed Michael Jackson and churchwomen who combine gospel shuffles with tap and flamenco steps.
But for the first time in years, another noise, a quiet but persistent shuffling and tapping, underscored the artillery rhythms.
There's not a ton going in the track we're premiering below, "Alma Del Mundo (Blast Mix)"—shuffling drum taps cozy up against squelchy harmonics yet you can feel Moffa's attention to the utility of the various instruments used, and how cohesively they come together in a way absence of heavy bass.
He does more footwork than anyone else, and yet his legs move with less freedom than those of his colleagues: tap shuffles and foot-swinging steps start to have a blitheness with his colleagues that they lack with him.
Astaire sings it through twice and during the last phrase leaps into a ballet jump, accompanied by leg beats, and launches into a short solo dance that builds in intensity and volume progressing from tap shuffles sur place, via traveling patterns, to rapid-fire heel jabs finishing with a carefree tour of the suite during which he beats on the furniture with his hands.
Tap the "Shuffle" button to shuffle your playlist.
"TAP CITY" The annual tap festival shuffles over to Symphony Space this year, with two evenings of professional variety programs surfacing in between multiple kids' shows and participant showcases.
