Stair Dance
Choreography: Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (1928)
The athletic Stair Dance showcases Robinson's inventive style and was featured on Broadway in "Blackbirds of 1928." Robinson performed a version of his signature piece as a duet with Shirley Temple in "The Little Colonel" in 1935.
Doin' the New Low Down
Choreography: Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (1928)
Also featured in "Blackbirds of 1928," this number is classic Bill Robinson, highlighting his light and elegant style. Our version is a small chorus piece with the same emphasis on elegance and ease.
Put Me to the Test
Choreography: Evan E. Evans & Helen Evans (1930s)
George Burns learned this vaudville piece from the choreographers and he was delighted when they gave him permission to teach the piece to Fred Astaire for the 1937 film "A Damsel in Distress." Originally performed on screen by Fred Astaire, George Burns, and Gracie Allen, this comedic piece is an audience favorite.
Lullaby of Broadway
Choreography: Busby Berkeley (1935)
The original was the famous production number from "Gold Diggers of 1935" that featured a huge cast of tap dancers. Our smaller cast version features the same quick steps and syncronized patterns. We loved performing it with student dancers from CPMA Middle School.
Duet from "The Littlest Rebel"
Choreography: Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (1935)
A charming duet from "The Littlest Rebel," this piece was one of many Shirley Temple and Bill Robinson film partnerships.
Lucky Numbers
Choreography: Fayard Nicholas (1936)
This delightful duet from "The Black Network" was a showcase for the charm and style of the youthful Nicholas Brothers.
Begin the Beguine
Choreography: Fred Astaire, Bobby Connolly, Hermes Pan & Eleanor Powell (1940)
The lively classic duet was first performed by Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell in "Broadway Melody of 1940."
Taking a Chance on Love: Coles and Atkins Softshoe
Choreography: Honi Coles & Cholly Atkins (late 1940s)
Affectionately known as the slowest softshoe, this duet is pure elegance. Our version is charmingly performed by the mother/daughter duo of Nancy Boskin-Mullen and Adi Mullen.
Bouncin' the Blues
Choreography: Robert Alton & Hermes Pan (1949)
"The Barklays of Broadway" was the tenth film Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made together and this lively number from the film is a favorite duet of many tap dancers.
Main Street
Choreography: Gene Kelly (1949)
This sweet duet from "On the Town" featured Gene Kelly dancing with the talented Vera Ellen.
I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man
Choreography: Fred Astaire, Robert Alton (1952)
This whimsical sand-dance number from "The Belle of New York" showcased the precision of Astaire's technique.
Moses Supposes
Choreography: Gene Kelly (1952)
Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor performed one of our all-time favorite duets in this comedic piece from "Singin' in the Rain."
Leon Collins' Routine #1
Choreography: Leon Collins (1970s)
Created as a teaching routine, this elegant tap composition embodies Collins’ signature melodic style.
Nice & Easy
Choreography: Gene Kelly (1973)
Gene Kelly joined Frank Sinatra as his guest in the television special nicknamed "Ol' Blue Eyes is Back" after the album Sinatra had released a month earlier. This lighthearted piece showcased Kelly's elegant style.
Waiting Room (excerpt from Life Could Be a Dream)
Choreography: Pat Catterson (1980)
Originally choreographed as a tap solo in an evening length modern dance piece, dancers’ gestures convey a sense of merely going through the motions.
Flight of the Bumblebee
Choreography: Leon Collins (circa 1983)
Choregraphed to the Rimsky-Korsakov classic, this dance is a delightful study in speed and clarity.
Begin the Beguine
Choreography: Leon Collins (circa 1983)
The piece is another example of Collins' groundbreaking bebop style of tap dance, with free-form rhythms that follow the melody instead of simply holding the beat.
Eddie Brown's B.S. Chorus
Choreography: Eddie Brown (circa 1984)
This intricate work is quintessential Eddie Brown, known for his "scientific rhythm." Pam Thompson-Spinner, protégé of the late, great, tap master, learned the steps first-hand and passed them on to the Company.
Swing Louis!
Choreography by Louis DaPron (1984); staging by Pam Thompson-Spinner (2016)
This piece is a tribute to one of Thompson-Spinner's teachers, Louis DaPron, based on his famous warm up and on other classic Louis DaPron steps.
Laura
Choreography: James "Buster" Brown
Performed to a swinging up tempo version of the title song from the 1944 film "Laura," this Paddle and Roll number is Buster Brown's signature piece.
Shiny Stockings
Choreography: Honi Coles (1990)
Originally titled "Cole's Cuts," this piece was created at the 1990 Dance Umbrella Jazz Tap Festival in Boston and premiered at The Great Tap Reunion a week later.
Crucial Country Breakdown
Choreography: Group choreography by Rosina Didyk; solos based on choreography by Gary Larsen; restaged by Nancy Boskin-Mullen (1998)
This Appalachian clogging style dance premiered at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center in a performance by AMAN Folk Ensemble. Fast footwork and joyful partnering make it an audience favorite.
D3
Choreography: Pam Thompson-Spinner (1998)
D3 is Thompson-Spinner's homage to her mentors and teachers. Woven throughout the choreography are rhythms and themes inspired by Eddie Brown, Fred Strickler and Stan Mazin.
Hum Drum
Choreography: Pam Thompson-Spinner (2003)
Inspired by Savion Glover and Keith Terry, this piece features quirky, off-beat rhythm changes and incorporates vocalizations. The piece was most recently accompanied by original poetry that was written and spoken by Ernie McCray at the 2014 San Diego International Fringe Festival.
Stick to the Rhythm
Choreography: Nancy Boskin-Mullen
Tap dancers play with the rhythms of the Philippines in this tinikling-inspired piece. Bamboo poles set the beat while dancers leap in and out of the moving sticks.
Crosswalk
Choreography: Keith Terry (2006)
Choreographed for California Rhythm Project, this body music piece in 12/8 time is an exploration of rhythm and "the body as a beat box."
Meeting Place
Choreography: Donna Flournoy (2008)
This gospel music inspired piece features a vibrant cast of characters in Sunday hats and dresses. Friends greet one another, a little girl plays pranks and small groups of dancers blend into a larger whole as they all make their way to the meeting place to join in dance together.
Achin' Feelin'
Choreography: Nancy Boskin-Mullen (2009)
True love is hard to find and even harder to keep, but that doesn't stop a young man from trying in this duet inspired by Berkley Hart lyrics.
Chan Chan
Choreography: Nancy Boskin-Mullen (2011)
A wandering band of dancers circles the stage in a Cuban flavored tap number. In a dance shaped by the traditional music of the island nation, chugs and digs play the drum beat for this lyrical voyage through Latin rhythms.
This Land Is
Choreography: Nancy Boskin-Mullen (2012)
Originally choreographed as a "rock the vote" number with a retro groove, each dancer in this quartet has the chance to make her voice heard. Later versions feature a larger cast and the piece rolls its way to a rousing tap jam finale.
We Create the World We Live In
Choreography: Summer Briggs (2012)
A dynamic fusion of tap rhythms and street sounds. Dancers create a collage of beats as they start their early morning work day.
On Green Dolphin Street
Choreography: Pam Thompson-Spinner (2013)
In this piece, a jazz beat is overlaid with complicated rhythms, from bolero to swing with steps inspired by Eddie Brown and Honi Coles, culminating in a sand dance in the style of Sandman Sims.
From the Sole
Choreography: Nancy Boskin-Mullen (2013)
A trio of dancers plays with rhythm, riffs and crawls accompanied by an a cappella version of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed" mixed with a traditional Brazilian melody.
Air
Choreography: Nancy Boskin-Mullen (2014)
This piece premiered at Mesa College and is part of a suite of dances created in memory of the choregrapher's father. It was inspired by his love of all kinds of music, and by memories of music the family played at home during her childhood.
The Best Is Yet to Come
Choreography: Nancy Boskin-Mullen & Pam Thompson-Spinner (2014)
Boy meets girl in this elegant duet inspired by the iconic stair dances of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Shirley Temple, the Nicholas Brothers, Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers. A new romance blossoms as our dancers play with variations on a theme.
Busker
Choreography: Summer Briggs (2014)
A street performer wows the crowd with her clever rhythms and precision taps. “What’s the sound of one girl tapping? Pure joy.” – Janice Steinberg, San Diego Story
Coffee, To Go!
Choreography: Nancy Boskin-Mullen (2014)
An ever-increasing tempo drives this Broadway style number. A coffee cart line transforms into a chorus of riffs and stomps as dancers chase a caffeine rush.
Fork in the Road
Choreography: Sara Dickman & Cari Goodwin (2014)
A playful mix of taps, percussion and live vocals.
Restore to Factory Settings
Choreography: Nancy Boskin-Mullen (2014)
A techno beat drives dancers in trench coats in this athletic tap piece. Imprisoned by the rhythm of work, they move with angular precision, one by one trying to break away from the tedium of the daily grind, but they are pulled back into their rut with no hope for freedom. Until…
Skip It
Choreography: Pam Thompson-Spinner (2014)
This exuberant slice of life number is a playground romp as hop scotch, jump rope and basketball dances are interspersed with body music and variations on classic rhythms.
Bharata(p) Natyam
Choreography: Divya Devaguptapu, Nancy Boskin-Mullen, Summer Briggs (2015)
A charming blend of tap dance and classical Indian dance, this piece is a study of univeral rhythms.
Holoholo Ka'a
Choreography: Vincent Padilla (2015)
Traditional tap dance and traditional polynesian dance are combined in this fun mix of rhythmic dance genres.
La Rumba y El Ritmo
Choreography: Chloe Arnold (2015)
Created for California Rhythm Project by world-renowned tap star Chloe Arnold, this salsa-inspired piece thrills with fast footwork, hot music, and latin style.
Tangos
Choreography: Kristina Cobarrubia (2015)
Complicated rhythms drive the tempo of this emotionally intense flamenco piece choreographed for California Rhythm Project by Kristina Cobarrubia of Flamenco Arana.
Tap Africa
Choregraphy: Summer Briggs (2015)
This high spirited piece combines West African rhythms with the toe-tapping sounds of rhythm tap.