Hall turns taps off- Dancers from Seena Bird Dance

By Kelly Yates
TAP dancers are shuffling to the beat at their new home in Narre Warren.
The dancers from Seena Bird Dance Academy were “forced out” of their previous home at the Narre Warren Mechanics Institute Hall after the committee of management decided to stop tap dancing on the floor, says principal of the academy Sheree Bould.
Ms Bould said she was disappointed with the decision.
“We had no choice but to find somewhere else after 30 years at the hall,” she said. “About 90 per cent of our students do a tap dance class. It’s very popular.”
The committee of management at the Webb Street hall made the decision to stop tap dancing after the floor was recently re-surfaced. President Russell Owen said he offered the dancers the option of using another small room and a large wooden stage to replace the main dance floor.
“But they weren’t happy with that. We were concerned about the damage that the tap shoes were doing to the floor. We said they could continue to do ballet and classical but just not tap dancing,” he said.
During the move to their new studio in Rebound Court, Ms Bould said the dancers had to continue their tap dancing classes in the hall wearing ballet shoes.
“The problem with that is you need tap shoes. Tap is all about the sound,” she said.
“It’s not practical to learn tap in ballet shoes.” Ms Bould said the academy was celebrating 61 years of operating this year.