Page 15 - DANCE Guide 2022

Christine Denny
Creator, Founder and Lead Examiner of Tapatak Oz.
CHRISTINE Denny has many favourite memories of examining Tapatak Oz and they all came during TAP CHAT! , a moment at the end of the exam when the examiner chats with the students about why they love tap.
One student, when asked why he loved tap dancing, responded: “I love tap dancing because it’s the only place I can be me.”
Another student, when asked what her favourite aspect of the exam was, responded: “I didn’t cry.” She punched the air with her fist as she said this, as it was the first time she had managed to control her nerves in an exam and not start crying.
Another older student, when asked the same question, responded: “I learned that I do a better job when I am prepared. I didn’t practise much last year and it showed. This year I was prepared and confident and it felt really good. I did a much better exam today.”
For Christine, this is what her Tapatak Oz syllabus is all about. “Passion, awareness, meaningful accomplishments and heart,” she says. “We are not
just about the tapping but also about the student’s personal development.
Christine loves being able to create an optimum exam experience for the students. “We have a very different exam procedure that is designed to allow the students to show
what they can do, as opposed
to what they can’t do, and we
are very focused on our exam
process being joyful and fun,
whilst also delivering high
quality tap dancing. Whether or
not the exam goes as planned for
the student, we want them to
leave the exam feeling that they achieved something and did their best. I love that I can create this atmosphere for the students within the Tapatak Oz framework, as it makes a huge difference to the students’ approach and successes.”
Christine believes Tapatak Oz examinations are an opportunity for students to reach a goal, learn new content, improve their skills, develop coping mechanisms when under pressure, develop confidence and feel the wonderful sense of
achievement that comes with all of that. “Our exam structure encourages and rewards self-motivation, individuality and creativity, and as such our students tend to be very passionate and motivated with what they are doing. So our exam process creates not only great tap dancers, but also students who are self-reliant, self- motivated and resilient. They take responsibility for what they do in class and in their exams and this often produces not only great tap dancers but also grounded, organized, respectful and disciplined students.”
Christine sees a huge difference in the development of the tap students at dance schools that participate in examinations. “These students tend to take noticeable leaps forward in their self-development, skill level and confidence. As we all do in life – children need a goal to motivate them and aim for excellence. Exams give them that!”
WEBSITE:
www.tapatak-oz.com
FOUNDER/DIRECTOR:
Christine Denny
HISTORY:
Tapatak Oz was founded in 2008 by Australian tap dance specialist and master teacher, Christine Denny. The program was developed to create a modern and challenging tap dance syllabus that could evolve with tap over time, constantly updating itself to reflect the modern nuances and trends of the day.
As the years progressed the program began encouraging teachers and students to develop a collaborative and creative approach within the set curriculum to develop their own ideas and tap skills which has reaped huge rewards technically and creatively for all involved. Over the past decade the syllabus has expanded into this objective with a focus on creativity, individuality and self- development alongside quality tap technique. Today Tapatak Oz is a thriving, passionate, global community of dance teachers and students who love tap and who acknowledge the ever-evolving nature of tap dance. It is a living, breathing programme that is constantly updating itself to reflect the modern nuances and trends of the day.
GRADING/MARKING SYSTEM:
Tapatak Oz markings go from Encouragement Award (students are encouraged to keep working on the content) through to Supreme Pass (awarded to students who go the extra mile with self devised elements and display excellence in both technique and showmanship). We offer 13 tap levels from Tiny Tots to Pre Professional.
TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS:
Teacher qualifications are available but not required with Tapatak Oz. Rather we require experience, skill and passion as a pre-requisite.
COMPETITIONS/AWARDS:
Awards for excellence, effort, attitude and improvement are given during our exam sessions.
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TAPATAK OZ