You're Never Too Old to Paradiddle

By Guest Blogger: Stefanie Huebner ​
Stef is an avid dance enthusiast,mother, wife, lover of flowers and life, a pharmacist and fiber artist (crochet is her passion, follow her on Insta @stefsserenitycrochet). 

When we think of September, we think of many things: the start of fall, the beginning of a fresh school year, football season, and the pumpkin spice latte’s triumphant return to the coffee shop.  September can also be a time for change and a fresh start within ourselves. Gretchen Rubin, in her podcast, "Happier", mentions September as being “a Second January.” With a new season and a new school year, we can start something NEW.  We can set a new intention, begin a new schedule or hone a new skill.

And that’s where a Shuffle-Ball-Change and Triple Time Step have come into play for me.  September 21 is National Dance Day, and it couldn’t come at a more perfect time. I’m 100% HERE FOR IT.  I’ve been a fan of dance since I was 6 years old and my parents placed me in tap and jazz classes. I caught on quickly and took class for 10 years. From my first recital where I was Spunky the Monkey to the oh-so-cool jazz number we did to U Can’t Touch This, the 1980s and 1990s music and dance scene were an integral part of what made me happy. ​

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Stefanie's Daughter - Dancer Extraordinaire

​Fast forward to my thirties when my daughter showed an interest in dance.  OF COURSE, I put her in Fairytale Ballet class at 3 and tap at 5. Now she’s 11 and takes class every night of the week.  She dances around the house and down the aisles of the grocery store (much like her mother still does...truth). What I realized quickly when I watched her dance her heart out, was that I MISSED IT SO MUCH. I really wanted to join her in class!  I love to move my body to music. So, I found myself an adult tap class, and it was glorious.  

If you have never taken a tap class, I’m here to give you 5 reasons why you SHOULD.  All adults need something in their lives that brings them joy. We all rush through life focusing on our career and family, and forget about what makes us tick deep down inside.  Learning new things is good for the body and soul. It keeps our brains sharp and gives us some much needed “me” time to refresh for the next thing. Whether you start a tap class at age 36 like me, learn to decorate cakes, go birdwatching, or take a DSLR photography class,  now is a great time to try something new just for yourself.

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Stefanie and her daughter on a dance recital night.

5 Reasons to Take an Adult Tap Class:

1. Learning tap combinations stretches your brain and makes you think.  We all know that doing puzzles and crosswords is supposed to help us maintain brain health as we age.  Tap combos are the ultimate puzzle. You are picking up rhythms and repeating them with your feet. You are timing them to music.  And that whole process is fun and rewarding.
2. It is great exercise.  I can personally vouch for the fact that my heart rate was high throughout EVERY class and I was sweating like crazy.  You are moving muscles at a fast rate and strengthening your legs and you don’t even realize it because you are listening to great tunes and thinking HARD!
3. You will have other wonderful tappers to bond with.  The camaraderie that happens when you are working together on something difficult is wonderful.  If you decide to perform in the kids’ recital, picking a fun song that has funny entertainment value, and then choreographing it together can be fun (I speak from experience.  We did a tap dance number to It’s Raining Men. I was 37. I laughed the whole way through it). Not to mention I got to share recital day shenanigans with my daughter too! ​
4. Tap is a dance for many ages and abilities.  My church growing up had a tap dance group that consisted of our aging pastor and a number of seniors.  They had a blast. I’ve seen people learn tap steps while sitting in a chair and using their feet. I’ve watched numerous parent/child tap duets.  Anyone can try it!
5. The names of the steps are a hoot.  “Shirley Temple,” “Irish,” “Shim Sham,” “Paradiddle,” “Buffalo.”  No other dance genre has quite the colorful array of step names. How can you not smile when you are supposed to do a Shim Sham Shuffle and a Riff, Spank, Stamp and Dig in your next combo?!  And on a related note: Bonus #6 reason why you should take a tap class: Have you ever seen a sad tap number? That’s a rare thing indeed. And are the costumes ever boring? No! Tap is almost always, upbeat, happy, sparkly, and full of energy.  How can you not walk away feeling the same?

If I still haven’t quite convinced you to try tap as an adult, check out some of the inspirational tappers out there right now.  There are some amazing people bringing tap into the mainstream and making it even cooler than it already is. Check out the Syncopated Ladies and some of their amazing (and tiring) combos to trending tunes.  Or check out Shelby Kaufman’s TAP-torials and YouTube videos.  Get started in your own home! Nigel Lythgoe started National Dance Day and it’s just a fun nationwide celebration.  There is a dance you can learn just for this day.  Try it!

Whether you start a tap class or find another class to try, I hope you use September as a “Second January” to do something new FOR YOURSELF.  It can be an hour a week or a daily practice, but continually learning new things and finding those things that bring us joy is so important for our body, mind and soul.

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