The Colorado Chapter of the St. Louis Hoofers Club* recently traveled to St. Louis, MO to participate in the 17 th annual St. Louis Tap Festival July 21 - 26.

During their week of non-stop tapping, the Hoofers demonstrated their passion and love of tap in addition to honing their tap skills.

The Hoofers, and other tap dancers from around the globe, took classes instructed by such talented artists & performers as Professor Robert L. Reed**, Avi Miller & Ofer Ben, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Robert L. Reed III, Bril Barrett, Robin Reed, Karen Callaway-Williams, Hiroshi Hamanishi, Logan Miller, Prasanna Kasthuri, Shannon Calderon, Stick and Move Dance Crew, Melba Huber, as well as this year's special Festival honoree Ludie Jones (for individual biographies visit www.tapheritage.org and click on "Faculty & Performers").

Other Festival events included a Tap JAM (an improvisational tap bash) and a Panel Discussion conducted by the Festival Faculty. Among the week's highlights were the Hoofer's appearance on the St. Louis NBC affiliate (KSDK) TV Show, Show Me St. Louis, as well as their performance in the Participant's Showcase. The culmination of the week-long festivities was ALL THAT TAP XVII, a tap dance concert featuring world renowned tap stars celebrated as brilliant choreographers and performers from stage, screen and television. The Hoofers were privileged to perform among the best, well established and hottest hoofers of the tap dance world.

One of the highlight's of ALL THAT TAP XVII was a special tribute to the great tap master, Dr. Jimmy Slyde, who passed away earlier this year. He was a teacher in many Festival classes and a performer in the ALL THAT TAP concerts. Born Jimmy Gotbolt, he was raised in Boston and began dancing about the age of fourteen. His name change came about through his remarkable incorporation of sliding and tap choreography that he and his former partner, Jimmy "Sir Slyde" Mitchell, made famous. He was a true legend whose career spanned over four decades.

Each year the Festival recognizes one of the great tap legends for their contribution to the art form. This year's special Festival Honoree was Ludie Jones who began her professional career after high school in 1934. She was a member of the Lang Sisters, The Three Poms and has worked with Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington.

*The St. Louis Hoofers Club, founded by Professor Robert L. Reed, has chapters in 5 different states, the largest chapter being in Colorado and based in Parker. The St. Louis Hoofers Club is a youth tap ensemble designed to educate and excite youth in the art and history of tap dance. Professor Reed travels to Colorado monthly to work with the local Chapter. For more information on Master Classes with Professor Reed and upcoming auditions for the Colorado Chapter of the St. Louis Hoofers Club visit www.stlouishooferscolorado.com.

**Professor Robert L. Reed is a much sought after tap teacher, producer, choreographer, and performer. He received rave reviews for his teaching at Broadway Dance Center in NYC. Mr. Reed is proficient at teaching many styles of tap and is the protégé of Maceo Anderson, a founding member of the Four Step Brothers dance act. He served 5 years as Artist-In-Residence at Oklahoma City University where he was responsible for recognizing 9 of tap's greatest with Honorary Doctorate degrees. He is the founder and Executive/Artistic Director of the internationally renowned St. Louis Tap Festival, which is now in its 17th year, as well as the founder and Executive/Artistic Director of the Oklahoma City Tap Festival and Artistic Director of the Motor City Tap Festival. Reed is also the founder of the Robert L. Reed Tap Heritage Institute, Inc., a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate, enhance public awareness of, promote an interest in, and an appreciation for tap as a vital indigenous American art form.

For more information on the Robert L. Reed Tap Heritage Institute or the St. Louis Tap Festival visit www.tapheritage.org.