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Have you been teaching
tap dance professionally for two or more years?
Are you serious about making a career out of teaching tap, or perhaps about
simply gaining the
sort of
knowledge,
confidence, and ease that can only come from high-level,
properly-structured teacher training and
certification?
Do you wish to become a tap dance teacher who has been certified by a
reputable
organization that specializes in TAP,
and has an long-established record of innovation, standard-setting and
excellence?
Are you interested in training your students and dancers properly and
giving
them a solid foundation
for EFFICIENTLY and SAFELY practicing or performing ANY STYLE of tap dance?
Do you wish to be at the very core of the Tap Dance Renaissance instead of
standing on the sidelines?
Read on, this unique program may be for you!
AMERICAN
TAP DANCE INSTITUTE
TAP DANCE
TEACHER TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
One full year of training with unparalleled standards, curriculum
and ethics: the world's most comprehensive training and
certification program for the dedicated tap dance teacher
"Be the best tap dance teacher you can be!" |
Part of the national tap dance
company's extensive educational curriculum, the AMERICAN TAP DANCE
INSTITUTE (ATDI) is NTE's Higher Education Division as well as a "think
tank" and research institute that addresses issues common to most tap dance
teachers and tap dancers.
Each Summer ATDI produces an extraordinary, week-long Conference/convention
called the
Spirit Of Tap Conference which
is increasingly regarded as one of the most innovative and far-reaching
events in the world of tap. As to the American Tap Dance Institute's Teacher
Training and Certification
Program (a.k.a. "TTP"), it has been producing knowledgeable, qualified professional tap dance
teachers for both the private sector (dance schools and studios) and the
public/educational sector (universities, colleges, etc.) since 1998. This program
offers the highest standards in the profession and provides
participants with in-depth training and explores the how-to’s,
what-to’s, when-to's (and NOT-to’s...) of the fulfilling, yet
challenging art of teaching tap dancing.
ATDI's TTP is the world's
foremost training and certification program for the serious, motivated,
professional tap dance teacher.
Click
here to translate this page to and from English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
"I
feel this program is by far the best available teacher training
course that is offered ANYWHERE including colleges,
universities, etc. I completely changed my perspective upon the
art of tap and truly found the course remarkable. I now understand
so much about tap, its history, its methodology and my growth as a
teacher was tremendous. I feel that this course should replace any
and all tap courses taught in institutions of higher
learning."
Justine
Coulon |
While the theory and
fundamentals of the art of teaching tap are studied extensively, the Institute's TTP
focuses on specific, attainable professional objectives and favors a practical, problem-solving
approach. If you have ever asked yourself such questions as the ones
below and are TRULY dedicated to finding some meaningful answers,
this program is for you!
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I've always been taught only one way to do steps. I've been
teaching for over 25 years now and the more I think about that, the less it
makes sense, especially when students aren't naturally talented. Where and
how can I change my approach and learn different ways to teach something? |
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What is the
proper way of counting in tap? |
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What are the most important tap fundamentals
(e.g. basics, rudiments) and how do I teach them properly?
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How
do I connect these fundamentals with tap’s historical time line? How and
where do I get reliable information on the true history of tap in the first
place? |
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What to teach and
what not to teach beginners? |
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If I can’t do (demonstrate) a step, can I or
should I still teach it? How do I go about it? |
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Which music is best for my tap classes? |
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How do I figure out the weakness in the
students I teach, and in return help them to improve on those weaknesses? |
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When is it appropriate to start my students on
improv’ and how do I approach them about it? |
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What is "composography" and how can I use it
as a tap teacher? |
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I've noticed a big difference in the
student's attention span and their respect for others over the last couple
decades. How do deal with these kind of situations?
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I have these very talented students, how do I take them to a level beyond competitions and
recitals? How do I prepare them for professional auditions?
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When is it ethical to use someone else’s
choreography? |
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I really liked the comment on the Tapper's page that one
tap style is not necessarily better than the next.
How do
all of
the tap styles, we hear about and see, fit together? |
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Which methodology is best to teach tap to special-needs
populations? |
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Are there ways to keep my young students
focused? They seem to get bored with the Al Gilbert system I use in my
classes. |
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How can I use my background in other dance styles to enhance my tap
choreography? |
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What are the best tools to help my students keep time and tap to the music?
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When should I choose to work a capella? |
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I teach dance in a school system, how can tap
help me get boys involved? |
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How do I teach my kid's the proper
technique they need to advance successfully to the next level in Tap? |
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How do I get better
recognition and better pay at my studio? |
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Where can I find a good
curriculum? Is there such a thing anyway? If not, how do I build my own? |
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I know all the great
pioneers of ballet, but I can't find reliable information about the pioneers
of tap. What should I do? |
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Some of my students have
a hard time feeling the beat and keep speeding up. How do I help them? |
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Is it possible to teach the same step in
say, 2 or 3 different ways? |
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So far, everywhere I go to get another tap
certification it has been a joke. Why are the standards of teacher training
in tap so much lower than in jazz, ballet, modern or any other type of dance
you can think of? Help!!! |
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It feels more and more as though my tap
classes are "stale." How do I rejuvenate my teaching? |
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How do I get my students to achieve speed
without sacrificing sound quality? All the master tappers I've seen can do
that and my kids are very talented. |
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I have
found this great piece of music for a competition routine, but I don't
understand how it was built (structured) by the composer? Is there a simple
way to figure this out so that I can choreograph to it? |
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Etc. |
Think of the TTP as a place where you can
meet colleagues who have the same aspirations, ask
questions freely, get up-to-speed on the best and/or most appropriate teaching techniques and methods, learn
about tap's real history, share creative ideas
and get some new ones, express concerns and goals, discuss problems encountered in your
daily life as a teacher, and most importantly, find solutions to these problems.
Courses are taught by
NTE’s Artistic & Education Director in person (special presentations
may also made by other Institute members or guest faculty on an ad-hoc basis.) One of the world's most competent and respected master
teachers, Chris Baker draws his teaching experience from both an excellent, formal
teacher’s education and from the invaluable knowledge imparted upon him by his own
teachers and mentors, luminaries such as Honi Coles, Pamela Thompson, Eddie Brown
or
Steve Condos, who described him back in the 1980s as "one of the leading
professionals who will take tap into the future."
"I have already become higher paid and more respected simply due to
this program. I think I will produce much stronger students and will
pass Tap along to much wider range of people... I have recommended
[the TTP] to many people already because we tap differently in
Canada. Our skills will greatly change with the styles and
executions that are used by the ATDI... Being Canadian there is
nothing like it around. In fact it is unique to the world of Tap. I
was able to take so much more away from the program than I thought I
would ever get. This is a great way to learn how and why we teach
and the importance of the preservation of Tap as an art, music form..."
Mark Eriksen |
The program's curriculum is articulated around three
intensive training sessions
that typically last five days each and are held in different locations (see below) over a
period of about one year.
"The
overall effect on all my tap has been amazing as a tap teacher, tap
student and tap dancer. I now feel like an artiste that has had
extra colours added to his paint pallet – the pictures I can paint
now are much more colourful and interesting to paint as well as more
interesting to experience. I personally experience a much greater
sense of satisfaction passing on these tools, and the students find
a greater sense of achievement by learning bite-size fundamental
chunks in a logical and practical order."
Christophe Chateau |
Please see the FAQ
page for important additional information on this certification program (This
is *required* reading if you plan on applying for this higher-education program.)
Thank you.
After at least a year of training and undergoing rigorous training and passing several tests and exams
during the second and third TTP sessions, Institute
Graduates receive official certification from the national company. This
entitles them to:
Receiving a framed, mounted diploma upon
graduation, as well as an official Letter of Certification.
Better pay, better working conditions
Because the TTP is the world's foremost training and certification program for
tap teachers, dance schools and dance institutions that
truly care about providing quality dance education are getting more and more hungry for the type of
standards this program produces. In turn, they are often more than happy to provide
their ATDI-certified teachers increased remuneration and better working conditions overall (if the school or
institution where a graduate teaches isn't, perhaps it's time to look elsewhere!)
More and more schools even pay for all or part of the tuition for their teachers
in training, realizing that this small "investment" can yield a much
greater return.
Many more students
Student enrollment at most schools/studios/institutions that have
ATDI graduates as tap teacher(s) has been shown to significantly increase (some have tripled
and quadrupled!)
More and more tap students and often students' PARENTS also use
the
Grads
page to find tap instructors who have
been certified after REAL, RIGOROUS TRAINING. Site records and stats show that
this page is now visited by more and more tappers from throughout the world.
Discounts of up to
50% on many other National Tap Ensemble programs, potentially representing
thousands of dollars in savings each year on many NTE-produced programs,
including some of the best intensive tap
dance seminars,
workshops
and conferences to be found anywhere. For
example, the total
savings realized by TTP graduates/trainees and their students exceeded $6,000
during a recent season.
FREE referrals
The ATDI office staff provides ongoing referral service. Requests for
contact and information from people who visit the
Graduates
page are automatically forwarded to graduates. This results in many new
opportunities:
New students. Tap dancers and
tappers' parents who seek classes that are taught by teachers who benefit from a
certification that is meaningful often write to say how grateful they are to be
just one email message away from truly qualified teachers.
New professional opportunities, such
as teaching new classes, teaching at new schools, guest workshops, etc.
Teaching,
sharing, lecturing and continuing
their higher tap education (post-Grad school) at the
annual ATDI Conference,
a major tap dance event, as well as other events.
A knowledgeable,
caring network and support system. In addition, communications between graduates
are facilitated by ATDI via private Internet message
boards where teachers can share tips, stories, issues, help each other, etc. These
are provided AT NO COST.
High visibility and prestigious
connections
Graduates are featured on the
ATDI's TOP TAP TEACHERS
recommended list, available 24 hours a day on this web site (quite possibly
the most visited tap dance web site in the world.)
Significantly
increased career opportunities,
because of all the above.
More to come!
This program is made possible in part by the generous collaboration of Preferred
National Tap Ensemble Education Partners:
Southwestern College (CA), Dancenter (CA).
Past partners include Colorado State University (CO), the City of San Diego
(CA), the City of Lake Forest (IL), Peak Academy of Dance (CO), Dance Unlimited
(WI) etc. We wish to thank our program partners for supporting ATDI's vision and
higher-education programming.
"The TTP has taught me how to break down and teach the fundamentals
properly and has shown me how important it is to incorporate
musicianship is as well as the history into my classes. I now
incorporate all three into my teaching instead of just teaching
steps. The TTP has given me more confidence and has helped to point
out and strengthen my weaknesses. It has also given me the tools to
become a better teacher along with a great support team of
colleagues..."
Linda Zapf |
"...While
the web page was very useful in answering my questions, it gave me
only a glimpse of the truly outstanding experience awaiting me as
a program candidate.
Simply stated, the TTP is the best dance
related program in which I have ever had the privilege to
participate. The director of the program, Chris Baker, is
knowledgeable and holds very high standards while maintaining a
sense of approachability and compassion. The content of the
program has increased my technical skills, historical knowledge
and teaching methodologies a hundred fold. The structure of the
program provided me with an invaluable network of colleagues with
unique areas of employment and expertise.
...The real judges have been my students. I am happy to report the
number of students enrolled in tap has more than doubled
since I began training with the TTP. And, for the first time ever,
some of our tap classes are full with waiting lists.
...I would recommend the Teacher Training Program to my colleagues
and to the larger dance community without reservation. Quality
programs such as this can only serve to raise the standard of tap
dance education worldwide."
Misty
Lown |
"I liked the exchange of ideas on the different teaching
methods we applied... how the assignments offered continuation from
what we learned during the session, enforced and enriched the theory
and made us apply... how we became a team of teachers, dedicated to
our trade and aligned in our teaching methods... I gained confidence
as a teacher. I learned lots of techniques and pointers to keep my
students interested and ensure they are properly trained in all
areas related to tap dance: from tap dance technique to musicality,
from tap dance history to a great variation of styles. I built a
network of tap teachers I know I can send my student to (if that
would ever apply, since I live in Europe) or have give workshops to
student of mine."
Karin Dierckx |
Application
& Admission Procedures
How candidates are selected |
Please note
- This program is NOT open to
assistant teachers, to teachers with less than two years (or a MINIMUM of 200 hours) of
PAID tap teaching experience or to candidates under 21 years of age. Please
read carefully the program rules, procedures and dates below as well as
the FAQ page. If you still have questions,
send a personal message to the Program Director.
HOW TO APPLY
-
We
process pre-applications and applications on an ongoing basis (i.e.
year-round.) During office closures or slow-down, all
pre-applications and applications are securely stored for processing in
the order of arrival when
the office re-opens or during the next Selection Committee meeting.
- ATDI is not accepting new trainees at this time (please see bottom of
this page)
We have revised our review procedures and we are pleased to inform
potential candidates that, outside of office closure dates, ALL COMPLETE PRE-APPLICATIONS AND APPLICATIONS ARE NOW AUTOMATICALLY
FAST-TRACKED. If you are selected you can now make your travel plans within 3,
sometimes 2 weeks from your pre-application! Here is a typical schedule:
- Fill out the Pre-application and click once to send it (you can ONLY do this online,
right on that page.)
- Within anywhere from one to three business days your pre-application will be processed and
if you qualify you will
receive a full application form. You have up to one week to send back your
full application (one copy via email and one copy via mail, completing the
application takes 30 to 45 minutes on average.) Within one week the Selection
Committee will then review your application and inform you of its
decision.
- Upon official notification of your acceptance you will
typically have
a maximum of one week
to fill out and sign your official registration and
confirmation form and provide a non-refundable deposit equal to 1/2 of
program tuition. Tuition balance is usually due no later than 4 weeks before the
start of program (please see form for details.) "Easy payment" plans with
multiple installments are available for your convenience.
- Registration forms and payments are
processed by order of arrival. Please remember that a very limited number of
spots are available for each new starting session (session 1 out of 3.)
Thank you for your interest
in this outstanding higher-education program.
"I had a great time with this program, and I am finding that all of the graduates are enthusiastic about helping each other, even after the
certifications are done. It is a rich and healthy group of people to know and to work with. No huge egos, just dancers helping dancers. I
am so glad I have done it.
I think the material on the website is accurate. Everything I had read or seen, was a good clue to what to expect from this program.
What was interesting was seeing all the different strengths each of us had
individually... And you really do use each other's strengths to build up your weaknesses. It is just such a cooperative and fun
and encouraging program... I couldn't say enough about it from the standpoint of helping you develop yourself as a teacher and dancer.
From my classmates I learned that this program is UNIQUE. It is so totally different from these conventions and workshops that "certify"
you by giving you a syllabus and handing you some CDs or tapes. I was glad I hadn't wasted a great deal of time, effort, and money, by attending a lot of those. But hey, every experience you have will benefit you in the long run, so you don't need to beat yourself up about
anything... Everyone in the program is different. We came from all backgrounds, ages,
colors... truly diverse and each has his and her own story to share. Almost spiritual in that we're all on our own paths, and we intersect for a while and grow and
grow.
...I totally loved the program. I am looking forward to upcoming conferences and
seminars (I'd love to take some kids out to the NTS in Colorado next summer) through
ATDI ...we all support each other in this business, at least through NTE we do!"
Heidi
Eber |
"I was very pleased with the amount of knowledge and confidence I
learned while attending ATDI... I really enjoyed all of the history
that was shared. I was so fascinated with how much there is that tap
dancers don't know about.... I have become even more passionate
about tap dancing and appreciate what your program and faculty are
doing to keep tap alive... "
Jillian Bateman |
"...It is the most intense program available to [tap] teachers and
the structure really allows you to take yourself on your own
journey. It enabled me to focus on my personal situations and
enlighten myself based on that.."
Tonya Warren |
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Timetable,
rules, cost, etc.
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| This Teacher Training and Certification Program
lasts one year and comprises three
intensive training sessions (#1, #2 and #3)
spaced about 6 months apart.
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| Sessions typically last five days each
and are currently held in Northern California in June (session 1), in Southern California in January
of the following year (session 2) and then back to Northern California in June
of the following year (session 3).
Please see "Dates and locations of upcoming sessions" below for all available
details on the current class' dates/locations
as well as tentative dates and locations for
upcoming years. Dates and locations for a given season (our season starts on
September 1 and ends August 31 of the following year) are usually published on this page
as soon as they are confirmed.
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| Studies, content and schedule
Daily schedule
at each of these sessions is quite
intensive and may feature courses in tap fundamentals,
history, theory, pedagogy, curriculum-building, methodology, notation, elementary musicianship,
"tapology," reports & presentations, etc.
as well as the study of rare footage of tap legends for seven to eight hours
a day. Personal practice and review of daily notes in the afternoon and evening
hours are highly
recommended. Total work averages 10-12 hours per day.
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| Between sessions teachers are required to complete a variety of assignments. They must also
pass
several tests (written, oral and "in situ") during session 2 and session 3.
Most tests are held in a professional, yet positive and non-threatening
atmosphere. Many tests provide opportunities for direct review and
constructive input
from peers and program director.
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| Certification
is granted upon
successful completion of all tests and of a final "in situ" exam at the end of session 3,
featuring at least one full class evaluated by a jury of leading professionals.
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| Submitting a pre-application is regarded as proof of a potential candidate's genuine, true intention to
attend this program. You are also required to familiarize
yourself with all the relevant information provided by ATDI on this and
connected web page before submitting your pre-application.
Important! Candidates who receive notification that their
pre-application has been approved and fail to return their completed
application within deadlines (one to two weeks) and to subsequently
register/pay if they are accepted are automatically prohibited
from applying for this program again for a period of 3 years minimum.
The very latest possible date for
submitting a pre-application for the 2007-2008 class/group is June 15, 2007
("space permitting" i.e. if there is still space
available in session 1 by that time of the year.)
If you miss that deadline your pre-app will be processed for the following
year (i.e. if you submit your pre-app on or after June 16, 2007 you would not be able
to start your training - if selected - until the Summer of 2008.)
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| Candidates may conclude their training in as little as 12 months
and no more than 24 months from completion of their first session.
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| The tuition cost for each session is
currently $598. Only modest, cost-adjustments type of
rate increases apply to this
program's tuition. These adjustments typically happen each September.
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| NTE accepts checks, money orders, bank drafts and
major credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express.)
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| Several convenient payment plans are available (please see
registration form
for details.) Payment plans incur a
small extra cost per payment as the Institute's expenses for bank fees,
credit card processing, staff time, etc. are higher.
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| Session 1. Please see "how to
apply" section above. Upon completion of the process and receipt of either
full tuition or the non-refundable deposit that amounts to 1/2 of
tuition cost, the candidate's spot in the upcoming session 1 becomes
guaranteed. Please see question #34 on the
FAQ page for the details on this process.
Important! Candidates who fail to remit this payment or to notify
ATDI of any unexpected and extraordinary circumstance rendering them unable
to remit it on time are automatically
removed from program list and are prohibited from re-applying for a period
of 3 years. ATDI reserves the right to make this information available upon
any public request.
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| Sessions 2 and 3. Payment and all required registration forms and
documents must be provided before any candidate receives his/her scores for
the previous session as well as assignments and travel/lodging/food
information for the next session.
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| Candidates are expected to respect all deadlines
from the time they submit their pre-application.
Failure to do so triggers automatic penalties that may lower a candidate
score and therefore affect his/her chances to score enough points to
graduate.
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| While food, travel and lodging
are each participant's responsibility, we make every effort to provide
useful information on inexpensive options and to schedule events at non-peak
travel times.
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| Refund Policy
[Updated, effective 01/03/05]
Session 1. The deposit required to guarantee your spot in
your first TTP session is
nonrefundable. No refunds are allowed for this program, except in
case of extreme hardship. In such a case, and only if National Tap Ensemble has been
notified by mail via a signed letter dated and mailed no later than
May 15 of your session 1 year, of a refund request
accompanied by
proper, official, independent proof of the hardship,
either a
full refund minus a $195 administrative fee will be issued or the candidate
will be
given the option of applying
previously paid fees
minus a $195 administrative fee to the next eligible session 1.
NTE reserves
the right to study,
grant or deny refund requests at its sole discretion.
Sessions 2 and 3. Because ATDI/NTE guarantees a spot for each registered
trainee and because trainees are therefore not "replaceable," no refund of any
kind can be given for session 2 or session 3, regardless of the circumstances.
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| Please refer to each session's registration form
for all other details.
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| This program is not funded or influenced by outside
sources.
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| We reserve the right to change program rules,
content, rates, guidelines or any aspect of this program, as needed, at any time. However,
ATDI would do this only
when absolutely necessary (that is to say, quite rarely.) |
"I will recommend [this training and certification program] it to
anyone who has a passion and is really serious about their tap
teaching. I by far have learned the most from the TTP than anything
else I've attended. I loved that the class sized was small and that
the constructive criticism came both from the instructor and my
colleagues. Thanks for filling in the gap of my generation, that was
so desperately needed so that I can pass on the tradition in a well
rounded way. You have made a lasting impression. I appreciate all
the institute has done for me and I am grateful that there is an
institute such as this. Besides that... it is also a precious gem to
the tap community..."
Linda Zapf |
"I would recommend it because this programme helps you to look
into yourself and look into your own teaching. It helps you to
analyse what things you are doing right and what needs improvement
and it offers you many ideas and tools to improve.."
Rosa Ancin |
"I also especially appreciated the putting together a curriculum
portion [of the program.] I feel like I can put one together now for
many different situations. The best part was getting to study with
these dedicated and talented teachers. Especially session 3, we
spent time together and answered each other's questions. None of us
felt threatened by each other's strengths and we strengthened each
other's weaknesses.
The insight and confidence I gained is immeasurable. My students
and I can go wherever we want to in tap, be-it recreational or
professional. I was able to rededicate myself to passing on this
national art form treasure with real
knowledge. It confirmed a lot of what I already knew, taught me
things I didn't know at all, offered me support where I hadn't any,
made me an even better tapper, taught me how to make a curriculum
that was meaningful, taught me how to get from A-Z and opened my
eyes and heart to a world of creativity that I knew existed but had
been elusive.
I am so grateful to the ATDI, their vision and tenacity to put this
program together. The TTP was sorely needed. There are thousands of
teachers out there that would benefit from this program, and in turn
benefit their students. Until they do, I am proud to be among this
small but growing group of dedicated, talented and supportive tap
dance teachers. We will change for the better the way tap is being
taught and give credit to the original pioneers for the incredible
gift they have given us. Thank you pioneers and the ATDI-TTP.
Valerie
Nuanes
|
"[The program instructor, Chris Baker] was great. He did his job
very well and with extreme skill. He was on time with everything and
stuck to timetables. He was a great communicator and developed our
skills in the correct fashion to for us to be successful..."
Mark Eriksen |
[Other
examples of
meaningful feedback from program graduates can be found at the bottom
of the FAQ page]
|
Dates
and locations of upcoming sessions |
Revised September 2008
******************************
Tentative dates and
locations for future training sessions of this higher-education program
Please note that this program will be on hiatus
starting in 2008 when the Program Director goes on an extended
sabbatical leave. Therefore we are unable to accept pre-applications at
this time.
Important
This web page ( www.usatap.org/TTP.htm )
and related web pages contain the most
complete and up-to-date
information on this program (we no longer produce brochures as
they contain only a small fraction of the information available on this web site
and they cannot be quickly updated, as a web site can be.)
Do you have a question? It is probably answered right on this web page or on the FAQ page. the
Pre-application
Page, the Graduates Page, etc.
If you haven't found your answer, by all means
contact the Institute
staff by email and they will be happy to assist you (you may also call 301-790-1180 or toll-free 1-888-683-8277 from
anywhere in the USA - but please be aware that because the way our organization's
communications system functions, email is by far the most efficient way to reach any
staff member.)
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