Home > Faculty > Tap > Avi Miller & Ofer Ben
CURRENT CLASSES:
- Friday 5-6:15 pm Basic Tap
- Thursday 6:15-7:30 pm Beg Tap
Native Israelis, Avi Miller and Ofer Ben are performers,
teachers, and lecturers in the unlimited rhythmical dance field of 'Tap
Dancing' - better known as 'Hoofing.' Due
to their country of origin, they also incorporate in their work 'Middle Eastern' and
Israeli movements. In class they teach various approaches to a 'Sound
Quality Technique' as well as verbal reference to the heritage of
tap.
Miller & Ben had the honor of studying with: Ya'acov Kalusky (Israel), Eddie
Brown, Steve Condos, Chuck Green, Dr. Bunny Briggs, Dr. Buster Brown,
Brenda Bufalino, Skip Cunningham, Barbara Duffy, Savion Glover, Gregory
Hines, Lisa Hopkins, Dr. Henry LeTang, Ted Levy, Van 'The Man' Porter,
Prof. LaVaughn Robinson, Germaine Salsberg, and Earl
Scoggins, among others. Together they co-produced seven Israel
Jazz Tap Festivals with 'Tap
Masters' from the United States, and other major tap
events.
Their dance troupe —Tap Tel-Aviv has performed
in many variety shows, TV and stage shows and in front of distinguished
leaders, including the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. They
performed their full length international show: The Hoofers'
Club at The
Red Sea Jazz Festival - Eilat Israel, and at The First
Helsinki Tap Festival, with Prof. Robert L. Reed and Bruce
Stegmann. Avi & Ofer played a major role in the production
of Tap
City 2001 - The First New York City Tap Festival, produced
by Tony Waag.
In February 2002, The Oklahoma City University paid
tribute to nine world-famous African-American tap dancers: Cholly
Atkins, Bunny Briggs, James 'Buster' Brown,
James T. 'Jimmy Slyde' Godbolt, Jeni LeGon,
Henry LeTang, Fayard Nicholas, Leonard Reed, and Prince
Spencer, by conferring upon them the honorary degree Doctor
of Performing Arts in American dance. Avi Miller and Ofer Ben
were greatly honored and thrilled, to be included at the tribute performances
and TV documentary for The 9 Doctors of Tap Dance. Among
recent projects: Tap Residency for the Oklahoma City University, School
of American Dance & Arts Management, Tap Master Classes
at Chulalongkorn University and Bangkok Dance -
Thailand, Summer Dance Camp & a Winter workshops at Hats
Off Man. in Calgary - Canada, and de TAPperij in
Zwolle —Holland
In February 2003, they started to remanufacture the Miller & Ben
Tap Shoes. These
superb shoes are sold via their on-line store: www.TapEmporium.com. The
shoes can be also found via local distributors and dance stores worldwide.
Extended information on Avi Miller & Ofer
Ben can be found at www.JazzTapCenter.com
Class Description
Adv Beg & Int TAP: Tap dancers are
considered also as musicians. Tap, in the early days, was created as
an extension of the impressive Jazz Music. In class, Miller & Ben
show the link between the two —Jazz and Tap —with
exciting routines, sounds and humor. The idea is: ‘If you can walk – you
can tap, as long as you are in time…' In their classes they emphasis
on exercises designed to acquaint the dancers with the vast 'Tap Vocabulary'
while purifying the sound. A short combination will follow in the second
part of the class, using the various styles of tap, including their own
unique ‘Middle Eastern’ style.
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