Scott Douglas

Scott Douglas (23) is a website administration with a passion for tap dancing

What’s your obsession?
‘Tap dancing, jazz tap and hoofing.’

What got you into it?
‘I started dancing at a very young age, when I was about five years old, mainly for the reason that I was unable to keep my feet still and always seemed to want to be moving. I suppose the fact that my Dad was a comedian and my Mum was a dance teacher gave me the edge, although my Mum never actually taught me – Monica Noel at Carousel gets the credit for that.’

How often do you do it?
‘I can’t seem to stop tapping my feet, so everyday – although I tap with tap shoes on about three or four times a week usually. This week, I am entering the Dance World Cup qualifiers in Guernsey, competing in the open tap class.’

Where do you do it?
‘I now tap with Christophe Chateau at Noisy Feet.’

Is it easy to get into?
‘Tap is very easy to get into. You don’t need to buy the tap shoes for the first time, as you can just give it a go in a pair of hard soled shoes. You need no prior experience and it’s not just for girls.’

What skills do you need?
‘When you start, I would say you just need to have patience and the ability to follow instructions. All of the other skills, like balance and co-ordination, are gently coerced into you as you learn the art with the use of the fundamentals.’

Is it popular in Jersey?
‘Tap dancing is very popular in Jersey, but is often only taught as part of a syllabus. There are classes however that just do it for fun. There are probably around 400 female tap dancers in the Island yet there are probably less than 50 men. More men need to take up tap.’

What do you like about it?
‘To me, tap is a way for me to express myself. It allows me to output all of my feelings and emotions during the dance. Tap also challenges me to be creative and to constantly better myself.

Tap just fascinates me – particularly the rhythm and the fact that it is a complete expression. Your feet are your musical instrument, which is just amazing. When I’m tapping, half of the time I don’t realise what my feet are doing.’

What do you need to do it?
‘A pair of tap shoes, patience and a good sense of humour.’

How do I get into it?
‘Call any of the dance schools – all listed in the yellow pages – and see if they offer beginner classes. There are many schools out there all offering different things.’

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