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Barbara Duffy

@dufftap

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Tap Dancer, Master Teacher, Choreographer, Author of Tap into Improv, A Guide to Tap Dance Improvisation.

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🎂 #TapClipOfTheDay:

Former President Bill Clinton loved tap dance, and he would invite tap dancers to perform wherever and whenever he could.

We’ve all seen clips of dancers like Jimmy Slyde, Bunny Briggs, and Savion Glover, just to name a few performing at the White House. You may have seen this one, too; this is of Gregory Hines and his crew performing “Boom” at the invitation of President and Mrs. Clinton at the President’s Gala back in 1996. This is the #ThursdayTapThrowback clip for this week. ☺️

Among that crew was a woman named Barbara Duffy (@dufftap). You may have heard of her. She’s one of my absolute favorite tap dancers; a fierce, heavy hitter who will captivate you, inspire you, and thrill you. If you’re her student, or are learning from her in any way, she will challenge you, make you work hard, and turn you into a better version of yourself.

I’m happy to say that I met and learned from her when we held the first ever @thenashvillerhythmtapfestival three years ago. She has become a great friend and mentor to me, even from 800 miles away, and I couldn’t ask for anyone better.

Happy birthday, Barbara! I hope to see you back in Nashville hopefully sooner than later. 💜

#HappyBirthdayBarbaraDuffy #BarbaraDuffy #tapdance

Repost from @tapdancearchiveproductions
What a moment for tap dance! Former President Bill Clinton loved tap dance and would invite tap dancers to perform where ever he could, at Galas like this, even the White House! Here we have @dufftap with Gregory Hines, Cyd Glover Hill, and Mark Mendonca at the presidents gala in 1996. This piece was beautifully recreated earlier this year with @mashdeez @ayolives and @michelataps at Gregory Hines’s stamp ceremony. Check out the full clip on our YouTube channel taken in Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg by @dufftap

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2 days ago

Help us in wishing our dear friend @dufftap a Happy Birthday today! Here, in 1996, dancing the Gregory Hines masterpiece “Boom”! #tapdance by @dufftap

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2 days ago

Join us on September 11 (7pm show) at the Bruno Walter Auditorium for the TAP CITY TAP DANCE AWARDS, a free event celebrating the contributions of significant figures in tap dance. This year’s honorees include Hoofer and Tap Preservation Award recipients, as well as new inductees into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame.

Here is the link to the registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-2026-tap-city-awards-tickets-1997632763370?aff=oddtdtcreator

Visit: ATDF.org/events
#atdf
#decfa
#jazz
#big band
#dukeellington
tonywaag
TapDance
Awards
Legacy
Community
Support
@atdforg
@americantapdancefoundation
@waagville
@decfaorg by @dufftap

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2 months ago

Join us on September 11 (7pm show) at the Bruno Walter Auditorium for the TAP CITY TAP DANCE AWARDS, a free event celebrating the contributions of significant figures in tap dance. This year’s honorees include Hoofer and Tap Preservation Award recipients, as well as new inductees into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame.

Here is the link to the registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-2026-tap-city-awards-tickets-1997632763370?aff=oddtdtcreator

Visit: ATDF.org/events
#atdf
#decfa
#jazz
#big band
#dukeellington
tonywaag
TapDance
Awards
Legacy
Community
Support
@atdforg
@americantapdancefoundation
@waagville
@decfaorg by @dufftap

49

1

2 months ago

Join us on September 11 (7pm show) at the Bruno Walter Auditorium for the TAP CITY TAP DANCE AWARDS, a free event celebrating the contributions of significant figures in tap dance. This year’s honorees include Hoofer and Tap Preservation Award recipients, as well as new inductees into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame.

Here is the link to the registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-2026-tap-city-awards-tickets-1997632763370?aff=oddtdtcreator

Visit: ATDF.org/events
#atdf
#decfa
#jazz
#big band
#dukeellington
tonywaag
TapDance
Awards
Legacy
Community
Support
@atdforg
@americantapdancefoundation
@waagville by @dufftap

126

1

2 months ago

Join us on September 11 (7pm show) at the Bruno Walter Auditorium for the TAP CITY TAP DANCE AWARDS, a free event celebrating the contributions of significant figures in tap dance. This year’s honorees include Hoofer and Tap Preservation Award recipients, as well as new inductees into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame.

Here is the link to the registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-2026-tap-city-awards-tickets-1997632763370?aff=oddtdtcreator

Visit: ATDF.org/events
#atdf
#decfa
#jazz
#big band
#dukeellington
tonywaag
TapDance
Awards
Legacy
Community
Support
@atdforg
@americantapdancefoundation
@waagville by @dufftap

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2 months ago

by @dufftap

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4 months ago

I can’t do this at 7am like @jayjan300 😂 but I’m documenting my improv journey (started Jan) and seeing where I land a year from now! I want to perform again locally and I have work to do! Organizing my thoughts while I’m tap dancing is the direct opposite of my choreography process. Two different parts of the brain it feels like!
@dufftap “Tap Into Improv” book is guiding me through! If you are newer to improv or finally tackling that ONE aspect of tap dance you aren’t yet comfortable….this is your book! It’s on Amazon and super affordable!!
🎶: Willie Bobo Latin Jazz (Live)
@bringtap_tothepeople @kaegraydance #bringtaptothepeople #btp #dance #tap by @dufftap

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8 months ago

✨ Happy Thanksgiving to all our American friends! ✨
We’re celebrating today with a short clip of our company performing Leon Collins Routine No. 2. This year, Barbara Duffy has been mentoring Hannah to pass this piece on to our dancers — who have absolutely loved exploring the rhythm, style and musicality of Collins’ work.

Barbara, who received the Rhythm World Award for preserving and passing on his legacy, has been incredibly generous in sharing this knowledge with us. Hannah first studied with Barbara through the American Tap Dance Teachers Training Program.

As part of our T&P training this year, we were lucky to host an online discussion with Barbara, diving into her remarkable tap career — a session full of inspiring stories that left everyone buzzing!

📚 Who was Leon Collins?
Born in 1922, Leon Collins was a pioneering American tap dancer celebrated for his intricate rhythm-based style and deep connection with jazz. As a young performer, he danced with major jazz bands such as Count Basie’s Orchestra and the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra, before later becoming a central figure in the tap renaissance of the 1970s–80s through his influential teaching in Boston. We recommend watching his performance of “Flight of the Bumblebee/Begin the Beguine” also a great documentary about him called “Songs Unwritten: A Tap Dancer Remembered” by David Wadsworth.

🎥 Here’s a moment from earlier this month at the Sole Rebel Soirée, dancing in gratitude for the legacy we’re honoured to help carry forward.

Happy Thanksgiving! 🧡🍁

#Thanksgiving #LeonCollins #TapLegacy #TapDance #BarbaraDuffy #SoleRebel #RhythmTap #JazzTap #TapRoots #RoutineNo2 #DanceHistory #Gratitude #RhythmAndJoy #TapTraining #Inspiration taken in Liverpool, England UK by @dufftap

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10 months ago

The Amazing Barbara Duffy will be teaching tomorrow! Get into class!!! #beyondtheboogie #montclairnj #montclairdance #njdance #beyondtheboogie #njdancestudio #adultdance #essexcounty #nycdance #njtap by @dufftap

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a year ago

…IT HAS BEGUN!! Day 1💥
TAP-IN to Colorado Tap Dance Festival

If you’re not here tap dancing with us…then where you?
Grab your shoes and come on down!😎 movedancespace.com by @dufftap

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a year ago

Thank you @nicolasa.macaluso for adding these tunes to Spotify! by @dufftap

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a year ago