Meet Victoria Moore | Tap for All Inclusive Dance Expert / Be the Difference – Make the Difference Inspirational Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Victoria Moore and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Victoria, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
In 2017 I came to the realization that the the dance form I had devoted my entire career to was THE most exclusive dance genre there is. I had seen dancers with disabilities perform lyrical, contemporary, ballet, jazz, and even hip hop, but tap was never in the mix. When you think of a tap dancer you probably envision the brilliant tap dancing of people such as Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Gene Kelly, and Eleanor Powell. Standing is the key component to tap dancing, although in 1959 Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor introduced chair tap dancing to the world on Gene’s television special on NBC.

My mother had also been a Master Tap Instructor for over 35 years, but all those years of teaching took a toll on her knees and back, forcing her into retirement. Her age may have been advancing, but her mind was still as sharp, creative, and prolific as ever when it came to tap choreography. Physically she had become too unsteady on her feet to continue tap dancing standing up though.

At that time we had been working on a book of her methodology on teaching tap dance, when one day I threw out the idea of tap dancing with her hands rather than her feet. Tap dancers are percussionists after all. She absolutely loved the idea. From there I discussed with her morphing the book into a tool to teach other dance educators how to create a more inclusive way of teaching dance, still keeping all of her brilliant methodology in tact.

Once I began researching all the cognitive benefits of dance on the brain, I discovered mountains of study’s that had been conducted since the early 2000’s. Dance, specifically tap dance, has been shown to have many positive benefits on the brain. It can literally help to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia. I have witnessed first hand the shaking of Parkinson’s cease when teaching my Tap for All classes. The shaking returns once the combination has concluded, but tap dancing has the unique ability to shut down the tremors of Parkinson’s, at least for a brief time. This is the point at which I knew I had found my purpose in the dance world. I knew it was from this moment on that my mission would become shifting the perspective of what dance is, what a dancer looks like, and what it means to be a dancer.

Tap for All is the inclusive tap program I created specifically to help those with any kind of disability and seniors gain the immense benefit that tap can provide, plus give the students the fun, joy, and rhythmic creativity that is uniquely tap. The title of the book became Tap Dance for All – Adapting Instruction for Disability and Mobility Impairment.

I designed and created specialized tap mittens that would be both comfortable and easy to wash, as I knew that as soon as COVID restrictions were lifted I wanted to bring my Tap for All program to assisted living facilities here in Los Angeles. COVID actually ended up giving me the time and space to not only finish up the book and find a publisher, but through much trial and error at my dining room table, work out the design and creation of my tap mitten. I sewed four different sizes of tap mittens, extra small – large in order to accommodate every hand size. My husband helped me cut and sand light weight tap boards that easily fit in the lap of someone in a wheelchair, or on top of a table.

On June 21st 2021 I taught the first class of my Tap for All program. The response was more than I had hoped for. Every week I was adding more and more facilities to my calendar.

Having danced since the age of four years old, having performed in Broadway shows, and taught as a Master Tap Instructor for 40 years, like my mother, all of that physical activity had taken a toll on my body as well. Having morphed into teaching tap with my hands has provided not only a break to the rest of my body, but has doubled my income. Knowing how physically exerting it is to teach dance, I wanted to share this way of teaching with other fellow dance educators. Dance teachers are considered part timers in the workforce, and as such rarely make a true livable wage, especially in high cost of living locations like Los Angeles. Because of this I created an online certification course to show other dance instructors how to not only create a more inclusive dance world, but generate much more income, and much less physical stress than simply teaching at a standard dance studio.

I presented Tap for All at the Abilities Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center last March. The response from the disability community was tremendous. My program is now being sought after in places that provide rehabilitation for individuals and veterans. I am excited to announce that my Tap for All program will be debuting in San Juan Puerto Rico at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System within the next few weeks.

The next phase of Tap for All is utilizing it to bring a message of inclusion, diversity and equity to schools throughout Los Angeles via speaking presentations. I created Be the Difference – Make the Difference message to empower and inspire people of all ages and abilities to not only make a difference in their own lives, but learn how to accept the differences in others and be the difference for another.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
At this point in my life I would have to say that I’m most proud of making a difference in the lives of seniors and those with disabilities. The joy I see in their faces when they slip on my tap mittens and begin to create tap rhythms is priceless. Ten years ago I might have said that I was most proud of paying it forward to the next generation of dance hopefuls by sharing with them my dance knowledge and expertise. But now, having created Tap for All, I truly understand my purpose, and what I was meant to do with the gifts I have been blessed with. As they say, “Life is a Journey,” and every step I’ve taken up to this point has led me to where I was meant to be. My journey is far from over though, and I’m extremely excited to see where I go from here.

I started dancing at the age of 4 years old, taking ballet, tap, and jazz. I was on scholarship at the two best dance studios in downtown Chicago, Ruth Page School of Dance, and Lou Conte Dance Studio from middle school through high school. When I was 14 my mother took me to see a touring company of the Broadway musical A Chorus Line. From that moment on I knew that was were all of my dance, singing, and acting studies were going to take me. That was my purpose back then.

From freshman year in high school I set the goal of getting into a college where I could major in theatre. The American College of Dramatic Arts in New York ended up the winner. Almost immediately after graduating college, and at the age of 20, I landed my first Broadway show, Sugar Babies. I came in to replace a dancer, learning every dance, song, and skit in 4 days. On day 5 I was onstage performing. Not for the faint of heart! By the time I joined the production there was only a bit more than six months left before it was shutting down. Back to New York, and back to auditioning for me when the tour closed. By the time I was 21 I had landed my second Broadway show, 42nd Street. I auditioned for it in New York, but they wanted me to open the Los Angeles company of the show. Having grown up knowing only cold, brutal winters, I was all about heading to the warmth of Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles we headed to San Francisco, and once we wrapped up there we proceeded to perform the show in 88 U.S. cities in the following year. The highlight of our tour was performing for five weeks in Tokyo, Japan. It was an experience of a lifetime to be sure. I performed in many other companies of 42nd Street in the years following Tokyo, including many Canadian cities, as well as even more U.S. cities.

After having my son in 1994 I went back to being a dance educator. I had been teaching dance since the age of 16 and thought it was time, as I mentioned earlier, to start helping the next generation of dancers achieve their dance goals, as I had done (read, my new purpose). I became a sought after expert in tap dance; teaching master classes for dance conventions, and judging dance competitions. But, after more than a decade of this, coupled with all the years of performing, my body was beginning to wear down. The human body is similar a car. The more you beat it up, the more the parts wear out and need replacing. For me, my spine, neck, and hip took the brunt of the physical abuse. A hip replacement, a two level cervical fusion, and two titanium cages in my lower spine was the “glue” that was going to hold me together, and allow me to continue to enjoy my life, different as it was about to become.

This of course meant it was time for me to re-evaluate my purpose, yet again. This was a scary time for me, as up to this point my identity had been centered around being able to physically execute anything I was called to do. And as it so often happens, one moment, and in my case, one performance of a dancer with a disability gave me my new, and true purpose.

I looked closely at who dance was targeted at; nondisabled males and females. There was very little out there in the way of dance for dancers with disabilities and seniors, and even less when you factor in tap dancing. I looked back at all of the competitions I judged over the years, not once had I judged a dancer with a disability. I also looked at how far behind the business of dance is when it comes to inclusion and accessibility compared to other businesses. Suddenly, this new purpose of mine was beginning to take shape.

But how can I, just one person, create change and impact a business that is all about the physical body being perfect? These are the steps I took to initiate that change…

– Write a book on the subject
– Find a publisher (i.e. write book proposals)
– Design and create tap mittens
– Create a replicable program that other dance educators could utilize (Tap for All)
– Create an online certification course for dance educators to learn how to do what I’m doing
– Teach the program (assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, schools, VA recreational therapy, and the list goes on)
– Team up with others in the disability community (more businesses = more impact)
– Speak on inclusion, diversity, and equity at grade schools, middle schools, high schools, and colleges utilizing my Tap for All and Be the Difference / Make the Difference programs.

Had I tackled anything of this magnitude before? Absolutely not, but I knew how incredibly important it was to begin changing the view point and vantage point of dance for those with disabilities and seniors. The benefits of dance belong to everyone. Many dance schools don’t have classes for dancers with disabilities because they don’t believe they’d come. But if those dancers don’t know they are welcome, they most definitely won’t come. Fear is another reason dance studios don’t invite in the disabled dancers in their communities. They are afraid of injuries. What they are forgetting is that all their new nondisabled students sign a liability waiver when they sign up. That same liability form would apply to any new dancer with a disability. Plus, every dancer, disabled or not, will eventually get hurt in some fashion. Dance is a very physical sport. Injuries happen just like any other sport. Knowledge is the key to executing a safe dance space for all dancers.

I think the biggest lessons I’ve learned along this journey are to pay attention, never stop growing, get out of your own way, trust that you absolutely can do anything you set your mind to, and by tossing that pebble in the pond, you alone can create a ripple effect that can change the world.

Both of my brands; Tap for All and Be the Difference / Make the Difference fall under my Victoria Moore Tap umbrella. Both can be used alone or together. When I speak at a school I use the fun of my Tap for All program to convey how small changes can make a big difference in someone’s life.

I suppose that I am still inspiring the next generation, just not on how to be a the best dancer they can be anymore, but how to be the difference and make the difference for someone else so that the world begins shifting into a more inclusive accessible place for all.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh boy, let’s go!

As far as some of my favorite places to take friends and family when they come to town, one that’s always top on my list is the Griffith Observatory. It’s a great museum and it’s free. The Huntington Gardens are also at the top of my list to take out-of-towner’s to. It’s a big walking day among gorgeous grounds, and if you can manage to snag a rezzie in the Tea Room that has opened back up, it’s a must!

Both the Getty and the Getty Villa are spectacular inside and out A definite shame not to experience.

If my guests want to do a little shopping the Sunset Nursery in Echo Park is a beautiful spot.

No trip would be complete without a visit to the one and only iconic Venice Beach. After soaking in all the eclectic sights and sounds from the beach I would suggest a private, self-guided float therapy experience at Pause in Venice, to fully unwind from a day of fun and sun.

There’s no shortage of amazing restaurants in Los Angeles, but here are some of my personal favorites…

Sonoratown (downtown) – best Sonora style tacos in the city. The food is quick, inexpensive, and absolutely delicious.

Hide Sushi (Sawtelle) – small, quiet restaurant, with the best salmon in the city.

Perch (downtown) – if you want a magnificent view of the city while sipping on a delicious cocktail head to their rooftop bar. You’ll feel very fancy.

Rosalind’s (Miracle Mile) – excellent Ethiopian food, with wonderful vegan options.

Din Tai Fung (Glendale) – soup dumplings!

Chulita (Venice) – a vibe-y Mexican restaurant with super fresh ingredients + really great fresh fruit margaritas and cocktails.

Bay Cities (Santa Monica) – an Italian deli and market known for their sandwiches. Go for the Godmother!

Bowery Bungalow (Silver Lake) – an awesome brunch spot (or anytime spot) that does fancy-ish versions of the classics, plus other dishes. It’s understated and quiet, but also super charming and delicious.

And last but certainly not least…
Grand Central Market (downtown) – a choose-your-own-adventure meal destination. One could go for snacks + drinks, or a stuff-yourself-silly meal.

This is all making me very hungry!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, without the love, support, and encouragement of my family and friends, Tap for All would still be just a nice idea. They have all helped me to see that one person truly can make a difference for the better in other people’s lives. They have been my biggest cheerleaders, encouraging to keep going, keep figuring it out, and to follow the breadcrumbs that have been laid out to lead me down this path.

Ginger Lane, Mary Verdi-Fletcher, Lindy Dannelley, and Mindy Kim are four powerhouse women who I interviewed for my book Tap Dance for All, and were integral in helping me understand that disability comes in many forms, both seen and unseen, sharing how disability is unique to each individual, how powerful language and representation is, plus how vitally important it is to bring into the discussion the disability community when considering changes to laws, businesses, and communities. “Nothing About Us Without Us.” Laws and policies don’t just affect nondisabled people. Each of these women have been leading the way to help bridge the gap between the disabled and nondisabled communities.

Website: https://www.victoriamooretap.com/

Instagram: @victoriamooretapofficial / @tapdanceforall

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-moore

Twitter: @VMoore_Tap

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaMooreTapDance