Louis DaPron's Vintage Swing Tap Routine
Tap Level: Intermediate-Advanced Tap Routine

Taught by  Mark Marchillo

Tapping With The Masters & Rusty Frank present

LOST TREASURES! ~ VOLUME 1

A NOTE FROM RUSTY FRANK:
Welcome to my new series... “LOST TREASURES!” With the recent discovery of four complete Louis DaPron routines from the 1950s, I am thrilled to present the first:

LOUIS DaPRON ROUTINE #18
A RARE & EXCITING TWO-CHORUS SWING TAP ROUTINE

Back in the 1950s, Louis DaPron produced a series of 21 instructional film-record sets of his original tap dance routines. If you were lucky enough to own a set back in the ‘50s, you would have to simulaneously start the projector (playing the silent movie) and the record (playing the music and taps) to learn the routine. Out of the 21 routines, only four movies and 15 records are known to exist in the world today. Here is Routine #18. As a student of Louis DaPron’s, I consider him one of the greatest inspirations of my life. I truly hope you will enjoy his work as much as I do.

LOUIS DaPRON began as a child performer, went on to appear in movies, and became a legendary Hollywood choreographer. In the history of tap dance, DaPron stands out as one of the true greats. His unique style was developed in the “Golden Era” of the 1930s. His artistry earned him the highest recognition, respect and admiration. DaPron taught and/or staged acts for Donald O’Connor, Judy Garland, Bob Hope, Ruby Keeler, Ann Miller, Ginger Rogers, Mitzi Gaynor, Gower Champion, Perry Como, and countless more. From the 1940s-1980s, The Louis DaPron School of Dance was legendary.

MARK MARCHILLO is a classically trained dancer who studied at the San Francisco Ballet school for ballet, while also training under such jazz greats as Marguerite Derricks and Serge Rodnunsky. For tap, Mark was mentored by Dean Barlow and Miriam Nelson, and has an “old Hollywood” style that crosses Gene Kelly with Fred Astaire, and makes classic Hollywood tap dancing new again. He is a former company member of the Rhapsody in Taps dance company in Los Angeles, CA. He’s danced in movies and TV, and is also a working choreographer. He’s appeared for Beyonce, the Grammys, and Norman Lear. MARKMARCHILLO.COM

RUSTY FRANK is a tap dancer, producer, choreographer, writer, and dance preservationist. She studied with her mentor, Louis DaPron, from the time she was a teenager until his death in 1987. Rusty is the author of the critically acclaimed book “TAP! The Greatest Tap Dance Stars and Their Stories 1900-1955.” She has taught and performed in twenty-three countries around the world and performed at such locales as Broadway's 42nd Street, The Hollywood Bowl, Disneyland, and the Derby. To date she has produced 23 instructional tap videos under her banner “Tapping With The Masters.”