It’s five days before the show, and Chloe Arnold is on stage at City College’s Aaron Davis Hall in Harlem, her tap-dance troupe, Apartment 33, poised for the next number. The music starts – a mellow synth-pop groove – and then, crack! The sharp, percussive sound of metal on floor erupts as twelve bodies move in unison. It’s sound made visible, a vibrant explosion of rhythm and energy.
Chloe, a seasoned performer and instructor, pushes her dancers to imbue every step with passion. "You can never fake it, ever," she reminds them, her voice a blend of firm guidance and unwavering support. This dedication to authenticity is a hallmark of her approach, a philosophy that extends beyond the stage.
Her sister, Maud Arnold, arrives, a white shopping bag in hand, the picture of focused energy. Maud is the business and social engine behind Chloe & Maud Productions, always on the move. Today, she’s brought something special: a prototype for an affordable tap shoe. "We wanted to create something for people who can’t afford top-of-the-line shoes but want to get into tap," Chloe explains, holding up a white shoebox. These shoes, priced in the seventy- to eighty-dollar range, are designed to break down financial barriers, making the art form accessible to everyone.
"From two to ninety-two," Chloe adds with a smile, emphasizing the inclusivity of tap. She recalls a student who attended her class with a walker, or even someone in a wheelchair. "If there’s a way to create percussion with your feet, there are no limits to who can do it." This sentiment, "no limits," feels like the sisters’ unspoken tagline, a testament to their journey and their vision.
Their story echoes the spirit of classic soul anthems – a blend of striving and familial unity. Like many of their generation, Chloe and Maud are driven to create change, but they do it through a traditional American art form that’s perhaps more loved than deeply understood. As Margo Jefferson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning cultural critic, has noted, tap is a "quintessential multipurpose form." It’s dance, music, and theater all rolled into one, capable of expressing a vast range of stories and emotions, or simply celebrating the pure joy of rhythm and movement.
The roots of tap dance are fascinating, stretching back to the colonial era and the fusion of enslaved Africans' rhythmic traditions with the clog dances of Irish and English indentured servants. Dance historian Margaret Morrison explains that by 1900, this cultural cross-pollination had fully formed into what we recognize as tap.
For many, the word "tap" might conjure images of Fred Astaire, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, or perhaps the bygone eras of minstrel shows and vaudeville. It can feel like a relic of the past. But for Chloe and Maud, tap is as current as the music they dance to – Beyoncé, Rihanna, Prince. "Tap has the ability to always stay current because of the choice of music," Chloe explains. She points to Gregory Hines, who in the 1980s danced to funk, connecting the art form to a new generation. By tapping to contemporary hits, they make the art form resonate with today's audiences.
Chloe’s own journey into professional tap began at a young age. At twelve, she shared the stage at the Kennedy Center with tap legends like Gregory Hines and the Nicholas Brothers as part of Savion Glover’s DC Crew. That night was a revelation, solidifying her dream of leaving her own indelible mark on the world of tap dance.
