The Tap Love Tour Podcast

What happens when success isn't the challenge, but getting out of your own way is? In this candid conversation, Brinae Ali joins Travis Knights to discuss artistry, leadership, healing, faith, and the lifelong practice of becoming the person you're called to be. From tap dance and community building to self-doubt and spiritual growth, this episode is a masterclass in navigating the journey within....

What does it take to build a future for tap dance? In this conversation, Travis sits down with longtime friend, producer, choreographer, and community builder Allison Toffan to explore the work that happens beyond the stage. From founding the Toronto Rhythm Initiative to launching Toffan Rhythm Productions as a not-for-profit, Allison shares lessons learned about leadership, funding, advocacy, aud...

In light of the recent passing of tap dance elder Skip Cunningham, we are re-releasing this special episode of the Tap Love Tour Podcast. In this episode Skip Cunningham shares hard-earned wisdom from a life deeply rooted in tap dance culture. This conversation moves through the history, etiquette, humour, musicianship, and community values that shaped generations of hoofers. Skip speaks candidly...

Chicago rhythm, Black cultural legacy, mentorship, infrastructure, and the future of tap dance. In this episode of the Tap Love Tour Podcast, Bril Barrett joins Travis for a deep conversation about building community, preserving culture, and creating real pathways for the next generation of artists. A powerful dialogue on tap dance not just as performance, but as responsibility, resistance, and lo...

In this episode of the Tap Love Tour Podcast, Tap Dance artist, Roxane Butterfly shares insights from her new book, TANT QU’IL Y AURA DES PLANCHES, a raw and deeply personal reflection on a life devoted to rhythm, resistance, and individuality. This isn’t just about dance. It’s about identity, courage, and choosing your path, no matter the cost. Purchase the French language book here: https://roxa...

Natasha Powell joins the Tap Love Tour Podcast to talk about The Room Upstairs, a work shaped by jazz, time, and deep listening in honour of John Coltrane. This conversation moves through process, improvisation, solitude, collaboration, and the challenge of making something honest. A beautiful episode on what it means to keep searching through art. Follow and support Holla Jazz here: https://www.h...

In this powerful and unapologetic conversation, Travis sits down with Jason Samuels Smith and Moncell Durden for a deep dive into rhythm, lineage, identity, and the contested origins of tap dance. What begins as a discussion about credit and cultural memory quickly expands into a passionate exchange about Black indigeneity, diaspora, spirituality, and the politics of historical narrative. Who owns...

Iconic tap dancer Jason Samuels Smith joins us for a passion-filled, controversial conversation exploring hidden histories, identity, and the re-examination of Black cultural narratives. Follow Jason here: https://www.jsamsmith.com/ Support Tap Love Tour on Patreon: patreon.com/travisknights

In this episode, we gather to reflect on the life, music, and artistic integrity of D’Angelo. Recorded in the days following his passing, this conversation is raw, personal, and deeply felt. Joined by Michela Marino Lerman, Jumaane Taylor, Jason Samuels Smith, Victoria Miller, Michael Shand, and Joanna Majoko, we talk about process, patience, and what it means to create work that lasts. We reflect...

Tap dance as medicine. Rhythm as prayer. Healing as sound. In this episode, I sit with Berklee musician and rising tap voice Dylan Suzch to explore how movement can restore what the world breaks. We talk about arranging music for dancers, and how rhythm can hold space for pain, joy, and everything between. I also open up about my own experience watching Jeremy O. Harris’ Slave Play at Canadian Sta...

In this episode, we step into the world of Jacky Li — visionary Canadian Tap and Jazz shoe designer, and founder of SAF Shoes. From his Vancouver workshop to international stages, Jacky has been quietly reshaping the global conversation around what it means to feel rhythm through design, craftsmanship, and innovation. We talk about his creative process, the delicate balance between comfort and exp...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with jazz luminary Jeremy Pelt, acclaimed trumpeter, bandleader, and author of Griot—alongside the brilliant Lisa LaTouche, the 2025 Hoofer Award recipient. Together, we dive into the heart of Black artistry: exploring Jeremy’s book, the hidden stories of music history, the complexities of the creative process, and the lived realities of being a Black performi...

In the wake of major cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts, we speak with tap legend Jane Goldberg about the Changing Times Tap Initiative Grant. Creating new work has always been about piecing together resources to achieve your vision. Tune in as the Tap Goddess of the Lower East Side shares how this grant could be a key piece in your puzzle. https://janegoldberg.org/changingtimestapinitiat...

Why did one of the longest-running tap festivals in the world just get cancelled? Acia Gray, renowned tap dancer and founder of Tapestry Dance Company in Austin, Tx, joins us for a sober conversation about the philosophical shift and budget cuts at the National Endowment for the Arts. After 25 years of producing the Soul to Sole Tap Festival, Acia is making the difficult decision to bring it to a...

An open letter to Terpsichore Dance Celebration Support the work of Tap Love Tour through our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

This week we are joined by the force behind the Baby Laurence Legacy Project, and star of The Mars Project debuting October 4th-6th, 2024 at Fall For Dance North in Toronto, internationally renowned Tap Dance artist Brinae Ali. In this conversation we discuss balance, artistic inspiration, community impact through art and how you can support the BLLP. Donate to BLLP here: https://givebutter.com/BL...

Ian Berg is an incredible, ever rising Tap Dance artist, composer, choreographer, educator and co-founder of the Tap Dance Music Dance group Subject: Matter. In this episode, Ian helps me overcome my skepticism against jazz culture being taught in Institutions of higher learning. Donate to Subject: Matter here: http://www.subjectmattertap.com/contactdonate.html Check out Ian’s Tap Program pitch at...

This episode, we connect to the Tap Dance scene in Nairobi, Kenya through the co-founder of TapaTapa Tap Dance Group, Stacey Achieng and her student Eileen Musati. It’s a joyful conversation that reveals Stacey’s goal to spread the dAnCe across east Africa, and has host Travis Knights wondering how he can get in on that. Shout out to Tony Waag for helping to make this connection. Connect to Tapata...

Tap dancer Molly Smith, director of Chicago Tap Theatre's new production Can You Hear Us Now? The Queer Tap Dance Revolution, joins us to talk about the inspiration behind their latest work. The show runs June 20th - 23rd, 2024 in Chicago. Click here for tickets: https://chicagotaptheatre.com/events Become a Tap Love Tour micro-producer through our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknigh...

Today we are joined by Brazilian Tap Dancer and Podcaster, Leonardo Dias. Brazil has been hit by record breaking, devastating floods. Leonardo has made a specific call to the international Tap Dance Community for help. So let's show up. Click here to donate: https://ko-fi.com/post/Help-the-victims-of-Southern-Brazil-Flood-N4N5XQXAB

In this episode, dancer, researcher, narratologist, and author Felix Lambert shares some insights he gained from his recently released 7 volume anthology book ‘Watch Your Step: A History of African American Dancing’. Purchase your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CLKWDRS9?binding=paperback&qid=1712266061&sr=1-1&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/trav...

This week Travis Knights and special guest Allie Stewart are joined by the co-founder of The Jazz Tap Ensemble, Lynn Dally. The gems that Lynn drops in this episode shine so bright. Visit https://jazztapensemblelegacy.org/ to purchase archives of her decades of work. Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

This week, Lisa LaTouche and I are Absolutely privileged to be joined by the incredible Dr. Daniel Black. He is an author and professor of African American studies at Clark Atlanta University. His books include The Coming, Perfect Peace, Black on Black and many more. In this conversation, we talk about how to reclaim Tap Dance and shed the stain of minstrelsy. Make sure to pick up your copy of Dr....

In this episode, we connect with Pamela Hetherington and Conner Kelly to explore the history of the Philadelphia Tap Dance scene and their upcoming inaugural Brewerytown Tap Dance Festival. Register for the Brewerytown Tap Festival at https://www.brewerytown.org/ Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.co...

On today’s show, we are joined by co-host Brinae Ali as she opens up some of her research process with us for her multi-year initiative, The Baby Laurence Legacy Project. Ali has curated some phenomenal guests to talk about their personal experiences with legendary Tap Dancer, Baby Laurence. Joining the conversation today is renowned Dunbar High School Music Educator, Charlie Funn, founder of The...