HEATHER CORNELL

THE DETAILS for 2026:

Dates: 

Juy 28 - August 8, 2026

Two weeks/Tuesdays - Saturdays

 

Last year, for the 35th Anniversary of the Tap Labs, Heather brought them home to Canada.  The Music and Dance Conservatory in beautiful Halifax was so welcoming, The Labs will be returning there this year.

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Heather's Tap Labs are a place for focused, independent learning in a supportive community environment.  The classes are kept small to encourage one on one communication between instrumentalists and tap dancers and to nurture an understanding of the collaborative nature of music and dance.  Heather strongly believes that artists should learn in the process of creativity, not imitation, and so she supports the students in developing their own unique voice through discovery and listening.

What to expect;

 

Live Music

20 participant spots available

25 hours in studio per week

Evening offerings such as Jams, Footage and History

Open Level and background

Studio: Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, Halifax, NS

Housing: Halifax has a variety of affordable Air Bnb options available. Contact michele.slattery@gmail.com for any assistance.

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"Heather Cornell's laboratory is the dream space, a teacher who gathers passion for dance and music and shares it, a teacher who creates the right place to explore, integrate, share, risk, listen and understand. One really comes out as if the world had stopped to connect. This laboratory is such a necessary place."

             Antonio Vilchez, Master Zapateo dancer and Afro-Peruvian musician

 

 

Background :

 

When I started offering my Manhattan Tap Intensives in 1990, the goal was to teach tap as music, connecting tappers to the music world where I drew my inspiration from for Manhattan Tap.  At that time in history, it was an rarity to bring musicians into the rooms. For many years this intensive has been the place for tap dancers and musicians to come together to talk about music and dance, but more importantly, to play. 

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Eventually other Intensives started to populate, but without the same intentions. So it was time to rename. Now called the "Tap Labs", they continue to provide an open learning environment, offering an opportunity for artists of all ages and experience to deepen their practice. Here we work together in a uniquely free way, with community at the center of our work, and with musicians woven into the process, enriching and supporting each other's voice.  These Labs are for anyone who wants to nurture their path as an improvisational artist, to connect their artistry to the history, and to dig deeper into their musical roots. Tap Dance was born in community and should be passed on with all the inspiration that comes with mutual respect and acceptance. We all have something important to learn from each other, if we are willing to listen.

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My goal is to create a learning environment that nurtures individual development while at the same time developing a strong music/dance community.  I have been mentoring dancers and musicians for over four decades, demystifying collaboration and working with live music.  My passion is to teach students to be creators and not imitators, and to be bilingual in music and dance.  Whether you are a teacher, performer or student, beginner or professional, this intensive will help to answer your questions, help you to pose new ones, and help you to refocus your work. Let's keep the conversation going!