Tap Dance Workshops: For Beginners & Advanced Beginners
Supporting the below United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:支持以下聯合國可持續發展目標：支持以下联合国可持续发展目标：
Discover the joy of rhythm in this beginner-friendly tap dance workshop led by renowned artist Ms. Mandy Petty—recipient of the 25th Hong Kong Dance Awards Lifetime Achievement Award with over 40 years of industry experience. Designed specifically for complete newcomers, this course introduces the foundational techniques of tap, teaching participants how to turn their shoes into percussion instruments to create dynamic sounds, rhythms, and dance combinations. Alongside hands-on practice, you will explore the rich history and evolution of tap dance through engaging video excerpts and lectures. No prior dance experience is required, and students will receive personalized guidance to learn comfortably at their own pace. Please note that participants are required to wear tap shoes during the sessions to properly execute the sounds and techniques.
ONLINE REGISTRATION
Click HERE
DETAILS
Date: Sep 22 to Oct 20, 2026 (Every Tuesday and Thursday, except public holiday)
Time: 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Venue: G19 Multi-Purpose Room, The Jockey Club Global Graduate Tower (GGT)
Instructor: Ms. Mandy PETTY
Quota: 25 (For HKUST Students and Staff only) on a first come, first served basis
Fee: Free of Charge (refundable deposit of HKD200 is required)
Language: English
This is a HMAW1905-recognized event in the “Personal Enrichment & Community Service” category under the "Self-directed Experience" of HMAW1905: Behavioral Foundations of University Education: Habits, Mindsets, and Wellness. Students of HMAW1905 must register with ITSC email. To receive 6 hours, you must attend the event in full and miss no more than 10 mins. (HMAW enquiry email: dstohmw@ust.hk)
LESSON DETAILS
Lesson 1 (Sep 22, 2026): Learn how to use the shoes to make simple sounds and rhythms (1 & 2 sounds): Heel, ball, stamp, step, flap, shuffle, ball change, pick-up.
Lesson 2 (Sep 24, 2026): Review steps from Lesson 1 and begin to combine them.
Lesson 3 (Sep 29, 2026): Review steps from Lessons 1 and 2 and practice in longer combinations.
Lesson 4 (Oct 6, 2026): Learn new vocabulary, including Cramp Rolls, Riffs, Maxi-Ford, Suzie Q, Time Steps and Shim Sham Shimmy.
Lesson 5 (Oct 8, 2026): Review steps from Lesson 4 and practice them in combinations.
Lesson 6 (Oct 13, 2026): Review steps from Lesson 4 and develop stylised combinations from musicals such as 42nd Street, Crazy for You and Anything Goes.
Lesson 7 (Oct 15, 2026): Continue to review steps from earlier lessons, along with stylised combinations from musicals such as 42nd Street, Crazy for You and Anything Goes.
Lesson 8 (Oct 20, 2026): Recap and perform all steps and combinations learnt throughout the workshop, to family and friends.
How to Register:
- Online Registration:
Interested participants are required to submit their registration online.
- Confirmation:
Eligible applicants will receive a confirmation email along with the payment method. If the workshop is full, your application will be placed on the waiting list, and you will receive a waiting list notification email.
- Payment and Release of Unpaid Spots:
Please complete the payment by the deadline specified in the email. Your spot will only be confirmed upon successful payment. Applications not paid by the deadline will be treated as withdrawn, and the spots will be released.
REMARKS
- Students should bring along their own tap shoes to class.
- Please present your Student Card / Staff Card for identity verification when attending the workshop.
- Refundable deposit will be returned upon successful completion of ALL classes. If the participant cannot attend all lessons, the deposit will be forfeited and used to offset the workshop operation expense.
- The Shaw Auditorium Unit reserves the right in its sole discretion to make changes to the event program without prior notice.
Enquiries: sateam@ust.hk
Originally from the UK, Mandy Petty received her Dance training from Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom, England, one of the leading Musical Theatre schools in the UK today. During her training, she became the first winner of the Marjorie Davies Star Tap Award, a national tap competition run by the ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing) in the UK. In 1992, she became an examiner for the society (Modern Theatre & Tap) and regularly conducts in-person and remote exams both in the UK and overseas. In Hong Kong, Mandy’s career as a leading jazz and tap dance teacher has spanned over 45 years, including full-time and part-time work as a teacher at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) School of Dance. Currently, she is a freelance teacher/choreographer/Director within the wider Hong Kong arts community and regularly adjudicates at the School’s Dance Festival and other annual dance competitions. Her credits as a choreographer for Musical Theatre productions are extensive and include numerous shows for the HKAPA and Hong Kong Singers Ltd. For the past 10 years, she has been directing and choreographing the musicals for HKUST, which include 9 to 5; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Singin' in the Rain; Wonderful Town; The Music Man; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Carousel. In April 2024, Mandy received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Hong Kong Dance Alliance for her services to dance in Hong Kong, specifically Tap Dance.