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214 Cottage Road, South Portland, ME 04106Monday to Thursday: 3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Woman ownedFall registration opens in August(207) 555-0113
FlapSouth Portland, Maine
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Tap and jazz in South Portland

Come and make some noise

Flap is a tap and jazz studio on Cottage Road. Dancers aged 6 and up learn on sprung wooden floors in classes by level, and the grown-ups who danced here as children are back on Monday evenings.

Try a classSee the schedule
  • Ages 6 to adult
  • A watch week every session
  • Recital in June
Hands tying the laces of a black tap shoe on a wooden floor, a second shoe and folded towels beside it

Cottage Road, South Portland

Three generations on one wooden floor

Flap has taught tap and jazz to the same families for a long time.

Some of the grown-ups in Monday's class took their first time step in this room when they were seven. Their children dance here now, and a few of the children's grandparents come to the June recital and tap along under their seats. Deanna learned here too, and she teaches the way she was taught: counted out loud, one sound at a time, with the music turned up once you are ready.

  • Tap and jazz, grouped by age and level

  • A watch week in every session

  • A recital each June in a rented hall

Deanna Gallagher

Director

Meet the team
A studio with a low raised platform at one end, taped marks on the wooden floor and a window, empty

Levels at Flap

A dancer moves up when the teacher and the family agree they are ready. Here is what each level covers.

  1. First steps

    Ages 6 to 8
    Skills

    • Heel, toe and ball-change sounds

    • Shuffles and flaps across the floor

    • Counting a short phrase out loud

    Moving up

    The teacher talks with the family after a session. A dancer moves on to time steps when the sounds are even and they are ready; there is no test.

  2. Time steps

    Ages 9 to 11
    Skills

    • The time step and its breaks

    • Flaps, cramp rolls and wings

    • Jazz walks, turns and a first leap

    Moving up

    A dancer stays in time steps until the phrases feel easy, which can be one session or three, and moves up when the teacher and the family agree.

  3. Rhythm phrases

    Ages 12 to 17
    Skills

    • Longer phrases in rows of eight counts

    • Tap rhythms from swing and from jazz

    • Making up a short phrase of your own

    Moving up

    Dancers stay as long as they enjoy it. The teacher invites dancers who would like more to the performance group after a spring audition, which is a regular class with a longer warm-up.

  4. Grown-up class

    Adults
    Skills

    • Tap or jazz basics for beginners and returners

    • Linking steps into rows of eight counts

    • Dancing at your own pace, with no partner needed

    Moving up

    There is one grown-up level. Come for as many sessions as you like, and ask the teacher when you would like something harder.

Where to startTry a class and we will place you

Sample levels.

Tap shoes join the class when the teacher says it is time. Socks are fine at first.

This session's classes

Pick a day that suits your family. A grown-up waits in the front hall for the first steps classes.

Fall session

Showing 15 of 15

  • Monday

    • 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm

      First steps tap

      Deanna Gallagher · Tap Room

      6 to 8First stepsOpenTry a class

    • 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

      Time steps tap

      Deanna Gallagher · Tap Room

      9 to 11Time stepsOpenTry a class

    • 6:15 pm – 7:15 pm

      Grown-up tap

      Gabe Morse · Tap Room

      AdultsGrown-up classOpenTry a class

  • Tuesday

    • 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm

      First steps jazz

      Deanna Gallagher · Back Room

      6 to 8First stepsOpenTry a class

    • 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

      Time steps jazz

      Deanna Gallagher · Back Room

      9 to 11Time stepsWaitlistJoin the waitlist

    • 6:15 pm – 7:30 pm

      Rhythm phrases tap

      Gabe Morse · Tap Room

      12 to 17Rhythm phrasesOpenTry a class

  • Wednesday

    • 4:15 pm – 5:15 pm

      Rhythm phrases jazz

      Deanna Gallagher · Back Room

      12 to 17Rhythm phrasesOpenTry a class

    • 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm

      Performance group

      Tap · Deanna Gallagher · Tap Room

      12 to 17Rhythm phrasesOpenTry a class

    • 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

      Grown-up jazz

      Gabe Morse · Back Room

      AdultsGrown-up classOpenTry a class

  • Thursday

    • 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm

      First steps tap

      Gabe Morse · Tap Room

      6 to 8First stepsOpenTry a class

    • 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

      Time steps tap

      Gabe Morse · Tap Room

      9 to 11Time stepsFull

    • 6:15 pm – 7:30 pm

      Rhythm phrases tap

      Deanna Gallagher · Tap Room

      12 to 17Rhythm phrasesOpenTry a class

  • Saturday

    • 9:00 am – 9:45 am

      First steps tap

      Deanna Gallagher · Tap Room

      6 to 8First stepsOpenTry a class

    • 10:00 am – 11:00 am

      Time steps jazz

      Gabe Morse · Back Room

      9 to 11Time stepsOpenTry a class

    • 11:15 am – 12:15 pm

      Grown-up tap

      Deanna Gallagher · Tap Room

      AdultsGrown-up classOpenTry a class

Sample classes.

Times change a little each session. The registration page has this week's.

Meet the teachers

Five teachers share the week at Flap. Here are two of them.

  • Deanna Gallagher, director and tap teacher, standing in a studio in a black bodysuit and long cardigan

    Deanna Gallagher

    Director, tap and jazz

    Deanna teaches the first steps, time steps and rhythm phrases classes, the performance group and the Saturday grown-up tap class, and answers the studio phone on Saturday mornings. She learned to tap in this studio as a girl, and she teaches the way she was taught: counted out loud, one sound at a time.

  • Gabe Morse, tap and jazz teacher, leaning on the barre in a gray sweater

    Gabe Morse

    Tap and jazz teacher

    Gabe teaches the Thursday and Saturday classes, the Tuesday rhythm phrases class and the grown-up classes on Monday and Wednesday. He plays drums in a local band, and every class he teaches has a groove under it.

What families write

“I took my first time step in this room, and now my daughter takes hers. The floor sounds exactly the same.”

Denise F.Parent and former student

“My son was nervous before his first Thursday class. Gabe let him make noise for ten minutes before he showed him a single step, and he asked when he could come back.”

Paul R.Parent of a nine-year-old

“I had not tapped since I was twelve. The Monday grown-up class is loud, friendly and nobody counts your mistakes.”

Linda M.Adult student

Sample reviews.

The year at a glance

This school year
  1. Applications open

    Fall registration opens

    In August

    Register on our registration page, and book a trial class if your dancer hasn't tried one.

  2. Event

    Watch week

    Week 6 of every session

    Families sit along the studio wall and watch a class.

  3. Deadline

    Costume orders

    In the winter

    Costumes are ordered in the winter for the recital.

  4. Recital

    The June recital

    In June

    A rented hall in South Portland, with open seating.

    All the dates

Sample dates.

Come and try a class

Pick a class from the schedule and book a visit. Wear something comfortable; socks are fine.

Try a class