Mary Jane Porterfield, left, Patricia Truitt, center, and Frances Farrell, right, hold hands while practicing their new tap ...

Seattle’s Jessie Sawyers calls herself a visual musician. Her instruments are her tap shoes. “Tap can play that role as the percussion element. I have done a couple of gigs around town where literally ...

Tap dancer Melinda Sullivan and jazz pianist Larry Goldings practice their musical performance together at Goldings' home studio. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) In a quiet backyard nestled ...

"I'm a tap dancer," said Jason Samuels Smith. "Some people would say a hoofer. Some people would say foot percussionist. Some people would say organic mathematician!" There are a lot of ways to ...