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Epsom Guardian, United Kingdonm
- January 29, 2009
FASTEST TAP DANCER IN THE WORLD
Clocking in at a staggering
38 taps PER SECOND, James Devine could probably
tap a morse code message to Mars in under three
minutes.
By Kate Finburg
Some world
records you could try at home like ‘The longest
time taken to suck on a polo mint’.
Others, like ‘The Fastest Dancer
in the World’ belonging to James Devine, you
probably can’t.
Clocking in at a staggering 38 taps
PER SECOND, Devine could probably tap a morse code
message to Mars in under three minutes.
His current show, Tapeire, an explosive
mix of dance, rhythm, music and video, makes its
debut visit to the Epsom Playhouse this February,
having premiered at the Edinburgh Festival in 2006
to five star reviews and packed audiences.
“The response at Edinburgh was
unprecedented, acknowledges Devine. “It’s
a risk, there are so many shows competing against
each other, we had to stand out from the crowd.
I think the critics’ reviews helped.”
The 31 year old believes he has never
been in better shape and eager to kick of the world
tour of Tapeire and contemplating an assault on
his own world record; “I am definitely stronger
and fitter now than I was when I broke the record
in Sydney. I’m not sure how much faster I could
go though!” admits Devine.
Devine starred in the original production
of Michael Flatley’s ‘Lord of the Dance’
and it was Flatley who held the world record before
Devine snatched it in 1998.
“Michael was an inspiration to
me back then,” says Devine. “My style
of dance is completely different now though, the
show crosses traditional Irish dance with the tap
world, you won’t just see 30 dancers in a line
dancing military styles.”
Mixing musical styles from celtic
to hip-hop and funk to classical, Devine even performs
a tap rendition of Flight of the Bumblebee.
“We want our audiences to think
outside the box and understand not just the steps
but the rhythm and how the dance interprets the
music. Its a fast paced, edgy and contemporary show.”
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