What is
JA's Philly TAP
Challenge "
ON FIRE!"

It's 'Over the TOP!'

Jaye Allison's Philly Tap
Challenge ON FIRE! (JAPTC) is a new idea built on the foundations of TAP
DANCE. Philadelphia is a historical site for Tap. Philly Tap Challenge is
devoted to recognizing the treasure chest Philadelphia holds for Tap and
making Tap Dance synonymous with Philadelphia. There are 3 componants:

1. Workshops with
Master teachers and Professionals


2. Philly TAP Idol Competition

v
Soloists 'Challenge' one another in an effort to earn the title in their age
category

With tap dance once again rising
in popularity, JAPTC strives to keep tap dance a vital part of American and
Philadelphia dance culture and expose a wide array of families, audiences and
tap dancers of all ages, backgrounds and abilities from all over the country
to each other, keeping this Philly tradition alive and raising the bar for the
next generation.




On Thursday June 25 until Saturday, June 27th, the 6th Annual
Jaye Allison's Philly TAP Challenge "ON FIRE!" continues to grow and
accomplish this mission. With the Tap Challenge, we are bringing back the fire
and remembering what took place in Philadelphia streets from the early
1930s-80's. We also offer workshops for people of all abilities taught by
world class master teachers and professionals, a showcase performance where
student performances are followed by some of Philly's best tap talent and
special guests, a special presentation of the Philly Master of Tap Award to
the Presenter of the festival, New LEJA Dances, the company and an opportunity
for the community to participate in Philadelphia history.

Jaye Allison's Philly Tap
Challenge 2008 ON FIRE! is underwritten by its parent organization, New (L
eon Evans Jaye Allison) LEJA Dances. New LEJA Dances
envisions a world filled with human potential and avenues for people to
achieve their goals. We develop dancers and dances of a professional quality
and create performance opportunities to the community regardless of age, race,
gender, and physical ability. By providing excellent theater and focusing on
community, we strive to be a significant force in the evolution of tradition.
We invite people to realize the potential of the human spirit in the creative
process as well as evoking an intergenerational connection with our audience
. The Philadelphia Inquirer hails, "LEJA is an American Dance Theater
organization that includes broad community involvement nourishing performers,
professional or not, and new audiences for them." Co-presented by Philadelphia
Civic Ballet Company; The oldest dance company in the Commonwealth of PA.
Planting seeds of nourishment for the arts, serving over 1 million children
with outreach programs that make dance accessible to the masses.

The Challenge determines the
best Tappers in Philadelphia and presents them on a spectacular professional
stage with featured headliners working out the Shim Sham Shimmey and an encore
performance of the triumphant work.

Winners are selected by applause
of the audience and will be awarded the coveted Challenge Award. Philly Tap
Idol and Philly Junior Tap Idol. In case of a tie, the host will break the
tie. The winners will dance with the featured professional headliners.