Arkansas Arts: Joel Ruminer
posted 4:37 pm Thu May 03, 2007 - Little Rock
(Joel Ruminer, Dance Teacher) "Two singles, two doubles, two triples, two double triples, and two traveling with a turn on the end. Five, six, seven, eight (tapping)..."
A self-proclaimed hoofer, Joel Ruminer has been tapping and teaching in Little Rock for 47 years.(Ruminer) "I love the sounds, the rhythms, the music, the chance to be creative. To talk with your feet, I've always said my brains are in my feet."
With a resume that includes teaching the likes of Gregory Hines, traveling the world teaching teachers, and writing several books on tap dancing. His House of Dance almost did not happen when the then-college student tried to open a studio in downtown Little Rock in 1961.
(Ruminer) "A bunch of the city folk gasped. Back in those days they did not want a dance school in Little Rock. So they passed an ordinance and Friday night, the night before we were going to open, boarded up the doors I mean literally boarded up the doors to what was to be Joel's House of Dance."
So Joel moved his studio one block west of Fair Park Boulevard, which was the edge of town at the time. Still at that same location, Joel now has nine teachers, and considers them one big family. He says he demands high standards but always with a positive approach.
(Ruminer) "I tell parents all the time 25 years from now I don't care if your child remembers what a shuffle ball change is, but if I can instill in them other of life's values than you have more than gotten your money's worth."
Joel says he plans to celebrate his 50th recital, and then--maybe--he'll start to slow down.
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