Mia Pacitto Brings the Tap Dancing Revival to Vero
Across the country, tap is enjoying a revival that would make its Golden Age stars proud, from a new off-Broadway show that ends with the whole audience tapping out rhythms to a generation of young dancers drawing millions of views online, and up north, the scene is enormous. Locally, Mia Pacitto is leading the charge on the Treasure Coast, where Riverside Theatre is among the stages and studios keeping the art alive, and where she is heading into her tenth year teaching.
Pacitto’s career has played on stages around the world, with lead roles, international tours and choreography that has won national awards. Lately, her work has gone airborne in routines she builds with her teenage daughter, a professional circus performer, which have earned invitations to international festivals and spots on television.
Tap came first. Pacitto excelled at it as a girl and in college, then spent much of her 20+ year teaching career on jazz before returning to tap, lighting what she calls “a creative fire that just keeps burning.” She borrows from the Golden Age greats and legends like Chita Rivera as freely as from the young stars of tap’s online renaissance, creating a mix that is entirely her own.
For proof that tap has lost none of its charm, look no further than Riverside’s stage, where My Vaudeville Man is playing now. Secure your seats here or by calling the box office at (772) 231-6990.
