Portland's Skylark Tappers will lead master tap classes as part of the sixth annual Tap Festival. Submitted photo

The sixth annual Tap Festival is adding MASTER CLASSES in tap on Saturday, May 2. All area tap dancers are welcome to participate in classes from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. for ages 7 through 12, and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. for ages 13 and older. The fee for the class is $15 and it will be taught by members of the Skylark Tappers of Portland, a group that was formed in 1983, directed by Judy Tibbles. They have performed for the Portland Opera, Lake Oswego’s “Festival of Trees” and the Portland Rose Festival. The company members are all accomplished in ballet, jazz, modern and musical theater and have worked with many well-known tap greats such as Arthur Duncan and Charles “Honi” Coles.

The master classes will be followed by a 7 p.m. PERFORMANCE at the Clatsop Community College Performing Arts Center, 588 16th St., in conjunction with the college’s Arts and Ideas Program. Performers will include students of Maddox Dance Studio, with faculty members Ron Smith, Alice Thompson, Andrea Kaul, Sara Strite and Jeanne Peterson. Annual guests in addition to the Skylark Tappers include Hollywood Dance Center of Portland, directed by Marilynne Belden; the Tapped Out Tappers of Astoria, directed by Debbie Lake; the Main Street Tappers, North Coast adult dancers from Maddox Studio.

The audience finale of the show will be the “Shim Sham,” considered the national anthem of tap dance.

Admission is $10 for adults. Children younger than 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.