May 25, 2022 - National Wine Day | National Tap Dance Day

Welcome to May 25, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate inspirational libations and moving to the beat of happy feet. According to Greek mythology, there were twelve gods who lived on Mount Olympus. Of the twelve, only one was part human. Dionysus held a special place for the Greeks, not only because his mother was human, but also because he created wine. This magical beverage, like Dionysus himself, could bring both joy and inspiration to those who drank it. It could, of course, also bring drama and craziness into people’s lives—which is why the ancient Greeks considered the really zealous followers of Dionysus to be dangerous. But luckily they didn’t ruin it for the rest of us. On National Wine Day, celebrate with a glass of this heavenly libation. Like so many things in American culture, tap dance is a melding of immigrant traditions. Irish step dancing, performed with clogs, and African juba dance, which involves rhythmic clapping and stomping combined to form the basis for a new form of dance. Tap dancing merged aspects of both dances, but added metal to the bottom of shoes, giving each step a musical quality. And that combination created a style of dance unlike any other. Vaudeville popularized tap, but it was made famous by Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, who added a bit of ballroom flair to the mix. Astaire’s dance in Singin’ In the Rain may be the most memorable tap performance ever. Celebrate National Tap Dance Day by watching an old musical or by learning a few steps for yourself. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices