GHENT TAP FESTIVAL
Fourth Edition | Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 March 2026
Step into the heartbeat of rhythm at the 4th edition of the Ghent Tap Festival 2026, a weekend where sound, movement, and community meet.
This edition offers two days of tap classes for all levels, our Palmas & Tap Standards sessions, and a free initiation class for newcomers. The program also includes two performances of the tap dance show Not Dead Yet – Dances and Stories on Saturday evening.
All of this unfolds in the centre of Ghent, where culture and rhythm naturally come together. Whether you’re joining to learn or simply to enjoy the beat, the Ghent Tap Festival welcomes you to celebrate tap in its most joyful form.
Organised by Shoonya Dance Centre & Tapdance Promotion
with the support of Stad Gent
ARTIST LINE-UP
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ARTIST LINE-UP 〰️
JOSH HILBERMAN
PETER KUIT
ALEXANDRE VAN GOETHEM
LA LIZ
PROGRAM
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PROGRAM 〰️
Early Bird Registration
€30 per workshop
Available until January 30, 2026, or for the first 30 participants.
Regular Registration
€35 per workshop
Applies after January 30, 2026.
Shoonya Members
€30 per workshop
WORKSHOPS
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WORKSHOPS 〰️
JOSH HILBERMAN
In the workshops, participants will learn segments from his solo show - Not Dead Yet. After attending the performance on Saturday night, they can dive deeper by exploring key pieces from his repertory.
The intermediate class will focus on Soft Shoe tap, a style rooted in the vaudeville tradition of Joe 'Buck and Wing' Stirling, known for his decade-long career in the genre.
The advanced class will delve into the dynamic work of Brenda Bufalino, featuring material from the lively bebop dance piece "Buf’s Bop," showcased in his solo performance. These workshops offer an exceptional chance to connect with rich tap dance history and technique across levels.
PETER KUIT
With over 40 years of expertise, Peter brings a wealth of knowledge to this engaging tap workshop. Each week, he crafts six unique short choreographies, pushing his creativity by ensuring no step is repeated from previous routines. This enduring passion and commitment to innovation inspire dancers to explore fresh rhythms and movements, making every session a dynamic and rewarding experience for all levels. Join us to tap into this legacy of creativity and growth!
ALEXANDRE VAN GOETHEM
In the advanced beginner workshop, Alexandre will share his unique style. In the Tap standards workshop, you will learn the choreography shown above.
LA LIZ
Discover the magic of flamenco handclapping and use it for your own dance style. Open to dancers and rhythm lovers of all backgrounds — flamenco, tap, jazz,... Learn how to use your hands as a percussive instrument, explore different palmas sounds and patterns, and develop a deeper sense of timing, groove and musicality.
We’ll use music that crosses borders — from pure flamenco to jazzy grooves!
La Liz brings over 25 years of flamenco experience and a lifelong passion for 'Soniquete' — the art of creating that unmistakable groove that makes everything sound and flow just right.
You will learn:
Hand positioning and technique
Using palmas as a percussive instrument
Different types of palmas sounds
Offbeats and counterrhythms
Exploring different rhythms, tempos, changes and accents
PERFORMANCE - NOT DEAD YET
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PERFORMANCE - NOT DEAD YET *
Saturday, March 7 | 19:00 & 21:00 | Shoonya Theatre
Not Dead Yet – Dances and Stories is Josh Hilberman’s intimate, funny, and deeply human one-man tap dance performance. Alone on stage, Hilberman weaves together rhythm, biography, and history, paying tribute to the teachers and traditions that shaped him—spanning nearly 150 years of tap dance lineage.
With his trademark mix of humor, musicality, and technical finesse, Hilberman brings a wide range of tap styles to life: from vaudeville and soft shoe to buck-and-wing, ballet-based tap, musical theatre, and the avant-garde. Each segment becomes a conversation between past and present, honoring the voices of his mentors while revealing his own unmistakable artistic voice.
The result is a show that is rhythmic, insightful, and unexpectedly moving. Not Dead Yet celebrates the richness, complexity, and humanity of a form often misunderstood—creating an evening that resonates with dancers, musicians, and anyone who loves a good story told through sound and motion.
*Organised with the support of the City of Ghent & Gent Sport
FREE TAP DANCE TASTER CLASS
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FREE TAP DANCE TASTER CLASS 〰️
Join us on Sunday, 8 March, at 17:00 for a fun and free introduction to tap dancing!
Perfect for beginners, this class will guide you through basic steps and rhythms in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. No experience needed—just bring your enthusiasm and comfortable shoes.
Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the joy of tap dance!
Registration and Entry Guidelines
Register in advance to secure your spot as registrations will close upon reaching maximum capacity.
Your spot is confirmed only after completing registration and payment.
For the comfort and safety of everyone, we kindly request you to refrain from wearing outside shoes on the dance floors at Shoonya Dance Centre.
Outside food & drinks are not permitted at Shoonya Dance Centre. You can carry a bottle of water.
We have a delightful offering of soup and sandwiches available for purchase during lunch hours on both Saturday and Sunday.
All registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL
If you're looking for accommodation, we recommend considering shared room options in Ghent. You can explore local hotels, hostels on the VISIT GENT WEBSITE or look for room-sharing and travel together opportunities.
JOSH HILBERMAN
Joshua Hilberman is a key bridge between tap dance’s past, present, and future. His career as a performer, producer, choreographer, and teacher has taken him across the world, and since 2015 he has co-directed the Claquettes Club in Liège, Belgium—a widely admired hub for tap dance.
A dedicated student of the form, Hilberman trained with legendary tap dancers including Buster Brown, Eddie Brown, Lavaughn Robinson, and Honi Coles. He completed long-term apprenticeships with vaudeville artist Joe “Buck and Wing” Stirling and classical tap innovator Paul Draper. His primary mentor for nearly four decades has been Brenda Bufalino.
He has become a mentor himself to a new generation of leading tap artists, with former students such as Michelle Dorrance and Demi Remick. Hilberman has taught at most major tap festivals worldwide, sharing his deep musicality and understanding of tap’s roots.
As a choreographer, his works Capella Josh and The Warrior have entered the tap canon, the former performed internationally and the latter known for expanding the boundaries of the art form.
Hilberman received the Hoofers Award from the American Tap Dance Foundation in 2024 and has been recognized by institutions including the NEA, the US Presidential Scholars program, and the Barcelona tap community.
From the Claquettes Club, he co-directs the Tap Liège Festival, supporting new creations that have toured to major venues and festivals worldwide, including Jacob’s Pillow, the Joyce Theater, ADF, Avignon Off, and Edinburgh Fringe.
PETER KUIT
Peter Kuit began tap dancing in 1977 and never stopped. His tap shoes have taken him to the far corners of the world. Over the years, he has performed with jazz bands, pop bands, salsa bands, classical violinists and pianists, folk groups, poets, writers, actors, dancers, and fellow tap artists. His work appears in films and on several recordings.
With microphones attached to his shoes, Peter performed at house parties, played with a speed metal band, and toured stadiums with Candy Dulfer. From 2008 to 2020 he immersed himself in complex contemporary compositions with the boundary-pushing David Kweksilber Big Band. Since 2001 he has frequently worked under the direction of Paul Koek—and recently had the honour of co-directing alongside him.
With more than 40 years of experience, Peter is an accomplished tap teacher. Every week, he creates six short choreographies for his students and challenges himself never to repeat steps from older pieces. This personal competition has kept him inspired—and innovating—for four decades.
ALEXANDRE VAN GOETHEM
Alexandre started tap dancing with Lut when he was around 6 or 7 years old, and it became his first love right away, which it still is. He took lessons with Lut for many years, and later with Myriam Kuliasko from the Chantal Tinke Dance Studio. Alexandre joined "La tapisserie joyeuse," an improvisational tap dance group. They performed at Vooruit, Minard, Kinky Star, Charlatan, and even made the film "7 miles to the edge." After a few years of silence, Alexandre picked up tap dancing again with Lut.
He attended Lut's master's class and filled in for her during her surgery. It was then that Alexandre decided to fully commit and underwent a professional training for one year at the renowned "Luthier Dance School" in Barcelona. After that year, he started as a permanent instructor with Lut, as well as in Antwerp and Brussels.
Alexandre loves street performances, but he has also been on stage in Russia, Spain, with big bands, and as a soloist in Tapdance Promotion shows. He loves swing, improvisation, performing, and inspiring people. Rhythm and dance are something truly beautiful to him!
LA LIZ
Liz received her training in Seville and Jerez. She has performed with numerous musicians and various companies both domestically and internationally. She is the driving force behind the renowned dance company La Guardia Flamenca, where flamenco is interwoven with theater and humor.
Her years of teaching experience, strong pedagogy, and unwavering good humor are highly valued by her students. Each group works intensively on technique and body language, and a choreography is taught.
Organised with the support of Stad Gent & Gent Sport
