Members of a local parenting group in Bethesda, Maryland were surprised last week when new member and stay-at-home mom Lisa Makimoto enrolled her four-year-old son Deacon in a tap dance class, despite the fact that it is not the 1920’s.
Makimoto chose the form even though spaces were available in more relevant classes like hip-hop, and timeless classics like ballet.
“Frankly, it threw us,” said Ann Givens, member of the same parenting circle. “I guess in Seattle [where Makimoto and her family recently moved from], they still do that. Maybe time moves slower out there.”
“I mean, if she wants him to work in Vaudeville, I guess it’s an okay choice.”
Makimoto has prepared Deacon with a new pair of Capezio tap shoes, a white bib tuxedo shirt, and clip-on bow tie, in spite of the fact that his peers do not wear any of those things.
Another parent believes that Makimoto is sentencing her son to social suicide: “My four-year-old is already in advanced hip-hop. They do krip walking. That’s a lot cooler on the playground than making rhythmic clicking noises with his toes, I can tell you that.”
“She knows that the last famous tap dancer was Shirley Temple, right? If she doesn’t know, someone has to tell her.”
When asked about her choice, Makimoto was defensive. “He just really loves to tap dance,” she shrugged.
