Beanie Feldstein has been tap dancing in isolation.
The ‘How To Build a Girl’ actress – who is quarantining in Los Angeles with her parents amid the coronavirus pandemic – "always" danced when she was a child as part of her musical theatre ambitions and was delighted to discover that the steps are still "in [her] bones" so she’s now hoping to find virtual lessons to help refresh her skills.
She said: "I’ve always really loved tap dancing.
"Growing up, I always danced because I did musical theatre and I was very smartly told at a very young age that even though I was never going to be a dancer I should take dance because it’s a huge part of musical theatre — even if you’re not going to be at the centre of a dance number, it’s important to have those skills.
"The [type of dance] that I was always drawn to was tap and it’s a great thing because [that skill] never really goes away.
"With ballet or jazz, you have to keep up flexibility in your knees and the jumping and all these things and the second you stop doing them [the skill] seems to miraculously disappear.
"But with tap, if your ankles and your knees and your feet are working, it’s still in your bones somehow — like riding a bike.
"And my mom had just started taking tap classes with her friends before this all started, which is really sweet, so she has tap shoes so I’ve been sort of dabbling. My goal is to maybe take an online tap class or something."
The 26-year-old actress – who is in a relationship with producer Bonnie Chance Roberts – is very grateful for technology that allows her to stay in touch with people because she isn’t "very good" at being alone.
Asked what she’s learned from the last few weeks, she told The Hollywood Reporter: "I think I already knew this, but I am the most deeply extroverted person you will ever meet.
"I’m never really alone, if I’m in a room by myself I’m either listening to music or watching something or listening to a podcast or FaceTiming my girlfriend or one of my friends or my brother or something.
"I’m not someone who’s very good at being alone, but this has definitely cemented that people are my greatest source of comfort and joy.
"So, it’s just been about navigating how to do that over the phone; obviously it doesn’t feel the same, but I’m definitely so grateful for technology during this time to keep us all connected."
Beanie Feldstein tap dancing in isolation
