Asti Surveyor Takes Center Stage as Tap Dance Instructor at New York’s Top Dance Schools

Davide Accossato, a 52-year-old surveyor from Asti, Italy, is captivating students in New York City with his tap dance expertise. Balancing his professional life in Italy with a burgeoning career as an instructor at prestigious dance institutions like Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center, Accossato has become a sought-after figure in the American tap dance scene.

From Italian Roots to New York Stages

Accossato, originally from Valfenera, currently works as a surveyor for the Municipality of Villafranca. Although, his passion for dance leads him to share his skills across the Atlantic. He has been teaching at Steps on Broadway since 2017, a school often referred to as the “Mecca” of tap dance [1]. He likewise instructs approximately 200 students throughout Italy.

“I teach when I’m free from work or on weekends,” Accossato explains, highlighting the dedication required to maintain his dual career. His journey to acceptance in the competitive New York dance world wasn’t immediate. “The welcome was a bit cold, I was a stranger arriving from Italy. Then one day I entered the room and found it full,” he recalls.

American Students and a Passion for Rhythm

Accossato’s American students eagerly await his return for lessons. Although he dreams of permanently relocating to the United States, logistical challenges remain. “Staying permanently in the United States would be a dream, but also a complicated choice: «I would have to take the big step and obtain a residence permit to work there. I also have a friend who is hosting me in Queens, but it would mean leaving my job and my Italian students,” he stated.

His passion for rhythm is undeniable. “It’s impossible to sit still, tap dancing is like a drug that gets into your blood.” This passion stems from a lifelong connection to music. “When I was three years old I started with the piano, then came rock, polyphonic choirs, the organ in church and the piano bar” [3].

A Late Bloom into Dance

Accossato’s journey into dance began in 1998 after attending a reveal in Assisi. He initially studied classical dance and jazz before discovering his true calling in tap dance during a 2003 trip to New York. “In the next room there were men and women tapping their shoes on the floor following the rhythm. It was Master Charles Goddertz. I was amazed.”

He honed his skills with Giuliana Garavini and Margherita Marasigan before pursuing further training at Steps on Broadway in 2010 and later at the Luthier School of Dance in Barcelona [2]. In 2016, he returned to the United States to become a teacher at the very school where he once studied.

“Dancing is my life – he says – whether as a teacher or as a student.” His dedication is evident in his constant movement, with his feet keeping the beat everywhere he goes.

Bringing American Dance to Italy

This summer, Accossato will share his expertise in tap dance – a uniquely American art form – with audiences in Italy. He is also the organizer of the Turin Tap Festival, the first international tap dance festival in Italy, and has recently expanded his festival organization to include the Bisceglie Tap Festival and the Tuscany Tap Festival [3].