Walking through the Davis Center on Wednesday around 8 p.m., you might hear what sounds like someone rhythmically knocking on a door. 

Are those horseshoes clicking inside that room? 

Is someone hosting a celebratory dinner full of people rapidly clinking their glasses together? 

While a horse show hasn’t come to town and no dinner parties are occurring, Villanova’s one and only tap dance club, ’Nova Noise, is holding practice in the Davis Center dance studio and the members’ tap shoes can often be heard echoing throughout the room. 

Two years ago, seniors Maggie Montesanti and Brianna Mattio founded ’Nova Noise, and it has continued to grow with new members and new performances each year. 

Having been a tap dancer since she was three years old, junior Kellie Baran was immediately interested in the club during her freshman year and has been a member of ’Nova Noise ever since. 

This year, Baran, a marketing major, has taken on a leadership role in ’Nova Noise and is looking to spread the word about the relatively new club on campus. 

People who are not familiar with tap dancing usually associate it with big musical numbers and Broadway. 

Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by the sounds produced by tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion. Two major variations of tap dance exist. They are rhythm  tap and Broadway tap.Rhythm tap focuses on musicality, while Briadway focuses on dance. 

However, ’Nova Noise is more than that. Last year, they collaborated with the Irish Step Dance club and held a performance that fused both Irish inspired and tap dance inspired choreography. 

Baran explains that tap is much different from what many people think it is, insisting that the style of tap dance can change depending on the tapper: 

“It’s all up to what you want it to be,” she says, even giving an example of her former tap teacher who loved dancing to rock music.

This year the club has grown to about 20 members and always welcomes new tappers. 

“No tryout is necessary,” Baran said. “We are just looking for people who love to tap and have fun.” 

During weekly Wednesday practices, Baran explains that the members usually spend time warming up, working on new skills, learning a choreographed tap combination, and finishing up with a bit of tap improvisation. 

“It’s a fun environment focused on listening to each other and sharing our skills and different backgrounds,” Baran said. 

Baran’s favorite part of ’Nova Noise is “definitely the passion that members share for tap.” 

She explains that the club is a place for students from all different parts of campus to unite in a common interest and share a love of dance, no matter their level of talent or previous experience. 

Looking ahead, Baran has big plans for the club. 

She says that she hopes to have at least two performances in the next semester. 

She is also excited about the possibility of hosting a ’Nova Noise trip to New York City for a weekend of tap dance workshops or even inviting tap teachers to Villanova to host a few classes. 

Although ’Nova Noise has been on campus for two years now, it is still a relatively new club and is open to any new members. 

Baran explains that no experience is necessary and she thinks of ’Nova Noise as more of a fun, easygoing club than as a competitive dance team. 

Whether you have been tapping for years or are just looking to pick up a new activity, joining ’Nova Noise and becoming part of the sound that echoes from the Davis Center studio every Wednesday is the perfect opportunity.