About T&TP - Ballet & Tap Dance Choreography Software (Point and Click)

Tap & Technology Productions, LLC was founded in 2007 by Karen Buchheim and Caroline Petrulis of Virginia Beach, VA.

In 2005 Karen and Caroline collaborated to create a symbolic language and an accompanying patented computer software application called Tappinese® designed to simplify the reading, writing, recording, and teaching of tap dance.

In 2009 we introduced Balletinese® a revolutionary software application designed to simplify the reading, writing, and recording of the ballet class plan and choreographer’s notes.

"Our mission is to unite the rich traditions of ballet and tap dance with the ease and convenience of modern day technology."

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Karen Buchheim

Karen has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Old Dominion University and has taught dance at ODU, and Christopher Newport University. She performed with the ODU Ballet for many years. She has been teaching in the Old Donation Center Dance Education Program of The Virginia Beach City Public Schools since 1986. She teaches dance full-time to selected students in grades three through eight who attend one full day a week as part of their regular school schedule. She was selected Teacher of the Year 2004 for Old Donation Center. This was a true honor in a school that has a full time academic program for gifted students and has dance education and visual arts programs for gifted students. Prior to that, she owned a private studio in Virginia Beach. She is active in local community theater as a performer, director and choreographer. She is the recipient of two Portfolio Awards, one for Best Choreographer and one for Best Supporting Actress.

Visit Karen's blog for reflections on her quest to expedite the writing and preservation of tap dance choreography at The Contemplative Tap Dancer.

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Caroline Petrulis

Caroline earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Old Dominion University in 1986. Over the past years she has worked on various advanced software projects which included federal defense contracts; touch screen and credit card processing applications for restaurants and sports stores; accounting and administrative document imaging applications for various companies which included a commercial manufacturer, federal and state government agencies, and an international transportation company.

She met Karen Buchheim in 1988. It was then she was introduced to the world of dance. Beginning in 1988 she became involved with designing and building sets for the Old Dominion University Ballet Department productions as well as helping with the video taping of seasonal company dance performances. Expanding her interest in dance she enrolled in adult ballet classes and eventually became a performer in the ODU Ballet’s annual presentations of The Nutcracker in 1990 and 1991.

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