Swindon tap dancer and choreographer Jo Scanlan is attempting to become the world’s fastest tap dancer, when she attempts to beat the current Guinness World Record on Sunday on Sky 1 at 8pm.

Jo, of Nine Elms, West Swindon will be attempting to better the existing record of 602 beats in a minute, set by New Zealander Tony Adams, during the “Boys v Girls” section of the hit show “Guinness World Records Smashed,” presented by former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq and Steve Jones of T4 fame. 
 
Jo who has been tap dancing since she was 7, qualified as a teacher at The Judith Hockaday School of Dance, she then continued her training in London achieving Fellowship status with both the ISTD and IDTA in both tap and modern dance.

Having achieved these qualifications at the youngest age possible she continued training in America where she has performed on Broadway, and since 2005 has been awarded 3 prestigious scholarships to further her studies with The Manhattan Tap Company and the University of Oklahoma.

Jo is no stranger to British TV having previously worked on shows for Sky, BBC and ITV. Her most recent appearance was last years series of The Alan Titchmarsh Show on ITV and a performance with Lionel Blair at Littlecote House.

Jo now splits her time working as a performer, choreographer and teaching at the Countries leading performing arts colleges including Italia Conti and Sylvia Young, as well as running her own tap dance company Tap Attack and managing the England Tap Team who compete at the world championships each December.   

“I get a lot of phone calls regarding different dance jobs but this was one of the more unusual requests. The biggest problem with preparing for the challenge is that I’m not sure of the exact amount of beats I’m currently doing, it’s impossible to count at the speed I dance at, so it’s a little difficult to gauge exactly where I am in my preparations.

Also knowing how TV operates I’m going to have a long period of time between the rehearsal and the actual attempt, so keeping my muscles warm and loose so that they don’t tighten during the actual attempt is going to play a big part,” said Jo.

The weekly “Boys V Girls” segment is being led by Konnie Huqs’ girls 4-1. Competing for the boys is 19 year old Joe Dodd. The Londoner and pupil of Jo’s at Italia Conti, is also a member of the England Tap team and was ranked 12th in the world at the 2008 World Tap Dance Championships.

“It’s going to be tough trying to break the existing record, regardless of the fact I’m up against such a good dancer as Joe Dodd. Fortunately I’ve taught him everything he knows, but not everything I know!

Viewers of the series will know that there is huge competition between Steve and Konnie during the “Boys V Girls” challenge so is Jo confident of making it 5-1 to the girls? “Oh definitely my male colleagues always like to remind me of the great male tap legends, but as I always remind them Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels” she added.

To see if Jo is successful in breaking the Guinness World Record, tune in to Guinness World Records Smashed on Sky 1 on Sunday 7th June at 8pm.