Young tapper talks to young dancer.

Cartier Williams is on the road again. He's in Flint, Michigan, riding in a car when I call him on his cell phone. "We're in the middle of nowhere." he says. "There's nothing to do here." He sounds bored.

Cartier is in the throes of an eight-month tour with Savion Glover in Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk. The show started on Broadway seven years ago and tells the story of African American history, from the slave ships to modern times, through tap. It opened last fall in Georgia, and since then, Noise/Funk has appeared in Maryland, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and Japan. Cartier tells me that after seven years he's used to touring with Savion. He regards him not only as his mentor but his hero. As we talk, the 13-year-old tapper is on his way to develop some tour photos for Savion's birthday.

When he was 4, Cartier learned to tap from his grandmother, Audrey Williams, who taught him the basics. Two years later he appeared on a television show called Showtime at the Apollo, and after seeing him perform, Savion invited Cartier to join him. Their first show together was called Foot Notes--The Concert. From there Cartier stepped into Noise/Funk. Not only does Savion understand that Cartier has enormous talent, but he seems to feel an affinity with the younger tapper because, like him, he grew up without a father. Savion was "fathered" by some of the remaining tap greats, and, in turn, he's a father figure for Cartier.

Life on the road sounds glamorous. You don't have to make your bed or take out the garbage. But what does a performer like Cartier do on tour when he's not dancing? Shoot pool? Play ball? Nope. He does homework, like most kids, and makes the honor roll. Technically he's still enrolled in Rosehardy Middle School in his hometown of Washington, D.C. But his mother, Aleicia Williams, who travels with him, home-schools him in math, English, German, and science. There is other work, too. He has to spend some of his time warming up in the theaters' studios and teaching beginner tap in master classes on the road. But he also sneaks in time to play his Playstation 2 games and to watch TV.

When I ask him what one of his favorite programs is, he doesn't hesitate--WWE wrestling matches, where guys haul each other around and pretend to stomp on each other's faces. "I like it a lot," he says. "I like to see people fake bleeding, get hurt, get up. It's like a soap opera." Television gives him a common culture with other kids, but he makes it clear that it's no substitute for life in D.C. In fact, he says, "There's no place like home."

In the winter of 2002, I attended a show in New York City called 21 Below honoring tap great Buster Brown, who didn't dance but entertained us with a joke. Cartier, who says Brown reminded him of his grandfather, made an appearance, and I noticed that his touch to the floor is softer than Savion's. Although their styles differ, their goal is the same--what Savion calls "passing the information on, generation to generation." That "information" is the painful, inventive, and often noble legacy of African Americans communicated through the beat of the feet for more than 400 years.

After Flint, the next stop for Noise/Funk, Cartier tells me, is Rhode Island. It's there that Cartier finally gets to see the second Harry Potter movie. What he likes about Harry Potter; he says, is that "it's suspenseful. It really has your heart jumping." For a kid whose heart is used to excitement, I think that qualifies as a rave.

JANE GOLDBERG IS ALSO A TAP DANCER. WHILE SHE BEGAN AT AGE 4 WITH A TEACHER NAMED MISS MAXINE, HER MOTHER DECIDED SHE SHOULD STUDY MODERN DANCE INSTEAD. SO, THROUGHOUT HER TEENS, JANE TRAINED IN MODERN. WHEN SHE WENT BACK TO TAP AS AN ADULT, SHE HAD TO LEARN THE BASICS ALL OVER AGAIN. LUCKILY, SHE STUDIED WITH TAP GREATS CHARLES 'COOKIE' COOK AND HONI COLES. TODAY. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT TAP TO HER IS THAT IT'S FUN.