Getting in the Studio - Thinking about Tap Dancing

I decided it was time to get started working on things, beyond just thinking about them. I went into the studio for a bit today to start flushing out some tap ideas and I found that it was really difficult to find motivation to create anything. Beyond knowing that I want to create a piece that includes contemporary and tap dance, I don't have any helpful images or inspiration to get me going with this.

Something I have been thinking about with this piece is knowing that I cannot tap on the marley in the theater and I have to figure out a way to deal with that issue. I'm contemplating a landscape that builds up throughout the piece (ramps.. stairs.. platforms..???) that will create boundaries for the tap dancer, as well as a playground of sorts for the contemporary dancer. I think having props to actually work with will lend to the ability to create movement that calls for the props, but as for now its difficult to imagine. I am sending an email soon to the technical director for the department to start brainstorming ways to make all this happen... and sooner than later.

As far as research goes, I have checked out a few books from the library to get me thinking about tap from more perspectives.

Beverly Fletcher, "Tap Works: A Tap Dictionary and Reference Manual" (1997)
This book is a practical dictionary that will be helpful in expanding my knowledge of steps and other tap related information as I go. I'm hoping to find or re-find things in this book that can help me jump out of my usual patterns of tap choreography.

Mark Knowles, "Tap Roots: The Early History of Tap Dancing" (2002)
I'm not sure how useful this book will be in the choreographic aspects of my dance making, but it couldn't hurt to re-familiarize myself with the influences and early history of tap.

Jerry Ames and Jim Siegelman, "The Book of Tap: Recovering America's Long Lost Dance" (1977)
This book covers tap more throughout its journey through American history, as well as provides some instructional information from the authors for multiple levels of dancers.

Anita Feldman, "Inside Tap: Technique and Improvisation for Today's Tap Dancer"(1996)
A more practical manual for self study in tap dance, this book includes information about improvisation and choreography with chapters such as "Syncopation," "Polyrhythms," "Dynamics," and chapters on tap traditions as well as where the author sees tap moving in the future. This seems to be the most useful book of the ones I've found so far.