Dancer/Teacher/Staff Biographies

Chloe Arnold (Guest Teacher) Dancer/Actress/Director/Choreographer was recently featured in Beyonce’s music video “Upgrade You”, the new hit show Imagine Tap, Outkast’s new movie Idlewild, Sean Paul’s music video for the movie Step Up and at Sadlers Wells, London & City Center, NYC in Jason Samuels Smith’s ACGI. Currently co-director of the Los Angeles Tap Festival, Chloe was Associate Choreographer for ABC’s American Celebration, Debbie Allen’s Pearl in Los Angeles, and is choreographer for her group Syncopated Ladies. Performance credits include Debbie Allen’s Brothers of the Knight, Soul Possesed, Sammy (the life and times of Sammy Davis Jr.), Savion Glover’s All Star Tap Revue, Thank You Gregory!, and The Oneness Awards honoring Michael Jackson.Film and television appearances include UPN’s The Parkers, One on One, Nickelodeon’s Brothers Garcia, The Jerry Lewis Telethon (Emmy Award Winning number), Dean Hargrove’s short film Tap Heat, and the AMC documentary Cool Women. Currently on faculty at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in LA, Chloe has taught at the Broadway Dance Center in NYC, P. Diddy’s Summer Youth Program, NYCDA, Brazil, Japan, Germany, and more. Through teaching and performing internationally, Chloe passionately hopes to inspire others. Chloe graduated from Columbia University with a degree in film where she also studied theater, has directed short films and independent music videos, and has produced over 20 shows.

Brandy Blaha (Education Assistant/Teacher) is currently dancing weekly at the Cotton Club with Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, "Sophisticated Lady's". Before moving to New York she received her Bachelor's Degree of Fine Arts in Dance from Wayne State University in Detroit. She is a member of C3 Tap Cooperative as well as Undertoe Dance Project based in New York City. Recent performance credits include the American Tap Dance Foundations "Tap and Song", "On Tap" at Joe's Pub, "Broadway Underground" at BB Kings in Time Square and The 28th Annual Downtown Dance Festival. She has worked with many choreographers such as Jason Samuels Smith, Brenda Bufalino, Michelle Dorrance, Joshua Hilberman and Jared Grimes. Brandy is currently teaching at Creative Arts Studio in Brooklyn, NY and continues to guest teach at studios in the Midwest and tri-state area.
Hjördis Linn-Blanford (ATDF Administrative Director) has worked as a mask maker, stage manager, performer and puppeteer.  She is a proud graduate of City College New York, Summa Cum Laude, member Phi Beta Kappa, who is fortunate to work with an enormous number of talented dancers, teachers, administrators, designers, board members and volunteers who bring rhythm to life and life to rhythm!
Frances Bradley (Teacher) A Flint, MI native, Frances began her training under the guidance of her father, Bruce Bradley, at Creative Expressions Dance Studio. She served as an instructor and choreographer for the “Flintstone Hoofers” and “Tapology Youth Tap Ensemble”. A 2006 graduate of Philadelphia’s University of the Arts with a BFA in Illustration, she worked recently for the world renowned performer Savion Glover for a year at his newest dance studio “The Hooferz Club”. She was the featured soloist and tap dancer for international touring company “IIIstyle and Peace Productions”. Other notable performances would include: “Tap Masters Honorarium” in Oklahoma City; Savion Glover’s “Footnotes” in Detroit, MI; The 2000 National Tap Dance Day “Tap Extravaganza” in NYC; “Bubblin’ Brown Sugar” in Atlanta, GA;, and the West Oak Lane Jazz and Arts Festival in Philadelphia. As a visual artist, Bradley has been recognized through the National Conference of Artists in Philadelphia where she received the Artist Legacy Award and awarded studio space through 40th St. “Artist in Residence” program in Philadelphia. Because of her strong passion for social change through the arts, she founded “The Murals of Mali Project”, a project based organization dedicated to teaching diverse forms of art to communities in the countries of Mali, and using mural art to beautify the impoverished areas. From the fall of 2008 to present, Frances has been the Exhibition Coordinator at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, and from 2006-2009 she has served as an art instructor for the Mural Arts Program in Philadelphia. Her work has also been featured in publications such as Ghubar Magazine, and online International fashion magazine based in Paris, France. Her work has also been viewed in art galleries, and commissioned for homes throughout the east coast and across the country.
Brenda Bufalino (ATDF Artistic Mentor/Teacher) is a mixed genre artist; choreographer and tap dancer, a dancer who sings, tells stories, writes books, works clay into shapes that dance, and paints pictures. She has performed her one person shows Internationally and has appeared as a guest soloist at Town Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Kennedy Center among other major venues. In February 2009, she premiered her latest show “Primordial Memories” at the Judson Church in NYC as part of Tony Waag’s “Sound Check Series.” She mentors, lectures and teaches master classes internationally and teaches many workshop series for the American Tap Dance Foundation in New York City throughout the year. As artistic director/ choreographer of The American Tap Dance Orchestra she toured America and Europe with her company, and appeared at The Joyce Theatre, and on PBS “Great Performances…..Tap Dance in America with Gregory Hines.” For many years Ms. Bufalino collaborated and toured extensively with her mentor Charles “Honi” Coles. She has received consecutive grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and is a NYFA fellow. Her critically acclaimed book “Tapping the Source…. tap dance stories, theory and practice” is published by Cod Hill Press. She has created numerous DVD’s and CD’s…. tapping, singing, teaching and telling stories, which are available from her web-site. She is the recipient of the Flobert Award, The Tapestry Award, and The Tap City Hoofers Award, all for outstanding achievement and contributions to the field of tap dance.
www.brendabufalino.com
Photo by Lois Greenfield
Elizabeth Burke (Teacher) is a Chapel Hill, North Carolina native and proud alumna of the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble, with whom she spent eleven seasons. As an ensemble member, Burke served as a choreographer and performed extensively throughout the United States at venues such as the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Tap City: The New York City Tap Festival, the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, DC, the Southeastern Tap Explosion in Atlanta, GA, as well as in Finland, Canada, Mexico, and Germany, where she made her international debut as a soloist. She also had the opportunity to collaborate and choreograph with Jim Ketch and the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra, and her work was presented at the University of North Carolina’s Memorial Hall and at the Durham Performing Arts Council. She also performed in conjunction with Merge Records and their 20th anniversary “Merge with Motion” performance at the Carolina Theater in Durham, NC, where her choreography and solo work was presented, and she has collaborated with the Mallarme Chamber Players and their Orchestra. Shortly following her relocation to New York City to pursue her education at Marymount Manhattan College and professional tap career, Burke was featured on the December, 2010 cover of DanceSpirit Magazine as “Tap’s Fresh New Face,” and in the Spring, 2011 publication of Marymount Manhattan College’s ArtFusion News. As a founding member of Dorrance Dance, Burke has performed with Michelle Dorrance and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards in “A Shared Evening” as part of PLATFORM 2011: Body Madness, Part 2 – Rhythm & Humor curated by David Parker at the Danspace Project at St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery, at Radio City Music Hall, at the Inside/Outside Stage at Jacob’s Pillow, and the Beantown Tap Festival. Other performance credits include Elon University with Michelle Dorrance and Luke Hickey, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, at which her choreography has been presented, Symphony Space in New York City, the Third Coast Rhythm Project in San Antonio, TX, the Los Angeles Tap Festival, Hoofin’ Ground in Charlotte, NC with Matthew Shields, the Tap Extravaganza, Summerstage 2011, and the Pulse Convention in New York City, as well as the North Carolina Rhythm Tap Festival with Michelle Dorrance and Martin “Tre” Dumas, among other dancers. Burke has also taught tap at various studios and locales in the Carolinas, including Elon University, Guilford College, and the South Carolina Tap Intensive, aside from assisting Gene Medler, Dianne Walker, Brenda Bufalino, and other master teachers at various festivals nationally.
Michelle Dorrance (Guest Teacher) is one of the most sought after tap dancers of her generation. She currently performs with the Off-Broadway production STOMP and is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center. A North Carolinian by birth and a New Yorker since 1997, Michelle has been tap dancing her whole life. She was formally trained at the Ballet School of Chapel Hill under youth tap trailblazer Gene Medler. Michelle started performing at the age of 8 with Medler's company, the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble at the early tap festivals of the 1990's and grew with them, receiving international acclaim. An incredibly diverse dancer, Michelle has since established herself as an accomplished solo artist, teaching master classes and performing from Monaco and Moscow to Tokyo and Tel Aviv. She has been honored to work with Heather Cornell's Manhattan Tap, Savion Glover's Ti Dii, Barbara Duffy & Co., Max Pollak's Rumba Tap, Tony Waag’s Tap City on Tour, Ayodele Casel's Diary of a Tap Dancer, Mable Lee's Dancing Ladies, Harold Cromer's Opus One, Derick Grant's Imagine Tap!, Lynn Daly’s Jazz Tap Ensemble and Jason Samuels-Smith's Charlie's Angels: A tribute to Charlie Parker. Michelle's choreography has been performed throughout the country and internationally and has been featured at Jacob's Pillow with Cintia Chameki's Ritmico, at Birdland with members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, as well as in a commercial for Toyota Taiwan. In 2007, The Brothers Timofeyevich won second place at the World Championships in Germany performing her choreography. She has been known to appear dancing on stage with underground music icons The Squirrel Nut Zippers, Bitch and Animal and Darwin Deez. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts from New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, and is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center. She would like to thank all the Masters of the art form whom she's had the opportunity to study with for their indefatigable love and inspiration and genius.
Barbara Duffy (Teacher) is “one of the most inventive tappers around…..”, said the late Gregory Hines. Barbara’s performance highlights include “THE GREGORY HINES SHOW”, where she was a featured dancer, actress and choreographer, “GALA FOR THE PRESIDENT”, performing with Gregory Hines before President and Mrs. Bill Clinton and as dance captain and featured dancer in Brenda Bufalino’s AMERICAN TAP DANCE ORCHESTRA. Barbara performs as a featured soloist across the United States and overseas, including London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, where she was hailed as “a riveting performer” by the Independent. Her all women ensemble, Barbara Duffy & Company has performed at the Duke Theatre, NYC, the Joyce Theater, NYC, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, NYC, the University of Richmond, the Tanz Haus Theatre in Dusseldorf, Germany, Jacob’s Pillow and with Tap City On Tour. A highly sought after teacher, Barbara has taught at numerous workshops and festivals in 20 countries. When not on the road, Barbara teaches classes in New York City at Broadway Dance Center and Steps On Broadway. Her greatest inspirations are Brenda Bufalino, the late Leon Collins and the late Gregory Hines.

Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards (Guest Teacher) has been apart of almost every major Tap movie or show that has appeared in the history of tap dance since the 80's. She was nominated for best actress for her starring role in the award-winning Independent film "The Rise and Fall of Miss Thang". In addition to opening the Harlem Tap Studio in NYC, Mrs. Sumbry-Edwards continues to appear as a special guest for shows and festivals around the world. She was also elected to the Advisory Board as the Tap Advisor for Dance Magazine and the official Tap Spokesperson for Capezio along with her family, as well as being featured in their international advertising campaign. Mrs. Sumbry-Edwards was also the private tap instructor to the iconic Michael Jackson over the course of 11 years. Mrs. Sumbry-Edwards career includes acclaimed runs on Broadway and off-Broadway in shows such as Black and Blue, the Tony Award Winning Bring In Da’Noise, Bring In Da’Funk, International Tour of Bring in Da’Noise, Bring in Da’Funk (dance captain/principal dancer/understudy to the lead role), and Imagine Tap! (featured soloist). Other performances include the national tour of Wild Woman Blues and Debbie Allen’s SAMMY (the life and times of Sammy Davis Jr.). Film credits include “TAP” with Gregory Hines, Spike Lee's “Bamboozled” (Assistant Choreographer), and “The Rodgers and Hart Story: Thou Swell, Thou Witty”. Mrs. Sumbry-Edwards’ choreography has been featured in TAAP: The Art & Appreciation of Percussion and was also utilized in Michael Jackson's music video “Rock My World”. She was also spotlighted in a commercial for Tops and was most recently featured on MTV’s hit television series MADE.
Photo by Eduardo Patino

Derick K. Grant (Teacher) is a performer, choreographer, director who has an established career that spans over three decades. Under the direction of Tony Award winning director George C. Wolfe, he was an original company member and Dance Captain for Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk at both The Public Theater and on Broadway and starred in the role of ‘da beat for the first National Tour of Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk. Mr. Grant created the critically acclaimed show Imagine Tap! and was appointed as the Co-Artistic Director of Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s Rhythm World Summer Festival. His choreography was featured on Fox’s hit series So You Think You Can Dance and he has performed and recorded with Grammy Award winner Dan Zanes. Mr. Grant was the recipient of the Princess Grace Award for Upcoming Young Artist, The Helen Hayes Award (Washington D.C.) for Outstanding Featured Actor as well as two additional for his role in Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk. Mr. Grant also received two Los Angeles Ovation Awards for choreography and for best Ensemble performance in Noise/Funk, and was most recently recognized for Best Choreography for Imagine Tap! He is currently a corporate Tap spokesperson for SoDanca and continues to transform and inspire dance communities around the world.
Susan Hebach (ATDF Youth Program/ TCYE Director/Teacher) considers herself a graduate of “Woodpeckers Tap Dance Center” where she was fortunate to study with a diverse group of master tap artists such as her mentor, Brenda Bufalino, and other inspirational teachers such as Barbara Duffy, Robin Tribble, Margaret Morrison, Josh Hilberman, Lynn Dally, and Diane Walker to name a few. As a choreographer, she enjoys developing new works and collaborating with fellow dancers of “The Tap Collective”, a tap company she founded in 1996. Her choreography has been featured in events such as “VII Nit de Claque” in Barcelona, Spain, to the offbeat “Vaudeville 2000” at LaMama ETC Theater and “The Elegance of Comedy of Tap”, hosted by Bill Irwin at NYC Town Hall, and Tap City, The New York City Tap Festival. Susan is the director of the ATDF Youth Program, as well as the Tap City Youth Ensemble. She has also served on the dance faculty for Oklahoma City University and Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri as visiting guest artist. Susan has also written a book for and after school young reader series, called “Tap Dance”, by Rosen Publishing.
Ryan Johnson (Guest Teacher), a native of Baltimore, Maryland, began dancing under the direction of his mother Vanessa Jackson Johnson at Turn Out Performing Arts Center. He continued to develop his passion for dance at Slater’s Dance Studio in Annapolis, Maryland, where he became a well-named tap dancers in Baltimore. Ryan has performed with well know artists such as Marvin Hamlish, Donnie McClurkin, Jason Samuels Smith, and the late Gregory Hines. At the age of twenty-two he created Raw Sound Tap Company with the soul purpose to teach, restore and preserve the history of Tap Dance in the Maryland area. Like many, Ryan has participated in numerous tap programs and festivals across the United States. He has also been commissioned by studios across the county to create choreography through workshops and residency programs. He is currently working to develop Daring Artist Making Noise, a non-profit dance company committed to restoring the performing arts in Baltimore. Ryan’s most recent achievement was being cited for his choreography and solo dance performance, receiving a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council in 2008. Currently Ryan is the soloist in the world renowned Step Afrika, the first professional dance company dedicated to preserving the art form of Stepping, Gumboot, and Tap. As a soloist, he creates innovative choreography nightly, which has been seen all across the USA, Canada, and Asia.
Lisa La Touche (Teacher) From Calgary, Canada to Chicago, IL and now residing in New York City, Lisa La Touche is honored to be an active part of the tap dance community and a cast member of New York’s off broadway production - STOMP. Credits have also included “Blood on the dance floor” Tribute to Michael Jackson by Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards,  “ACGI w/ Curtis Lundy and Bobby Watson” with Jason Samuels Smith and also his renowned “Charlie’s Angels” honoring the music of Charlie Parker, “Tap into Peace”, a story told to the music of Stevie Wonder choreographed by Sarah Savelli and Ayodele Casel, and “Sophisticated Ladies” honoring the music of Duke Ellington.   You can currently see her perform at Harlem’s legendary Cotton Club and study with her at Steps on Broadway and the American Tap Dance Foundation.  She also has her own group the “Tap Phonics” and works with the collaborative group “The Tap Messengers Of New York”.  They have appeared tap dancing in NYC’s jazz music scene with ensembles such as the Revive Da Live big band and the Marcus Strickland Quartet to name a few.   She also works with dance companies such as Max Pollak’s Rumba Tap, Barbara Duffy and Co., and currently works alongside Cecelia Leal Calloway honoring her father Cab Calloway and his musical Legacy. Internationally, Lisa has taught and performed at the Brazilian Tap Festival, Germany’s Munich On Tap, London’s Pineapple Studios, Hamburg’s Hoofer School, The L.A. Tap Festival, CHRP’s Rhythm World, NYC’s Tap City, The St. Louis Tap Festival, San Antonio 3rd Coast Rhythm Project, The Vancouver Tap Festival and the Eastern Canadian Tap Conference to name a few.  While previously living in Chicago, she worked as Artistic Associate for Lane Alexander’s Chicago Human Rhythm Project, danced with his ensemble “BAM!” and was honored to be American media spokesperson for the Beijing International Dance Festival on their behalf.  She worked also alongside Tre Dumas’ with JusLisTeN as dancer and choreographer, was earlier Assistant Director, Choreographer and dancer for Bril Barrett's M.A.D.D. Rhythms, and founded their International extension, M.A.D.D. Rhythms Canada in Calgary, Canada. With an extensive background studying different styles of dance, she has had mentorship by Chicago Jazz Dance legend Joel Hall and MTV award winning choreographer Sean Cheesman.   She is currently studies music theory and can find her most often at various jazz clubs in NYC.  She is continuously striving for new heights and ways to collaborate with fellow artists and is truly honored, humbled and inspired by all those she meets along her journey.  For more information please visit lisalatouche.com
Michela Marino-Lerman (Teacher) first appeared on Sesame Street at the age of 5. In February 2002 she was showcased on the cover of Dance Teacher magazine with Gregory Hines. In 2005, she was named by Dance Spirit magazine as one of the 20 hottest tap dancers under 20 and in 2008, Dancemagazine named her as the only female tap dancer in its “25 to Watch in 2008.” Michela has appeared in both the Tap Extravaganza and Tap City numerous times over the past ten years. She won first prize in the Harlem Jazz Dance Festival’s, “Hoofer’s Challenge” in both 2002 and 2003. In 2002, Michela performed with Jennifer Holliday on Broadway in Nothing Like A Dame and also in 21 Belowat Town Hall. In 2003, she was inducted into the famed Copasetics as their first and only female lifetime honorary member. In 2004-2006, Michela toured Spain and Japan with Rafael Amargo’s Enramblao. In the fall of 2005, her choreography was featured in the tap section of the opening number for the Bermuda Music Festival with UDP, starring Al Green, Angie Stone, and Patti LaBelle. At the age of 19, she was commissioned by Dixon Place to create and direct her own show, entitled AM+bu$h+ED. 2007 saw Michela tour Europe for 3 months as a lead dancer in the hit show Magic of the Dance and also appear in Sarah Savelli and Ayodele Casel’s Tappy Holidays. In 2008-2009, she was featured in the show hit “Wonderland,” an all tap show set to Stevie Wonder’s music and also in Chris Scott’s show W-L-U-V. In 2008 she appeared on CBS’s Secret Talents of the Stars with Grammy award singer Mya, performing the choreography of Emmy award winner Jason Samuels Smith. Since 2007, Michela has been a featured performer at NYC’s hottest nightclub, The Box. She recently danced with the Roy Hargrove at the Jazz Gallery and the Village Vanguard. She has also been commissioned by the American Tap Dance Foundation and HarlemStage to show her new work entitled Tapsploitation. Recently she has been co-creator in forming the tap dance company The Tap Messengers who have performed at the CareFusion Jazz Festival with Talib Kweli and Nicholas Payton in the Revive Da Live Big Band, Joe’s Pub, and HarlemStage opening for Marcus Strickland. Michela is grateful for the mentoring and guidance given to her by Buster Brown, Gregory Hines, and Leroy Myers. She has also studied with Jason Samuels Smith, Henry LeTang, Baakari Wilder, Ayodele Casel, Derek Grant, Dianne Walker, and many other gifted teachers. She has taught in numerous schools, studios, programs, and festivals throughout the world. As a performer, teacher, director, and choreographer Michela is dedicated to spreading the art of tap around the world.

Christiane Matallo (Guest Teacher) began her dance studies at two years of age, with a strong background in classical ballet. In 1993, she graduated from the College of Dance at the Unicamp in Campinas, Brazil and was invited to teach American Tap Dance in Queens, New York. Christiane began her career as an instructor when she was 13 and was awarded for Best Choreography by the National Meeting of Dance – ENDA in Brazil. She most recently became the first tap dancer to be featured in Brazilian Carnival with the group Mocidade Alegra in Sao Paulo which won the annual competition. IIn 1995, Christiane established her School of Dance known as the Christiane Matallo Studio de DanÇa, offering American tap dance, Irish step dancing, jazz, hip hop, classical ballet, contemporary and modern dance. In 1997, she was invited to participate in a Virtual Reality Project for the NICS – Unicamp (Interdisciplinary and Sound Space of Communication) called AtoContAto, based on a new gestual interface. As the researcher, Christiane continues to study new possibilities to express the dance using technological elements. In 1998, Christiane gave her first International Workshop in Bristol – England at the ACM (Association of Computer Machinery). In 1999, she taught Tap dance with an emphasis on Brazilian Rhythms in Vienna, Austria and also presented the work of Virtual Tap, now known as Tap Contact. In 2000, she initiated an artistic social work of American Tap Dance, in partnership with the RAC (Net Anhanguera of Communication) for the “School Project”, a program that cares for about forty underprivileged children in the City of Campinas. The program allows them to study lessons and attend presentations of Tap. In 2001, Christiane taught and performed as a featured artist in the Annual St. Louis Tap Festival under the direction of Robert Reed. As a result of her continued accomplishments in the Art Form of Tap, Christiane appeared on Global TV several times in addition to several other programs. She also participated as a special guest artist in The New York City Tap Festival and Los Angeles Tap Festival in the US. Christiane’s original style and performance has been highly respected and attended, as her Original show “Da Corda Pro Pe” with Gilberto de Syllos has already been attended by over 100,000 people. The show also showcases her ability to play tenor sax and piano while dancing. Christiane recently founded the first Annual Tap Festival in Sao Paulo, in addition to running the Annual Tap Festival in Campinas, now in its sixth year. She continues to participate in workshops throughout Brazil and festivals worldwide.
Deborah Mitchell (Guest Teacher) is the Founder and Artistic Director of New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble. This St. Louis, MO native is known throughout the New York area as a distinguished tap professional. She is the protégé of Leslie “Bubba” Gaines of the Copasetics and student of many tap masters including Broadway Choreographer Henry LeTang. Her many credits include The Cotton Club Motion Picture, Broadway and Paris Productions of Black and Blue, PBS Great Performances, 5 international tours with the legendary Cab Calloway, and a partnership with Philadelphia native Germaine Goodson as The Rhythm Queens. Under the direction of Ms. Mitchell, New Jersey Tap Ensemble is one of the most prominent touring tap dance companies in the state of New Jersey. Ensemble tours have included in New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Lincoln Center, Town Hall, and The Duke on 42nd Street, Tilles Center and the Joyce. She is producer of the NJTAP Touring Tap Boot Camp and participates annually in festivals such as the New York City Tap Festival, St. Louis Tap Festival and Traditions In Tap. She was a guest panelist on the subject of tap as an American art form at the Dance in the Millennium Conference, Washington, D.C. and participates in national and international programs such as the International Tap Association that focus on the promotion and perpetuation of tap dancing. Having attained a Masters Degree in Social Work from Indiana University, Ms. Mitchell is a strong advocate for arts education. As a Principal Affiliate of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center for 6 years, she participated in the Center’s Dance Academy both as a tap an instructor and as a workshop facilitator. Ms. Mitchell was instrumental in establishing tap dance as a technique to be offered to children participating in the Dance Academy. A master teacher and motivational speaker about the art form in many educational venues especially in New Jersey and throughout the tri-state, she also provides In-Service Training to teachers and dance educators throughout the tri-state area. Ms. Mitchell is author, director and choreographer of the Doll Shop Arts in Education presentation musical specifically developed for school age children grades K-5th. An extension of her work with the NJ Tap Touring Ensemble is the Youth Company, the pre-professional division of the company serving young artists ages 12-17. Ms. Mitchell is Chairman of the Tap Department of Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts, Montclair, NJ on the advisory Board of Tony Waag’s Tap City in NY and Assistant Director/Choreographer for Theater Workshop/Peppermint Players, Marie Foster, Director and a Board Member for Alliance for Arts Education/New Jersey. In recognition of National Tap Dance Day 2006, Savion Glover presented Ms. Mitchell with an award for giving tirelessly to the spirit and legacy of tap dancing. In March 2007, Dean John Bedford and Jo Rowan, Dance Department Chairman of Oklahoma City University, Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts management presented her with the Living Treasure Award “for preserving our American culture in her feet, in her mind and in her spirit.” In May 2007, Ms. Mitchell was chosen by The New York Committee to Celebrate National Tap Dance Day as one of the Flo-Bert Honorees.
Margaret Morrison (ATDF Education Advisor/Teacher) is a rhythm tap soloist, choreographer, and researcher who performs and teaches across the US , Europe and Brazil . In 2010 she completed her MFA in Dance through the American Dance Festival/Hollins University. Margaret's current tap performance and writing projects explore gender, race, social meaning, and history in tap dance. In 2011 she is developing a tap/theater work on Alice and Bert Whitman, she will present new research on women tap dancers at the Congress on Research in Dance, and will publish her research paper "Juanita Pitts: Gender, Race, and the Female Hoofer." Margaret began her performing career in 1986 as a founding member of the American Tap Dance Orchestra, directed by Brenda Bufalino. As a soloist she has been hailed by critics as "feather-footed and musically astute," and a "consummate artist who breaks the mold.” Margaret’s tap workshops emphasize musicality and creativity, with a particular emphasis on improvisation, composition, and performance skills. As Education Advisor of the ATDF, she over-sees the Foundation’s training programs, including Tap City , the New York City Tap Festival. She is a graduate of Barnard College , where she is currently on the faculty of the Dance Department, directing the Tap Ensemble, teaching tap technique and a history course "Tap as an American Art Form." Visit www.MargaretMorrison.com.
Toni Noblett (Teacher) Toni’s background includes being the owner and Artistic Director of a private studio for thirty years. Currently she is a full-time teaching artist for Rosie’s Broadway Kids, a nonprofit organization bringing musical theatre training to New York public school children. In addition to being a part-time faculty member for the Youth Programs sponsored by the American Tap Dance Foundation, the National Dance Institute, the Professional Performing Arts High School, she also is the tap instructor RBK’s Spotlight on Fitness Program which serves an entire elementary school, PS 51, in Hell’s Kitchen. In the Spring of 2008, Toni served as Rosie O’Donnell’s tap coach for NYC Encore’s Production of No No Nannette, for a comic segment on “Rosie Live!” and in 2009 for a pre-production showing of Babes in Arms. She is presently working on developing a tap syllabus for primary students, which emphasizes the importance of musicality and musicianship in the first years of tap training. To that end she is also a yearly guest teacher for Broadway Dance Center’s Teacher Workshop.

Max Pollak (Teacher), named one of the "25 to Watch in 2007" by Dance Magazine, was inspired by the virtuosic footwork displayed by many of the greats in American film, and most importantly, jazz music. A native of Austria, he has been tapping since the age of 11, and playing drums and percussion since the age of 14. At age 17 Max was first exposed to the African American style of rhythm tap when seventy-one-year-old Carnell Lyons became his first mentor. Lyons, a Kansas City-born childhood friend of Charlie Parker, had toured the world successfully as a member of the vaudeville acrobatic tap act "Jesse, James and Carnell". Settling in West Berlin in the 1960s, Lyons became the pioneer of rhythm tap pedagogy in Europe. While completing his theater degree at the Theater-an-der-Wien Musical Theater School in Vienna, from 1988-1990, Pollak became an accomplished professional drummer and tap improviser. After working in several large musical theater productions in Germany and Austria, including one under the direction of Broadway choreographer Michael Shawn, he moved to New York City at the invitation of Heather Cornell, artistic director of the Bebop tap quartet Manhattan Tap. His tenure with the company lasted until 1997. During the early 1990s, the most important breeding ground for emerging tap talent was the weekly tap jam session hosted by tap legends Dr. Jimmy Slyde, Dr. Buster Brown, Chuck Green, and Lon Chaney at the New York City jazz club La Cave. Pollak was a regular, taken under the wing of the masters. For three years, he also co-hosted a weekly tap jam session at the East Village club Deanna's. Pollak also furthered his musical studies in jazz at New York's prestigious New School, graduating in May 1995. It was Latin percussion master Bobby Sanabria, though, who introduced Pollak to the earth shattering power and spiritual depth of Afro-Cuban music. Pollak soon began incorporating elements of Afro-Cuban jazz and folkloric music in his performances, developing the concept he calls "RumbaTap", a melding of Afro-Cuban music and dance, American jazz, body percussion, and tap dance. One of Pollak's crowning achievements was to receive a grant from Arts International in 2001 to help establish Cuba's first tap festival in Havana. Today Pollak is recognized worldwide as the creator of "RumbaTap." So respected is Pollak for this concept that his performances, teaching schedule, university lectures, and residencies take him throughout the US, Europe, Asia, Central and South America. Pollak has published articles on tap dance in several international publications and is the 2008 recipient of the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Choreography.
Claudia Rahardjanoto (Teacher) Born and raised in Berlin/Germany, Claudia was trained in ballet, jazz and later in tap. She fell in love with tap dancing immediately and has extensively studied tap with Sam Weber, Andreas Dänel, Sven Göttlicher and Pascal Hulin. She has danced in numerous tap dance-shows in Europe (Germany, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, Holland) and has been on tour with several touring productions around Europe as well as the United States ("Magic Of The Dance", "Dancing Feet", "Dancing On Common Ground"). After moving to NYC in 2003 to continue her education and pursue a career in dance in the US, Claudia has since appeared on the 'Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon' with Andrew Nemr's CPD Plus, appeared on MTV's 'TRL' as part of a 'Happy Feet'-segment with Robin Williams and Elijah Wood and has been a featured dancer in an evening called ‘Dianne Walker and Friends’. Claudia has been extremely blessed and fortunate to have met and spend valuable time (on or off stage) with masters like Dr.Jimmy Slyde, Dr.Bunny Briggs, Dr.Henry LeTang, Dr.Buster Brown, Harold Cromer, Mable Lee, Dianne Walker, Ted Levy, and Savion Glover and others. She is very grateful to have been able to dance with Dianne 'Lady Di' Walker, Michelle Dorrance, Roxanne Butterfly’s WORLDBEATS, Andrew J. Nemr's CPD Plus, Susan Hebach’s TAP COLLECTIVE, Barbara Duffy and Company, Jared Grimes' T.A.D.A.H., Max Pollak’s RUMBATAP, Michael Minery's Tapaholics and alongside the fabulous Miss Mable Lee as one of her Dancing Ladies. Claudia is currently on faculty at Steps On Broadway and Broadway Dance Center.
Arleigh Rothenberg (Teacher) began dancing at the age of 7 and has experience in a multitude of dance genres. While attending Ithaca College, she founded the Ithaca College Tap Dance Club, and conceived and co-directed the Finger Lakes Tap Dance Festival. Arleigh was recently selected to perform in new choreographic works by Derick Grant, Jason Samuels Smith, and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards in the American Tap Dance Foundation’s 2009 “Sound Check” performance series, and Michelle Dorrance’s piece in the 2009 Symphony Space Showcase. As a member of The Mann Arts Dance Group, Arleigh has performed at the world famous Apollo Theatre in “Taste of Broadway”, and the 20th Annual Tap Extravaganza. She is also proud to have been selected by the legendary Dr. Harold Cromer for his piece in the Tap Extravaganza. Other performance credits include Tap City’s 2009 “Main Event” with Mazel Toes, “On Tap” at Joe’s Pub, “They Don’t Sing About Love No More” at New World Stages, “The 28th Annual Downtown Dance Festival”, and Tap City’s 2008 “Tap and Song” with C3, a NY Tap Cooperative, and in “Old Man Time” by Ernest "Brownie" Brown and Reggio McLaughlin. In addition, her television appearances include dancing in a 2009 episode of Sesame Street. Arleigh is also a member of Boston Tap Company and Undertoe Dance Project, and Artistic Director of CANDOR, the tap dance company she has established. She can currently be found teaching at a variety of schools in the tri-state area including the American Tap Dance Foundation and Peridance, and is a professor of dance at Wagner College. Arleigh holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Television-Radio with a concentration in Video Production from Ithaca College.
Courtney Runft, (ATDF Education Associate/Registrar and Teacher) began her early dance training with Sharon Rogers at Rogers Ballet Inc. in Wichita, Kansas where she continues to go back to guest teach. She continued her training as a ballet dancer at Friends University with Sharon and Stan Rogers as well as Melonie Buchanan, Fransisco Martinez, and Dominic Walsh. Since moving to New York City in 2005, Courtney has had the opportunity to study with and/or perform choreography by Michelle Dorrance, Derick K. Grant, Barbara Duffy, Brenda Bufalino, Jared Grimes, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards and Melinda Sullivan. She is one of Mable Lee’s Dancing Ladies, has performed in a number of Tap City and Tap Extravaganza performances, Jared Grimes’ Broadway Underground and is a member of the C3 Tap Cooperative. She can be seen in the April 2010 issue of Dance Spirit magazine. Courtney is the American Tap Dance Foundation’s Education Assistant/Registrar and a faculty member in the Year Round Youth Program, and she is currently the Assistant to the Choreographer on Cirque du Soleil’s newest show “Banana Shpeel” at the Beacon Theater in New York City.
Germaine Salsberg (Teacher) began her career as a child actress, appearing on radio and television in her native Canada. After 10 years as a modern dancer with the Toronto Dance Theatre touring throughout Canada, the U.S. and Europe, she discovered tap dancing. She has been on the faculty of Broadway Dance Center for over 20 years, as well as Steps on Broadway, Germaine teaches anyone from Broadway professionals to people who "just love to tap. She has taught at NYU’s Steinhardt School of Ed as well as Cap 21 and Pace University as well as throughout the US and internationally. She has gained a reputation for teaching a strong foundation of technique through rhythm elements that will carry into any area of tap dance. She assisted Tony Award Winner Danny Daniels for Broadway and National tours of "Tap Dance Kid" and has privately coached many actors including Liza Minnelli for the movie "Steppin Out." Germaine has choreographed such regional musical theater productions as 42nd Street, Anything Goes, George M!, Crazy For You, and Dames at Sea. She has performed tap in Edmonton's Fringe Festival, with the Jazz Tap Center on tour, as well as at Tap City in New York, and the Boston Tap Festival. Germaine serves on the Board of Tradition In Tap. After years of helping others to find technique and self expression through tap dance, she has entered her own journey of self discovery through choreography with her company, Les Femmes.
Josie Say (Guest Teacher) has been involved in the entertainment industry for over 20 years. Although her first love is acting, most of her career has been focused specifically on street/urban dance, including lindy hop, charleston, jazz, hip hop, breakin', lockin', poppin', waackin', house, shag, tap, capoeira, boogie woogie, and other African-based styles. She is the founder of Harlem Soul, a collective of dancers specializing in the swing era and beyond, co-artistic director of In Rhythm with Him hip hop ministry, and swing dance consultant for KB's Definition of Creativity. Josie has served as administrative director for Future Shock LA, a youth hip hop dance company, and is an alumnus of Culture Shock LA breakin' crew. Based in CA and NY, she is also in demand internationally as a teacher, choreographer, and performer, often working in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Italy, Canada, Japan, and Hong Kong. Being one of the first revivalists in the early 90s and known for her blending of traditional and modern styles, Josie has influenced multiple generations of the swing dance community. Her dedication to preserving not only the dances, but the history and culture surrounding them, led her to study and work with Tony Award winner Frankie Manning. Josie is honored to carry on the tradition of lindy hop and excited to be a leader in its progression. Past gigs include Vanguard University (professor of dance/ fitness and hip hop club advisor), LA Tap Festival, Carnival: The Choreographers' Ball, videos for The Jonas Brothers and Illa J, Academy of International Dance, Helsinki Tap Festival, Homeland Cultural Center, The Museum of Latin American Art, The Walt Disney Company, World Lindy Hop Championships, Herrang Dance Camp, Capitol Records, KTLA news, The Rose Parade, and numerous films and stage shows. Furthermore, always seeking versatility and balance in her work, Josie also holds a degree in Movement and Exercise Science and certification (RYT) in hatha vinyasa yoga and Thai Yoga Bodywork.

Lynn Schwab (Teacher) a member of Barbara Duffy and Company, RumbaTap, and The Tap Collective, has performed at such notable New York venues as The Duke on 42nd Street, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, Town Hall, Off Broadway’s La MAMA, World Festival 2000, The International Street Performers Festival, The River to River Festival, Central Park’s SummerStage, Joe’s Pub, Studio 54, The Joyce and The Joyce SoHo Theatres. She has performed at Jacob’s Pillow and as a guest artist with Billy Siegenfeld and Jeannie Hill’s Jump Rhythm Jazz Project. With members of The Tap Collective, she choreographed and performed the Morton Gould Tap Dance Concerto with the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra. She has performed with The Chamber Orchestra Kremlin, and at festivals in the U.S., Germany, Spain, France, Holland, and Estonia. She continues to tour the U.S. with Tap City on Tour and in addition to her regular classes at Steps on Broadway in New York City, teaches and performs at festivals and workshops in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

Randy Skinner (Guest Teacher) is an award winning American director, choreographer and performer. He has been nominated three times for Tony Awards and twice for Drama Desk Awards for choreography. Skinner graduated from Ohio State University and is a guest teacher at various colleges. He moved to New York in 1976 seeking dancing jobs, and Gower Champion asked him to be a dance assistant on 42nd Street in 1980. In 1985, Ginger Rogers cast him as Val opposite Karen Ziemba and asked him to choreograph a production of Babes in Arms that she directed in upstate New York and in Connecticut. His Broadway work as a choreographer includes the musicals White Christmas and State Fair. He choreographed the Broadway revival of 42nd Street in 2001 and also choreographed and staged the London, Australia and two U.S. national companies and the Amsterdam production of the musical. He has choreographed several staged productions for the City Center Encores! series, including No, No Nanette (May 2008). His Off-Broadway and regional theatre choreography work includes productions of White Christmas around the U.S., An American in Paris (2008 in Houston, Texas), Happy Days (2006 in Los Angeles), Lone Star Love (2004 Off-Broadway; 2007 Seattle), Babes in Arms (2002 at the Goodspeed Opera House), Abby's Song (1999 Off-Broadway, also directing) and Lucky in the Rain (1997 at Goodspeed).

Jason Samuels Smith (Guest Teacher) has emerged as a multi-talented leader in the Art form of Tap. He won both an Emmy and American Choreography Award for "Outstanding Choreography" for the Opening number of the 2003 Jerry Lewis/MDA Telethon in a tribute to the late Gregory Hines. Mr. Samuels-Smith most recently received the Gregory Hines Humanitarian in addition to past honors including a Certificate of Appreciation by the City of Los Angeles for creating the First Annual Los Angeles Tap Festival in 2003; a Proclamation declaring April 23rd "Jason Samuels Day" from the City of Shreveport, Louisiana; the "Ivy of Education" from Brainerd Institute; the "President Kenny Award" from Stony Brook; an Alpert/McDowell Residency Award; and an Arts International Grant among others.  Mr. Samuels Smith most recently appeared as a special guest on Fox's hit series "So You Think You Can Dance" and is currently working as a choreographer for a new reality show scheduled to debut this coming season. Films include co-starring in Dean Hargrove's "Tap Heat", a dynamic award-winning short film touring film festivals worldwide (available on DVD); Outkast's feature film "Idlewild"; and Debbie Allen's AMC television series "Cool Women" to name a few. Performances include Sammy (a tribute to the life of Sammy Davis jr.), and in a leading role of the star-studded production of Soul Possessed; the Tony Award winning Broadway cast of Bring in Da'Noise, Bring in Da'Funk in principal and lead roles; starring in the critically acclaimed production of Imagine Tap!. Mr. Samuels Smith continues to tour the US and beyond with India Jazz Suites, a dynamic collaboration with Kathak Master Pandit Chitresh Das, his own tap company A.C.G.I (Anybody Can Get It), JaJa Productions Band featuring jazz-influenced hip hop music, and Charlie's Angels: A Tribute to Charlie Parker which features some of the best women performers today. 
Lia Spirka (Guest Teacher), a graduate of the University of California, Irvine, performed with the company Tap Overload for over seven years in Southern California. She has also performed with Taps, Ltd. and DanzAlegria, and her choreography has been featured by the Santa Barbara Dance Alliance and the Orange Coast College Dance Department. She is working in collaboration with Dianne Walker on a project to teach and share the choreography of Leon Collins. Lia has learned this choreography under the watchful eye of Dianne and has been encouraged by her to continue this important work. In addition, Lia has performed under the direction of Brenda Bufalino in tributes to the American Tap Dance Orchestra, Honi Coles, Bill Robinson, and Ernest “Brownie” Brown at the Duke On 42nd Street Theater. Lia has also studied extensively with many other tap masters, including Linda Sohl-Ellison. Lia received the Rhapsody In Taps 2002, 2003, & 2004 Tap Legacy Awards. She has taught at several studios in Southern California – most recently at Momentum Dance Center prior to relocating to New York City in 2009, where she currently works at New York University (NYU).

Tony Waag (Producer/Artistic/Executive Director/Teacher) founded the American Tap Dance Foundation (formerly known as the American Tap Dance Orchestra) in 1986, along with Brenda Bufalino and the late Charles "Honi" Coles. From 1989-1995, he co-created and operated, with Ms. Bufalino, Woodpeckers Tap Dance Center which became a model for numerous tap organizations and tap studios worldwide creating, producing, and presenting various educational programs for adults and children year-round, as well as annual winter tap intensives with master classes, courses and workshops taught by leading International artists and master tap dancers. I n 2001, he renamed the organization the American Tap Dance Foundation and created Tap City, the annual New York City Tap Festival with premiere performances of all styles of tap by artists from around the world, as well as an extensive training program for adults, teens and children, city wide events, tap jams, student showcases, panel discussions, lectures and film screenings. As a performer and choreographer, he has been featured in hundreds of concert, film and television productions including appearances at the legendary Apollo Theater, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the United Nations, the Atlanta Arts Festival, the Utah Arts Festival, the Colorado Dance Festival, the Lincoln Center "Out-of-Doors" Festival, the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, PBS’s "Great Performances, a national Seagram's commercial, and in a French car commercial for Renault in Paris. I nternational appearances include USIA tours of Turkey, Poland, Cyprus, Latvia and Estonia, and recent American ambassador tours of Armenia and Romania with his production of Tap City on Tour. He has also taught and performed in Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, and Spain. Mr. Waag has received numerous grants towards the presentation and preservation of tap dance as a unique American art form. In 2002, he created the first International Tap Dance Hall of Fame honoring the contributions of legendary tap dancers by preserving their legacies for future generations to enjoy. He also created the annual Tap Preservation and Hoofer Awards, the Gregory Hines Youth Scholarship Fund, and the Gregory Hines Collection of American Tap Dance Archives which are now housed at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. I n 2009, he created and staged the touring production of “Thank You Gregory”, a tribute to the Legends of Tap Dance which can now be seen in theaters across the country. I n January of 2010, he opened the American Tap Dance Center in New York City where he currently directs on-going education and training programs for tappers of all ages and levels.
Photo by Lois Greenfield

Dianne Walker (Guest Teacher) her career has taken her to Broadway, television, theater, and numerous universities and jazz performance venues throughout the world. Ms. Walker has been awarded grants from the New England Foundation for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and The National Endowment for the Arts. In 1996, she represented the United States as an adjudicator for the World Tap Dance Championships, held in Dresden, Germany. In Boston, 1997, she received the "Tapestry Award" for excellence in teaching, and in 1998, she received the "Living Treasure In American Dance Award" from Oklahoma City University. Ms. Walker was a featured dancer in the movie TAP. Additionally, she was in the original Paris production of Black and Blue, and in the Broadway production, she was Assistant Choreographer/Dance Captain. At that time, she had the prestigious honor of being the only female dancer in the famed Hoofers Line with Lon Chaney, Jimmy Slyde, Chuck Green, and Bunny Briggs. She has been featured in documentaries such as Songs Unwritten... Leon Collins, Honi Coles... the Class Act of Tap, Black and Blue, and Great performances... Tap Dance in America. Ms. Walker appeared most recently in the US and international tour of Footnotes, with Savion Glover, Jimmy Slyde, and Buster Brown.

Karen Callaway Williams (Guest Teacher) An original member of the New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble, Karen Callaway Williams was the company's first dance captain. She can be seen in the documentary, "Been Rich All My Life"(The Story of the Silver Belles). Broadway credits include Play On! and Riverdance, in which she was the first African American female dancer and dance captain. A special guest artist on Sesame Street, she was also interviewed in "Bojangles, the Legacy" for Showtime. Karen tours nationally and internationally with Tap City on Tour and Tap Tel Aviv. She has performed at the Cotton Club and the Apollo, has been featured in Essence, and is on the cover of Flow Magazine's Summer 2007 issue. She has been a guest tap soloist with The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, and the Cincinnati Pops. Karen's first children's book, "Gabriella's Tap Shoes," is about to be released.

Cartier Williams (Guest Teacher) Hoofer, Choreographer, Filmmaker and Performer who hails from Washington, D.C., began his tap dancing career at the age of four. Cartier learned his first tap steps from his grandmother Audrey Williams. At the age of six Cartier performed a piece choreographed by Mýa Cartier won Apollo Kids at The prestigious Apollo Theater Distinguished as one of The Apollo Theater's youngest "Apollo Legends". Later that year Cartier was invited to the Kennedy Center Honors along side Robert Downey Jr.  Mr. Williams  studied at The Washington School of Ballet under the tutelage of Mary Day. When he was 10 years old, Cartier Co-Starred with Tap Legends Buster Brown, Jimmy Slyde and Dianne Walker in the International tour of FOOTNOTES. Cartier consider it a blessing to have danced and shared the stage with tap pioneers and masters Peg Leg Bates, The Nicholas Brothers, and Gregory Hines. He has appeared on THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW, THE TONIGHT SHOW, GOOD MORNING AMERICA, and CNN. He has performed for 2 U.S. Presidents, and in 1998 Co-Starred in the PBS Special: In Performance at The White House with President Clinton. He toured the U.S. and Japan in the Tony Award Winning BRING IN 'da NOISE, BRING IN 'da FUNK, Co-starring with Savion Glover.He has performed at The Joyce Theatre, New York City Center as well as the L.A Kodak Theatre where he performed The AFI Awards: A Tribute to Tom Hanks. Other appearances include a performance at Usher's birthday bash in New York City performances for the FCC, The CIA, The State Department and Department of Justice. Now 20, Cartier is currently performing his latest production A BEAUTIFUL CHAOS  which is slated to tour in 2011 created by Cartier and two New York Film Academy friends Matt Denoma and Max Schiano. He is collaborating with Harold Cromer on a new work which will premiere in Spring 2011.  He is a student of The New York Film Academy. As a Filmmaker Cartier has written, directed and produced: Phone Bait, The Violinist, and My Love Awaits. He's appeared in Spike Lee's Film Bamboozled. Cartier also performed at The Opening of the Cannes Film Festival for Moulin Rouge. He released his first Instructional DVD:  CARTIER WILLIAMS' HOOFING WITH THE BASICS in March 2010.  

Nicholas Young (Guest Teacher) began his professional dance carrier with Tapestry Dance Company, under the direction of Acia Gray, and Deirdre Strand. Moving to principle dancer, resident choreographer he spent more than 10 years with the company. Moving to New York, he began working with local Tap dancers and musicians, on various projects. Including Manhattan Tap, Hoofin to Hittin, Beat the Donkey, and Rumba Tap. Nicholas joined the Off Off Broadway production of STOMP in 2002 and is currently a performer and the rehearsal director for the American tour. Nicholas has taught master classes for the Soul to Sole, Third Coast Rhythm, and the Saint Louis Tap Festivals, among others. He would like to thank His mother for constant support and inspiration through art.

 

 

 

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