Vancouver Tap Dance News

Danny Nielsen - Artist in Residence

June 2010

A new era is unfolding at Vancouver Tap Dance Society and we’re excited to announce that Danny Nielsen will be our Artist in Residence for the entire year, 2010/11.

A native of Calgary, Danny Nielsen began his tap dance career as a founding member of MADD Rhythms Canada, studying under Lisa La Touche, Bril Barrett and Martin ‘Tre’ Dumas III.  In his hometown, he prepared short choreographies for Decidedly Jazz Danceworks’ productions Tinge and Tone and assisted the tap luminary Heather Cornell in creating a tap piece for the DJD 25th Anniversary show 25. 

An emerging artist on the scene, Danny performed as a principle dancer in the worldwide broadcast of the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies, in Heather Cornell’s ensemble CanTap, with MADD Rhythms in Chicago, in the opening number for the 2008 Jerry Lewis Telethon choreographed by Chloe Arnold, and with Calgary’s Quinteto led by renowned saxophonist Oliver Miguel.

Over the years VTDS has built a relationship with Danny and it’s a natural transition to now welcome him into our fold. He blasted onto the international tap scene and we’re ecstatic that he will be contributing his passion, musicality and dynamic and unique artistic lens to our society.

Danny reported: “My background includes mentors who fostered hard work, the history of the dance and the influence of Jazz. VTDS is a group of educated, hungry, and hard working dancers and I'm ecstatic about taking on the challenge of inspiring and mentoring them. When this opportunity came up, I jumped at the chance to work with them."

Danny can’t wait for September to see everyone so he has agreed to join us at our year end show-donning tap shoes at Centennial Theatre, June 21, at 7:00 pm.

Everyone at VTDS is thrilled that Danny will contribute to the 2010-2011 season and we are confident that he will enhance our training program, lend his artistic lens to shaping creative productions and expand our community development projects.

 

Sas Selfjord
Executive Director
www.vantapdance.com
604 253 0293