The Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival

Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival 2011
Festival Faculty and Performers

Exciting lineup of inspired and expert teachers from the past, present and future of tap, who were given a special invitation to take your dancing to new levels of excellence.

Dianne Walker - Boston

Dianne 'Lady Di' Walker, a pioneer in tap dancing's resurgence has a 30 year career spanning Broadway, Television, Film and International Jazz Dance Concerts and Festivals. United States Artists selected Walker as the recipient of the USA Rose Fellow 2008, Dance. Ms. Walker holds a Master's degree in Education, and has taught at Harvard, Williams College, University of Michigan, UCLA, Bates, and Wesleyan. She received Oklahoma City University's 1998 Living Treasure In American Dance Award, adding to a long line of awards and lifetime tributes. She began her dance training in Boston with Mildred Kennedy-Bradic and later, Leon Collins, Jimmy "Sir Slyde" Mitchell and Jimmy Slyde. Leon Collins passed away in l985, leaving Dianne to continue as one of the Directors of his school. She continues to share this rich legacy with her students.

Jason Samuels Smith - New York

Jason Samuels Smith is a multi-talented leader in the Art form of Tap. He received the 2009 Dance Magazine Award and won an Emmy and American Choreography Award for "Outstanding Choreography" for the Opening number of the Jerry Lewis/MDA Telethon. Mr. Samuels Smith has appeared on So You Think You Can Dance, choreographer for Grammy Artist Mya on Secret Talents of The Stars, and as an associate choreographer for Dancing With The Stars. He co-starred in Dean Hargrove's "Tap Heat", and is a featured dancer in Outkast's feature film "Idlewild". Mr. Samuels Smith founded tap company A.C.G.I. (Anybody Can Get It) with performances that included a 2-week sold-out engagement at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, New York City Center Fall for Dance Festival and at Sadlers Wells in London.

Jakari Sherman - Houston

Jakari is an intense performer, percussionist and choreographer, whose stepping experience extends over 15 years. Jakari has served as the Artistic Director of Step Afrika! since 2007 and brought new life to the folkloric tradition of stepping both locally and across the globe. He has coached and choreographed for numerous community organizations, and directed the NBA s first step team. Jakari is Founder and Director of the non-profit stepping education initiative, Ordered Steps, based in Houston, Texas. As a choreographer he seeks to create a body of work that is experimental and challenging for both the dancer and the audience. Jakari received a Young Artist Grant Award from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities in 2008, and was a 2009 finalist for Outstanding Emerging Artist by the citys prestigious Mayors Arts Awards. In 2010, Jakari received Metro DC Dance Awards for Outstanding Emerging Choreographer and Excellence in Sound/Composition.

Terry Brock - Portland

Terry Brock's diverse background includes multiple choreographic works and an international performing career. She has performed and taught at tap festivals worldwide, from New York City, through Canada and Europe. She has shared the stage with legendary stars including Gregory Hines, The Nicholas Brothers and Ben Vereen. Terry has created repertory for the Oregon Symphony and appeared with the San Francisco and Seattle symphonies. Terry is the conservator of Miss Powell's choreography. Recently Terry received a Fulbright Specialist award.

 

Gene Medler - North Carolina

Gene Medler is founder and director of the highly acclaimed North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble (NCYTE) founded in 1982 and director of the NC Rhythm Tap Festival. His teaching credits include: Elon University and Guilford College (currently); Duke University, Meredith College, Saratov Music Conservatory (Russia), NC Theater Conservatory.

Chloe Arnold - NYC and LA

Chloe recently was featured on the cover of Dance Teacher Magazine. She just completed La MaMa in her one woman show: My Life. My Diary. My Dance. Ms. Arnold's choreography has been featured in the national tour of Thank You Gregory.

She is co-director of the LA Tap Festival and DC Tap Festival, Associate Choreographer for ABC's American Celebration, Debbie Allen's Pearl in LA and is choreographer for her own group Syncopated Ladies. Performances include Savion Glover's All Star Tap Revue, The Oneness Awards honoring Michael Jackson, Jason Samuels Smith's Charlie's Angels and touring with his company A.C.G.I.

Travis Knights - Montreal

Travis Knights is realizing his dreams, pounding rhythms on wood floors all over the world. His talent and dedication have earned him audiences around the world. He has worked on film and television with Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Patrick Huard and Gregory Charles.

Travis participated extensively as a Tap Dance consultant for Cirque du Soleil and was one of the few Tap Dancers featured in the Opening Ceremonies to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. He toured with the acclaimed Tap Dogs. Travis is currently with Tapestry Dance Company in Austin, Texas under the Artistic Direction of the legendary Acia Gray.

Matthew Shields - Austin

Matthew Shields has taught and performed at the Soul to Sole Tap Festival, the Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival, and the Hoofin' Ground Tap Festival.

Matt is a principal dancer with Tapestry Dance Company in his 7th season and is the Artistic Director of TDC's; Tapestry on the Fringe. His choreography was voted the winner of the first 'Virtual Rhythms' online contest held by The Chicago Human Rhythm Project.

 

Troy V. McLaughlin - Vancouver

Troy holds a B.F.A. in Jazz Dance from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He studied with Judith Jamison, tap great Lavaughn Robinson, and members of the Martha Graham Dance Company, New York City Ballet, and Jo Jo Smith's Dance Factory.

Highlights of Troy's career include performing in Disney's The Lion King, Andrew Lloyd Weber's Starlight Express, The Radio City Rockettes Show. He was honoured to perform with 25 other Canadian artists in the Opening Ceremonies at the 2010 Winter Olympic.

 

Sarah Reich - Los Angeles

An entertainer for more than a decade, Seattle based Sawyers began her training with Cheryl Johnson and Anthony Peters and has studied with tap masters: Harold “Stumpy” Cromer, Arthur Duncan, Jeni LeGon, as well as late greats such as Cholly Atkins, Ernest Brownie Brown, Jimmie Slyde and Gregory Hines. Jessie has worked with Savion Glover and performed his choreography in DANCE.

She is currently working with renowned Mark Mendonca as the Director of Operations for Upbeat Events and in April, produced and performed in her highly successful first full-length show, FLOW: An Evening of Music, Dance, and Visual Art.

Danny Nielsen - Calgary

Danny Nielsen is one of Canada's brightest rising young tap talents. He began his rhythm tap career as a founding member of MADD Rhythms Canada under the direction of Lisa La Touche. He is "Artist In Residence' with the VTDS, acting as A.D. for Tap Co.

He has taught and performed at Tap Festivals. TV credits include worldwide broadcast of the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies and the opening number for the 2008 Jerry Lewis Telethon choreographed by Chloe Arnold. Recent project is a collaborative improv-based show with tap dancer Jessie Sawyers and pianist Josh Rawlings entitled show Stark Pulse.

Lee Howard - Chicago

Known as "Lee How" is a Chicago native Tap Dancer & Hip Hop Music Producing Artist. In 2007, Lee was the feature cover story for Dance Spirit Magazine who referred to him as the "Tap Whiz Kid."

Lee has performed throughout the US, Bahamas and Europe. He is a member of Jason Samuels Smith's tap company, A.C.G.I. (Anybody Can Get It) with recent performances at White Bird Dance, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, COCA Center of Creative Artists, and a sold out two-week run at Jacob's Pillow Dance.

Theo Hill - New York

Theo Hill is a jazz pianist and composer who has emerged as one of the preeminent young jazz artists on the New York scene. He began studying classical piano at the age of 5 and gravitated toward jazz and studied jazz piano at age 12 with Lee Shaw, a protégé of Oscar Peterson and later with Barry Harris, becoming a four-year-member of the Empire State Youth Jazz Orchestra and College of St. Rose Jazz Ensemble. Performances include Blue Note, Smalls, 55 Bar, The Jazz Gallery. Theo is Musical Director, ACGI.

Melinda Sullivan - Los Angeles

Melinda Sullivan is a LA native tap dancer, singer, and actress. She recently appeared as a finalist on season 7 of "So You Think You Can Dance."

Melinda was a recipient of the L.A. Music Center "Spotlight Award" and named one of the Top 20 Hoofers Under 20 by Dance Spirit Magazine. She tours with Noah Racey's "New York Song and Dance Company", Jason Samuels Smith's "Anybody Can Get It", and Chloe Arnold's "Syncopated Ladies".

Jamie Ausmus - Edmonton

Jamie has developed a well-rounded vocabulary in multiple disciplines. She is one of the production managers for the Chicago Tap Summit under MADD Rhythms' director Bril Barrett and has been working with him annually for the past five years. She choreographed for Hip Hop Saved My Life, which toured China in 2010.

Barbara Vargas - Edmonton

Barbara's love for dance has evolved into a passion that has allowed her to travel through out North America and Europe. Her credits include: Edmonton's International Jazz Fest, Crazy for You, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, and White Christmas.

She has also had the opportunity to work on projects with featured artists: Tommy Lee, Brett Kissel, William Joseph, The David Foster Band, Raul Gomez, Nils Landgren's Funk Unit.