Guillem Alonso was born in Barcelona in 1973.

At the tender age of nine he owned his first pair of tap shoes. Receiving various grants from the Catalan government (Spain) he studied tap dance in New York, where he was taught by famous dancers such as Brenda Bufalino, Barbara Duffy,Savion Glover and others.

In 1993 he won 1st prize at the World Tap Championship in Switzerland organizedby the International Dance Organization. During Christmas 1995 Guillem appeared as tap soloist for the show Yuletide Celebration, accompanied by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Later on he toured across the USA and Europe with several of the best American tap companies, the American Tap Dance Orchestra, Manhattan Tap, Tap Collective from New York and Steps Ahead from Los Angeles. Guillem lives in Barcelona where he has worked in various shows such as Keatoniana, New Orleans Jazz & Tap, and Sax Tap. In 1999 he was invited to perform at the Goya Spanish film awards. He also performed and created numerous works for El Nas Vermell showandthe Scandal tap dance company. Further credits include choreography for the show That’s Jazz, created for the opening of the new theatre Scenic Barcelona, and he has choreographed two tap numbers in the last production of the musical Fame in Madrid, and also for the Monty Payton’sSpamalot. Whilst at home, Guillem organizes and leads weekly tap improvisation sessions, Tap Jam at the Cova del Drac. He is also the founder and director of Barcelona Rhythm Tap company. During the seasons 2000-02 he was tap soloist in the successful production of Fire of Dance, touring Poland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Netherlands, Hungary, Slovakia and Belgium. He choreographed tap solos and duets, one of those being the captivating Sand dance. This is a style of dance that he has performed with many companies and is one of his trademarks. He has participated at Roxane’s Butterfly show Djellabah Groove. Guillem is a member of Camut Band tap and percussion company, where he was one of the creators of their show La Vida Es Ritme – Life Is Rhythm, in which he continues to perform. It has enjoyed success in dance festivals in Edinburgh (Scotland), Toronto (Canada), New Haven (USA), Greenwich (Great Britain) and Tàrrega (Spain). For the month of September 2001 the show was on Broadway (NY) and performed at the New Victory Theatre and in October 2003 on the West End (London) at the Lyric Theatre. They just created the new show Kiting Kità (Walking with Rhythm) He is one of the creators and performers of the new shows Boogie Woogie Tap and Tap Olé, the premiere of this last show was at the Chicago Vittum Theatre on May 2003, with great reviews, and also an apparition at the NBC channel. Lately he is preparing his new Tap Olé show Tapeando. As a leading member of the tap community Guillem has introduced and motivated a new generation of tap dancers in Barcelona.

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Chloé Arnold Dancer/Actress/Director/Choreographer, was recently featured in the new hit show Imagine Tap, Outkast’s new movie Idlewild, Beyonce’s Upgrade You video as her dance double, Sean Paul’s music video for the movie Step Up and at 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, 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.

Photo by Carl McClarty

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Maud Arnold has been a featured faculty member and performer for the LA Tap Fest since 2004. She was a featured teacher and performer in the International Brazilian Tap Festival 2009. She teaches annually in Debbie Allen's Dance Institutes in Dallas and Houston, Texas. She performed (and was also Debbie Allen's understudy ) in Debbie Allen's Kennedy Center production of "Brothers of the Knight", Jared Grimes' "Broadway Underground", Irving Street Rep's "Sophisticated Ladies,” and Neil Berg's "Broadway Song and Dance." Her TV credits include "Secret Talents of the Stars" as a dancer for Mya, the opening number for the 2009 Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, NBC's The Today Show, and the annual Fourth of July Celebration on the Mall with Ray Charles. Maud has also worked on numerous music video projects as assistant to the director with artists such as Lil Wayne, Jennifer Lopez, Keri Hilson, Whitney Houston, Keyshia Cole, and more. Maud has worked as a stand-in and double for Beyonce for a Direct TV commercial as well as the "Single Ladies" and "If I were a Boy" music videos. She and her sister Chloé Arnold produce and direct The DC Tap Festival. Maud was on the December 2009 cover of Dance Spirit Magazine!

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Brandy Blaha 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.

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Bernice Brooks (musical director/drums) is without doubt   one of the most versatile female drummers  locally,  nationally  and internationally.  She has been playing drums for the past 40 years. Bernice has achieved her longevity through her ability to play all styles of music. After studying at the  Conservatory of Music in Chicago  and with various teachers, she went on to hone her skills at various venues with different bands and groups all over the world. Bernice is currently a teaching artist at various Public and High Schools around  the tri-state area. She brings her love, passion and creativity to share with others  inspiring  them to bring out their own creative ideas. She has been the producer of her own television show for the last 13

years, “The Bernice Brooks Show” on BCAT-Brooklyn Community Access Television and also the Instructor for the Television Production class there. Thanks to the tap community and all of the tappers that I have had the

pleasure and honor to work with. Rhythms are rhythms  and it does not matter if they are coming from taps, drums, vocals or any instrument.

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Brenda Bufalino 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

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Chili con Tap was founded in 1997 by Cristina Delius in Berlin, Germany. The company cast is carefully chosen according each project. All cast members have studied at TapaToe in Berlin or are students from Cristina Delius in Europe. Chili con Tap presents a wide musical spectrum and sensitive interpretations. From traditional to contemporary tap dance and inspired among others by the music of Louis Prima, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Maceo Parker or Renaud Garcia-Fons, the dancers harmonize with their percussive tap style perfectly with each other. Berlin Chili con Tap dancers: Gabi Bauer, Claudia Drießler, David Hellwig, Mano Hiroki, Marion Janning, Felix Morgenstern, Henriette Rieffel, Regina Pabst and Kathrin Wehr. Portugal and Spain additional dancers: Raquel Vieira de Almeida, Marinela Mangueira, Anabela Martins and Ana Sousa (from Lisbon/Portugal). Rubén Viana Perez (Barcelona/Spain).

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Audrey Davis specializes in traditional West African dance and conducts classes at Rutgers University, Middlesex County College, Synapse Studios, The Drum and Dance Learning Center and Inspira Dance Theatre. She has taught students of all ages and is known for her energetic and interactive teaching style. Ms. Davis has also served as the former choreographer for the Nia Dance Ensemble, a children’s performing troupe and is currently the Assistant Artistic Director of the Iwa Lewa Heritage Ensemble founded and directed by Yewande Kelly Johnson. Audrey has performed at the PNC Arts Center, Crossroads Theatre, the State Theatre, as well as countless weddings and cultural events. She has also conducted workshops for the Julliard School, Johnson & Johnson, the Princeton School System, and many other organizations. Ms. Davis takes great pride and joy in sharing the richness of African dance and culture.

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Cristina Delius is one of Europe’s best-known tap dancers and choreographers. Trained in both dance (classical and modern), and music (classical and jazz), Cristina combines elements of jazz with free improvisation and the highest musical standards. She studied performing arts in her hometown Lisbon before moving to Paris where she continued her studies. I n New York, Cristina worked with numerous rhythm tap stars, including Brenda Bufalino, Ted Levy, Chuck Green, Barbara Duffy, and Josh Hilberman. She took master classes with Gregory Hines, Savion Glover and Buster Brown, and studied modern dance at the Merce Cunningham studio. Since 1992, Cristina Delius has been a dance instructor in Berlin. 1996 she founded her own tap dance school – TapaToe, das Steptanzstudio – with her partner Anina Krüger. Tapatoe has become the most important address for tap dance in Europe. I n 1997, Heather Cornell invited Cristina to join her company  “Manhattan Tap” in New York, where Cristina danced in Heather’s “Manhattan Tap” ensemble along with Josh Hilberman, Max Pollak, Olivia Rosenkrantz, Jeannie Hill and Mike Minery. Becoming increasingly active in free improvisation, she studied this technique intensively with Barbara Duffy, Brenda Bufalino and Margaret Morrison. Brenda became one of her most important mentors. T oday, performances and teaching work regularly take her across Europe and the USA.

She is a member of Brenda Bufalino’s “ITDO” and of the international artistic group “Voyages du Geste”. She is the founder and director of the “Tripeco” (Triangular Percussion Project) trio and the tap company “Chili con Tap”.

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Michelle Dorrance 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.

Photo by Debi Field

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Barbara Duffy 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.

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Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards 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

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Joe Fonda (bass) is a composer, bassist, recording artist, performer and producer.  He has performed as leader of his own ensembles throughout the United States and Europe and as sideman with Anthony Braxton, Archie Shepp, Bill and Kenny Barron, Ken McIntyre/Charlie Persip, Lou Donaldson, Leo Smith, Mark Whitecage, Curtis Fuller and others. As a composer he has been the recipient of numerous grants and commissions and has released many recordings.  He was bassist with the American Tap Dance Orchestra in New York City from 1995 - 1997.  An independent producer since 1978, Fonda is Founding Director of Kaleidoscope Arts and Musical Director of the interdisciplinary Kaleidoscope Performance Ensemble. 

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Acia Gray  Soloist, choreographer and master teacher, has toured extensively across the U.S. and abroad. She is co-founder of the Tapestry Dance Company with Deirdre Strand and currently serves as Executive/Artistic Director as well as the Artistic Director of The Soul to Sole Tap Festival in Austin Tx.  She has danced, choreographed and taught for numerous dance and academic organizations, and she has shared the stage with many of the greatest tap artists of the world. Ms. Gray was chosen to work with the late tap legends Charles ‘Honi’ Coles, and Jimmy Slyde and has been a featured dancer in several tap dance documentaries. Ms. Gray was inducted as a premiere member of the Austin Arts Hall of Fame and was nominated for a prestigious Alpert Award in the Arts as well as being a choreographer chosen for the NEA National College Choreography Initiative. Currently touring The Souls of Our Feet – A Celebration of American Tap Dance through the National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpieces: Dance Initiative and was recently awarded the Third Coast Rhythm Project’s “Legacy Award” and honored as the “2008 Texas Tap Legend” by the Dallas Dance Council. Ms. Gray recently performed in Lynn Dally’s UCLA event Women In Tap, currently serves as the President of the International Tap Association, and is the author of the critically acclaimed book, The Souls of Your Feet – A Tap Dance Guide for Rhythm Explorers.

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Thelma Goldberg (Education Advisor) recently celebrated her 27th anniversary as founder and director of The Dance Inn in Lexington, MA, one of New England's largest and most innovative schools, serving 600 students weekly.  Combining her love of dance with her experience as a special education teacher in Boston, Thelma created a dance education curriculum that emphasizes musicality, fun, and excellence. She directs the Legacy Dance Company, featuring performers aged 13 – 18 and an adult company, the About Time Tappers.  Both ensembles perform an extensive tap and jazz repertoire at regional festivals and charitable events.  Thelma is also Executive Director of Dance Inn Productions, a non-profit organization that produces both an annual youth ballroom program as well as New England's National Tap Dance Day celebration. She continues to actively study and pursue new opportunities for herself and her students by participating in festivals and sponsoring workshops with master teachers.

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Derick K. Grant A native of Boston, has been tapping for 28 years. He was an original company member and Dance Captain for Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk at both The Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival and on Broadway. Derick recreated Savion Glover's choreography and starred in the role of 'da beat for the first National Tour.  Derick began his training at the age of two at The Roxbury Center for the Performing Arts, and by the time he was eight years old, he has learned the "hoofin" style of tap from the master tap dancer Diane Walker. Derick furthered his training in Los Angeles at Universal Dance Design Studio under the tutelage of Paul Kennedy. Derick spent three years with the Jazz Tap Ensemble touring the world. He is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award for Upcoming Young Artists as well as The Helen Hayes Award (Washington D.C.) for Outstanding featured Actor for his role in Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk. Derick was featured at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts African Odyssey program, part of the Expresiones Latinas Festival. He collaborated on a piece that incorporated tap and capoeira with renowned Brazilian artist Nego Gato, which opened the festivities for singer Daniella Mercury. He also choreographed and performed in a piece on the history of tap that launched the Black History Month 2001 celebration at Aaron Davis Hall. Recent compositions were featured in The Queens Symphony Opera's Duke Ellington Concert in Ann Arbor's Arts Festival. Most recently Derick's own creation A Night Out: Tap! toured the country for three months. Of his latest choreography and performance with Jazz Tap Ensemble at the Joyce Theater in NYC the New York Times said "Mr. Grant let gusts of rhythm propel him with remarkable velocity!"

Photo by Lois Greenfield

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Jared Grimes is a young and vibrant additive in the world of the arts where he is heavily making his mark in Tap and Hip-Hop/Street Jazz. His most recent projects include performing alongside with Wynton Marsalis, producing and starring in “Broadway Underground”, performing in the cast of Derick K. Grant’s “Imagine Tap”, as well as the 2006 Latin Grammy’s, 2006 MTV Video Music Awards with Busta Rhymes, and the 2005 VH-1 Hip Hop Honors. On numerous occasions, he has danced alongside legends such as Gregory Hines, Fayard Nicholas, Author Duncan and performed for timeless icons such as Ben Vereen, Debbie Allen, and Jerry Lewis. He is a member of "Rhapsody The Company", and has performed across the United States and abroad with the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble, directed by Gene Medlar. Grimes has also toured with Musical legend, Mariah Carey, under the choreography of Marty Kudelka, and danced for artists such as Common, Salt N Peppa, Envogue, and the Roots under choreographer, Fatima. Jared's live stage credits include "Babes in Arms" at the Goodspeed Opera House, "Sammy," directed by Debbie Allen, the North Carolina GTC production of "Sophisticated Ladies", and "Vaudeville" directed by Chris D'Amboise. Grimes has appeared in commercials for Coca-Cola and television shows such as CBS' "Star Search," "Showtime at the Apollo," ABC Family's "Dance Fever" and The Jerry Lewis Telethon. His feature film credits include New Line Cinemas "Little Manhattan" and Elevation Filmworks' "First Born," starring Elizabeth Shue.  

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Rita Hamilton teaches tap and rules the roost at Hamilton Dance Studio in Greenpoint Brooklyn, now in its 23rd year of business.  Growing up above her parents’ dance studio in Philadelphia, she was exposed to the art form of tap at an early age.  Her 12-year association with mentor and friend Brenda Bufalino has led to performances at Tap City, SoundCheck, and other venues.  She is proud to have been a member of the “Brenda Bufalino Reconstruction Project” in ’09.   “Can’t Run But,” is the first of a 3-part dance trilogy dedicated to her brother John. 

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Susan Hebach (ATDF Education & TCYE Director) 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. Susan directs her own children’s tap program, “Tap Dance for Young People” in NYC. She has also served on the dance faculty for Oklahoma City University and Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri as visiting guest artist. Susan is honored to have been part of Tap City since 2001.

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Constance Valis Hill is a jazz tap dancer, choreographer, and scholar of performance studies whose writings have appeared in Dance Magazine, Village Voice, Dance Research Journal, Studies in Dance History, and Discourses in Dance; and in Dancing Many Drums: Excavations in African-American Dance (2001), Taken By Surprise: Dance Improvisation Reader (2003), Kaiso! Writings by and about Katherine Dunham (2005), and Ballroom, Boogie, Shimmy, Sham, Shake: A Social and Popular Dance Reader (2008). She studied tap dance with Charles “Cookie” Cook and various members of the Copasetics; performed as one member of the tap-dancing Doilie Sisters; and directed Sole Sisters for the Changing Times Tap Company. Her book, Brotherhood in Rhythm: the Jazz Tap Dancing of the Nicholas Brothers (2000), received the Deems Taylor ASCAP Award. Her forthcoming book, Tap Dancing America, A Cultural History (Oxford University Press) has been supported by grants from the Rockefeller and John Simon Guggenheim Foundations. She holds a Ph.D. in Performance Studies from New York University and is a Five College Professor of Dance at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts.

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Chikako Iwahori Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Chikako moved to New York City in 1995. A much sought after, versatile performer, Chikako has been performing with many tap dance companies such as Max Pollak's, "Rumba Tap", a unique mix of Afro Cuban music and dance, tap & body percussion. "Barbara Duffy & Company", an all women's tap company, Heather Cornell's, "Manhattan Tap" and was a founding member of Irena Koloseus's,  "Feraba-African Rhythm Tap Company". Chikako is touring internationally with all groups. Aside from Dance, Chikako is currently a percussionist, tap dancer and vocalist in the band, "Beat the Donkey", led by Cyro Baptista. The band has performed at some of the most prestigious music festivals around the world, such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Festival d'Agadir in Morocco.

Juan de Juan, was born in Seville, Spain, a land of great figures in the art of Flamenco dance and music. He began dancing at the age of 7, and then studied at the Conservatory of Seville with Ana Maria Bueno, Carmen Montes and Juan Ramerez. At 16 he joined the “Ballet Flamenco Antonio Canales” company, dancing various principal roles in choreographies such as “Torero”, Fuerza Latina”, “Romancero Gitano”, among others. He has traveled extensively though Spain and performed worldwide, dancing at New York City Center, National Theater of Costa Rica, Mexico Fine Arts Theater, Theater Champs Elysées in Paris, Theater Bunkamura Orchard Hall in Tokyo, Sadler's Wells Theater inLondon, to name a few. His own company "Ballet Flamenco Juan de Juan" has presented several sensational shows, and earned an emmy nomination for his show “Torero” in 1995. He has several current projects in the works, one being “ORIGINS” which explores the union between jazz music and flamenco, and The Black Sones”, a musical tribute to Gregory Hines, featuring Guillem Alonso.

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Jess Jurkovic (piano) A native of the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, Jess Jurkovic started his musical life as a drummer and percussionist, but at age fourteen, began to compose and teach himself jazz piano. Today he is an exciting and eclectic voice as a pianist and composer. He has written over 100 pieces and arranged dozens of standards and not-so-standards for his groups. In addition, he has arranged and composed music for jazz big band, jazz vocal ensemble, string orchestra, and even classical chamber ensembles—as well as worked in and composed for pop, rock, and funk genres. Jess attended the University of Minnesota, receiving his Bachelor of Music degree in 1996. That year he moved to New York City to study at Manhattan School of Music, where he received his Master's degree in Jazz and Commercial Music in 1998. In addition to his jazz work, Jess has served as musical director to several New York cabaret artists. He is on the piano faculty at Larchmont Music Academy, teaching private piano lessons to all ages. He has also worked with Cherry Lane Music Co. as a freelance writer and editor; his book Keyboard Warm-up Techniques was published in 2006. Jess’s first recording was The Art Department (2000), a jazz quartet he formed with percussionist Greg Beyer. He quickly followed that with Blue and Violet (2001), a duo recording with Pedro Giraudo. In addition to his own recordings, Jess is an integral member of the Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra (found on CDs Mr. Vivo and Desconsuelo), and Justin Hines and the Headphones's debut CD, ...As Advertised.Jess's newest recording is a solo piano effort, Two Hands, Vol. 1.

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Shelby Kaufman, originally from Michigan, has trained in a variety of dance styles since the age of 5. She recently danced as a member of the legendary Brenda Bufalino’s ‘New’ American Tap Dance Orchestra in ATDF’s ‘Soundcheck’.  Shelby also dances with world-renowned tap teacher Germaine Salsberg in her company ‘Les Femmes’, and assists and guest teaches for her at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway.  She teaches weekly adult tap classes at the new Peridance Capezio Center in Union Square as well. Other companies include ‘The Young Hoofers’, ‘Sophisticated Sounds’ (dance captain), and her own company of professional Jewish hoofers, ‘Mazel Toes,’ for which she is the choreographer. 

Shelby’s choreography was featured in the 2009 Tap City ‘Main Event,’ where she also danced a tribute to Tony nominated choreographer Randy Skinner, the 2009 ‘Tappy Holidays,’ and soon to be the 2010 ‘Tap Extravaganza’ and the first ever ‘Young Choreographer’s Festival.’ Shelby assists tap legend Dr. Harold ‘Stumpy’ Cromer both in choreography and master classes, has become Chloe Arnold’s dance captain for a number of projects in New York, and was the assistant to Joshua Bergasse for his musical theatre choreography showcase at City Center.

Shelby was recently seen as a guest tap dancer on Sesame Street.  Other notable performance venues include the Apollo Theatre, Lincoln Center, and Symphony Space in Manhattan, The George Street Playhouse in New Jersey, and The Duke Ellington Theatre in Washington DC.

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Katherine Kramer has been a vital presence in the resurgence and evolution of classic jazz and tap dance since the 1970’s.  Grateful for having had the opportunity to work and study with many of the finest of tap’s masters and contemporary innovators she has maintained a commitment to sharing this legacy since.  In Bozeman, MT, since 1996, she has produced “Rhythm Explosion”, an interdisciplinary summer festival featuring many of tap’s finest, including, in 2007, Sarah Petronio and the late Jimmy Slyde.   In 2008 she received a Fulbright Grant, to work in Prague, CR and South America.  In 2008 she received a Creation Fund Grant from the National Performance Network, creating an evening-length work, “Stop Look Listen,” which was featured in ATDF’s first “SoundCheck” in 2009.   Living in Miami, FL, she created three works of tap, movement, poetry and jazz.  The first,  “Not At Home,” featured one of her important mentors, Brenda Bufalino, and the others, “Moving Jazz,” and “Choices,” her favorite female jazz artists, Virginia Mayhew, Francesca Tanksley and Kirsten Korb.   Her one-woman show,  “Rhythms of the Heart,” toured from 1992 – 2000, including performances at Jacob’s Pillow and international festivals.  She was one of 12 dancers chosen to work with ‘Honi’ Coles in the first creative residency for tap at The Colorado Dance Festival in 1989 and was a featured soloist at the 1996 Tap Extravaganza in NY.  She has taught at numerous tap festivals and been commissioned to create works for companies throughout the country.   In Havana, Cuba she has taught tap to Danza Contemporarea and Conjunto Folklorica de Cuba and in 2004 she was invited to Fortaleza, Brazil to work with Co. Vata, directed by Brazilian choreographer, Valeria Pinheiro.   She was the choreographer for Robert Redford in the film, "The Horse Whisperer."  A gypsy at heart, Katherine continues to move about, grateful to be experiencing a rich life of family and friends, dance and music.

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Lisa La Touche Originally from Canada, now residing in New York, Lisa’s platforms have ranged from the Beijing International Dance Festival as a dancer, choreographer and American media spokesperson, to performing on CBS with r&b/pop star Mya and Emmy Award winning choreographer Jason Samuels Smith, to the Muscial Theater genre recently performing in Sophisticated Ladies.   She has taught and performed at the Brazilian International Tap Festival, L.A. Tap Festival, The Chicago Human Rhythm Project Rhythm World, The St. Louis Tap Festival, The Vancouver Tap Festival, Munich On Tap, and the Eastern Canadian Tap Conference to name a few.  While residing in Chicago for over two years, she worked as Artistic Associate with Lane Alexander and the Chicago Human Rhythm Project and their performing ensemble BAM!, and also alongside Tre Dumas and his company, JusLisTeN. She was Assistant Director and Choreographer for multiple years working with Bril Barrett's M.A.D.D. Rhythms, and founded their International extension, M.A.D.D. Rhythms Canada in her hometown of Calgary, Canada.   She also has the honor of working with other highly reputable artists such as Chloe Arnold, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Ted Levy, Roxane Butterfly, Max Polack, Barbara Duffy and currently works alongside Cecelia Leal Calloway honoring her father Cab Calloway and his musical Legacy. Lisa La Touche was recently featured in the May 2oo8 issue of Dancer Magazine as an emerging artist and is continuously pursuing new heights in her talents while establishing herself as a versatile artist here in New York City.  For more info please visit www.lisalatouche.com.

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Michela Marino-Lerman, first appeared on Sesame Street at the age of 5.  In 2002 she was showcased on the cover of the February issue of Dance Teacher Magazine with Gregory Hines and in 2005 was featured in Dance Spirit magazine as one of the 20 hottest tap dancers under 20.  Throughout the years Michela has appeared in both the Tap Extravaganza and Tap City numerous times.  In 2002 and 2003 she competed and won first prize in the Harlem Jazz Dance Festival’s, “Hoofer’s Challenge.” In 2002 she performed with Jennifer Holliday on Broadway in Nothing Like A Dame.   In 2003 she was inducted to the famed Copasetics as their first and only female lifetime honorary member.  Since 2004, Michela has been touring around Spain and Tokyo with Rafael Amargo’s Enramblao.  In the fall of 2005, she choreographed the tap section of the opening number for the Bermuda Music Festival with UDP, starring Al Green, Angie Stone, and Patti LaBelle. In 2006, she was commissioned by Dixon Place to create and direct her own production which she entitled “AM+bu$h+ED.” Michela recently toured Europe for 3 months as a lead dancer in the hit show “Magic of the Dance.” Also she has just debuted in the show hit “Wonderland,” an all tap show set to Stevie Wonder’s music. She also recently appeared on CBS’s “Secret Talents of the Stars” with Grammy award singer Mya, performing the choreography of Emmy award winner Jason Samuels Smith. Gratefully mentored and guided 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, amongst many other gifted teachers. Michela is a performer, teacher, director and choreographer dedicated to spreading the art of tap around the world.

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Hjördis Linn (Festival Manager) is the Director of Operations of American Tap Dance Foundation. She 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!

Photo by Toe Knee

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Deborah Mitchell, Founder and Artistic Director of New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble, received extensive training and mentoring from one of the great Tap Masters, Leslie “Bubba” Gaines of the Copasetics.  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. She is a recipient of tap dancing’s most prestigious awards including The Flo-Bert Award from NY Committee to Celebrate National Tap Dance Day, The Living Treasure Award from Oklahoma City University, The Hoofer Award from the American Tap Dance Foundation and Savion Glover Recognition Award for contributing tirelessly to the advancement of the art form.  She was a guest at the 2008 UCLA 1st Conference on Women In Tap, and is a 2nd Generation Silver Belle.   She is Chairperson of the Tap Department at Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts, teaches master classes and workshops nationally, is author and director of the Doll Shop and Generation Tap, which are Arts Education presentations for arts education programs in public, charter and private schools. She has worked extensively with young artists in Newark, NJ as Assistant Director/Choreographer for Marie Thomas Foster’s Theater Workshop/Peppermint Players.

Photo by Peter Petronio

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Margaret Morrison ( ATDF Education Advisor) -- is on a temporary leave of absence from Tap City for summer 2009 while she pursues an MFA in Dance through the American Dance Festival in Durham, NC.  As a rhythm tap soloist, choreographer and researcher Margaret is working on new tap performance and writing projects that explore gender, race, authenticity, social meaning, and history in tap dance.  Her current projects include writing and directing “In Search of the Whitman Sisters” a text and tap exploration of the famed Vaudeville tap act performed in May 2009; presenting her paper “Clothes Make the Woman: Women Tap Dancers and the Iconography of the Suit’ at the November 2008 Congress on Research in Dance; a two week residency in Moscow in May 2008 hosted by the US Embassy, teaching and performing in celebration of International Tap Dance Day.  Margaret performs with Tap City on Tour, travelling to cities around the US, Armenia and Romania.  Since 1986 she has performed, taught, and choreographed across the US, Brazil and Europe and has been hailed by critics as a "consummate artist who breaks the mold”.  She is a founding member of the American Tap Dance Orchestra, directed by Brenda Bufalino. As Education Director, Margaret over-sees all of the ATDF’s training programs. 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

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Carson Murphy has been performing for most of her life. A prominent tap dancer throughout the northwest United States, she has been heavily influenced by Mable Lee, Ted Levy, Dianne Walker, Steve and Carol Zee, Jeannie Hill, and Linda Murphy. She has performed in concert with Ted Levy, Los Angeles' Tongue Contemporary Dance Company, Miller and Ben's "Tap Giants", was a part of Harold Cromer's Original "Opus One", joined the first National Tour of Broadway's "42nd Street", and recently was a part of Tony Waag's Tap City on Tour. She has performed in Tap City at the Joyce Theater, the Duke on 42nd Street theatre and Symphony Space with Michelle Dorrance, "Mable Lee's Dancing Ladies", "The Tap Collective", Barbara Duffy & Company, Rumba Tap and others. She has also performed in "Tappy Holidays" at Symphony Space alongside Ayodele Casel, Sarah Savelli and Derick Grant. She most recently performed with 5 amazing tap companies in the "Sound Check" concert series at Judson Memorial Church. Carson is a certified and heavily sought after Pilates and Gyrotonic instructor, and just opened her own Pilates/Gyrotonic studio, Sound Movement, in Larchmont, NY. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in both Dance and Philosophy from Loyola Marymount University.

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Claudia Rahardjanato 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.

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Michele Ribble (Education Advisor) A ward winning choreographer, Master instructor, producer, dancer, and coach, has spent a lifetime working in classical ballet, tap dance, musical theater, and jazz. She has choreographed for both stage and screen including work for Jacob's Pillow, HBO, Miramax, Circuit Productions, Hanna-Barbera, MTV, several Off-Broadway shows, and was assistant choreographer for the film "Beetlejuice". Michele has danced as a member of the NYC Company, Ronn Forella and the Second Century Dancers , and at the Metropolitan Opera House with the Kirov Leningrad Ballet.  She is a featured soloist at Tap City, the New York City Tap Festival, and is known as tap dance partner to Charles Goddertz and Harold Cromer. Michele has shared the stage with many a talented individual too numerous to mention, and  her choreography has been enjoyed by many  theater societies as well as by audiences at the Rainbow Room , the Joyce and the Duke on 42nd St. Theaters in NYC,  Harrah's and MGM Grand Casino's in Vegas and Atlantic Cities, as well as in Europe. She is a Master Instructor for the Omega Institute, Kaatsbaan International,  the National Association of Dancers and Affiliated Arts, the NYC Tap Festival, an adjudicator and adjunct professor of dance at S.U.N.Y. New Paltz, and is a judge for Starbound and Olympic Miss National Dance Competitions. Michele is a faculty member of the American Tap Dance Foundation, a guest instructor at Steps on Broadway, Director of the Metro-Gnomes and KaBoom… KaTap! youth tap ensembles, owner of the Rhinebeck Dance Centre in Red Hook, NY and Showbiz Dance Studios in Kingston NY, and fonder of the Roya Curie Dance scholarship Foundation. Her training is from a faculty of the most distinguished dance masters of the world, too numerous to mention.

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Courtney Runft, (ATDF Education Assistant/Registrar and Faculty) 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.   

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Germaine Salsberg 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.

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Lynn Schwab- 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.

Photo by Lois Greenfield

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Alicia Smith (Youth Program Co-ordinator) an award-winning choreographer, master instructor, and professional tap dancer serves as this year’s Tap City Youth Program Director.  A member of the Tap City on-site staff since 2006, Alicia is also a part of the American Tap Dance Foundation’s year round teaching staff and a past recipient of the Tap City Tap Teacher Award (2005) for her contribution to training the next generation of tap dancers.  Alicia is a member of Dance Teacher Magazine’s Honors List recognizing exemplary dance educators.  She is a performing member of the New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble under the direction of Deborah Mitchell and through this affiliation has performed in numerous famous theatres and worked with renowned composers such as Marvin Hamlisch, Bill Conti, J. Leonard Oxley, Nikki Denner, etc.  As the former Artistic Director of The Artistry In Motion Dancers based in Michigan, Alicia studied as a protégé of Robert L. Reed, who was a protégé of the late Maceo Anderson, an original member of the famous Four Step Brothers. An all-around dance technician and fitness professional, Alicia is also a certified yoga instructor, a licensed ballet instructor of the Cecchetti Method and a certified member of Dance Masters of America in Ballet, Tap and Jazz.  Through the Detroit Tap Festival, founded and produced by her mother, Gwendolyn B. Smith, she had the opportunity to be personally influenced and inspired by tap greats such as Dianne “Lady Di” Walker, Van “the man” Porter, LaVaughn Robinson, Savion Glover, Debbie Dee, the late “doctors of tap” Cholly Atkins, Henry LeTang, Jimmy Slyde, Leonard Reed and the uniquely memorable Peg Leg Bates.  In Celebration of National Tap Dance Day she also performed with Savion Glover in 2008 and in Tap Extravaganza at F.I.T. in 2009.  As a fitness professional, Alicia was recently ranked as a Top 5 Trainer for Bally Total Fitness in the New York/New Jersey/Staten Island area, one of the top markets nationwide. Her mission is to share her passion for dance while making a positive impact on others.

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Jason Samuels-Smith, performer, choreographer, director, 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. 

Photo by Michael Higgins

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Tap City Youth Ensemble is a project of the American Tap Dance Foundation. TCYE gives intermediate and advanced tap dancers ages 10-18 the opportunity to work with master tap artists & choreographers to learn and perform classic and contemporary tap choreography. The company is under the direction of Susan Hebach, with mentorship from Brenda Bufalino, Margaret Morrison and Tony Waag. The TCYE meets on Sundays from late September through  mid-June on Sundays for rehearsals in NYC. The repertory currently includes works by Guillem Alonso, Buster Brown, Brenda Bufalino, The Copasetics, Barbara Duffy, Michelle Dorrance, Jared Grimes, and Josh Hilberman, among others. The Tap City Youth Ensemble performs in a wide range of New York venues including formal concerts, school shows, hospital performances, and "Tap City" - The New York City Tap Festival each July.

Performance highlights include: Tap City at the Duke on 42nd St, the Joyce Theater, & Symphony Space, the Apollo Theatre, the National Tap Extravaganza, Tappy Holidays, Dancewave's "Kid's Café" Festival, Manhattan Restoration Project, Macy's Charity Day, School and Hospital Shows in NYC & NJ, From 5-Points to Harlem in Foley Square, Manhattan Nickelodeon's METV, Beat Street , Brooklyn Children's Museum, Long Island Children's Museum, Sound Check, A Tap Dance Concert Series & More! 

Photo by Debi Field

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Director and founder of Fred Academy in Brussels since 1989, over the years, Grégoire Vandersmissen has become the benchmark for Tap in Europe. Each year he organizes International Workshops with big name teachers The Swiss Victor Cuno, the Americans Lane Alexander, Chuck Green, Steven Harper, Max Pollack and Sam Weber, the French Leela Petronio, Fabien Ruiz and Marion Sandner, the Spaniard Guillem Alonzo as well as the American ladies, Lisa Hopkins, Brenda Bufalino, Sarah Petronio and Heather Cornell. Initially trained as a musician, Grégoire Vandersmissen started dancing at 18 years old. He trained as a classical dancer and was quickly accepted by MUDRA, Béjart’s school. As a choreographer, he took First Prize at the Paris International Gathering with "Rhythmic Dreams". As soloist, Grégoire has performed the American Morton Gould’s "Tap Concerto" with the Belgian TV Symphonic Orchestra. He was invited to perform as a soloist by “LA GIOIA Inter-voices” choral society, to interpret “Sacred Concert” by Duke Ellington. In February 2009, Grégoire Vandersmissen created a big Tap and Jazz Show: “TAP TONIGHT” at the Vaudeville Theatre, Brussels with the special appearance of Sarah Petronio with whom he danced a duo in five performances of “sold out”. He is the Belgian representative for the I.T.A. and has also been one of the judges for the international competition, “The Paris Cup”, since 2004.

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Tony Waag is currently the Artistic/Executive Director of the American Tap Dance Foundation (formerly known as the American Tap Dance Orchestra) which he founded 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

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Danny Wallace is originally from Northern California, now living in NYC. At 18, he performed with the Vegas company of "Tap Dogs" and later toured with the show throughout Germany, Paris, and Asia. He has been featured in the film "America's Sweethearts" (with Julia Roberts), numerous industrials (Coca Cola, Audi, and Compaq), as well as an opening act for Leann Rimes. He has been on faculty at both Broadway Dance Center and Steps in NYC. Danny has choreographed shows for companies such as Little Tykes, Footlocker, and Discover Card, as well as an equity production of "Funny Girl" in NC. He co wrote/choreographed and directed an original dance musical entitled, "At the Diner", featured at the International Dance Festival in NYC. His latest project is entitled "TAP the MAP", where he and two friends drive around the country, hosting "in studio" tap workshops with the hope of keeping the art tap dance alive and thriving.

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Joseph Monroe Webb Award winning actor, dancer, and poet Joseph Monroe Webb has showcased his talent in a number of performances throughout the yearsincluding the Tony Award winning Broadway production, Bring in 'Da NoiseBring in 'Da Funk with notable tap dancer, Savion Glover.  Following his Broadway success, Webbventured into acting an appearance in the Martin Scorsese film Bringing Out The Dead, and appeared in numerous print and television ads. He has also performed on talk shows including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Live with Regis and Kathy Lee. A true artist, Webb decided to pursue another artistic interest and formed his own band. Their music is a blend of hip-hop, jazz, soul, tap dance and spoken word. Connecting live instrumentation with an incredible rhythm and horn section, Webb creates an engaging and interactive atmosphere denoting sheer inspiration. Joseph is a 2001 graduate of Marymount Manhattan College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theater Arts. Joseph Webb is a Full Time Lecturer at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, NY. He is currently in the cast of Thank You Gregory which is touring the United States. Understanding that his talent and achievements are attributed to more than his commitment and contribution to the journey, Webb gives thanks for that which has no name but can only be felt, that which has neither beginning nor end.

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Xander Weinman  In January of 2009 Xander was seen on the Today in New York Show as a guest tap dancer; the segment was also played throughout taxis in NYC. In the following month Xander performed in Sound Check, a series of shows produced by Tony Waag and ATDF (American Tap Dance Foundation). As a part of this series he performed with the legendary, and brilliant, Brenda Bufalino in her show, Primordial Memories. He was also dance captain of Jason Samuels Smith’s ensemble for Take it to the Stage. In May he performed at the 20th annual Tap Extravaganza with Harold Cromer, and he made a guest appearance tap dancing on Sesame Street. In addition, he is currently forming his own tap company. In New York City he has performed at the B.B. King’s Blues Club on 42nd Street, at the Apollo Theater, in Battery Park, at the Judson Memorial Church in the Village, and at Café Loup with Barbara Duffy.

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Karen Callaway Williams The producer of Rhythms for Ruby, author of Gabriella’s Tap Shoes and Rhythms for Ruby (audio book), tap dancer Karen Callaway Williams, 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 Magazine, and on the cover of Flow Magazine. 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. A graduate of Spelman College, Karen is also an alumna of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She is an original member, featured dancer, and first dance captain of the New Jersey Tap Ensemble.  And she appeared with The Duke Ellington Orchestra in Italy and at Lincoln Center in the MAJESTY OF TAP (the lone female tap artist), as well as JIMMY SLYDE & FRIENDS at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. She has been featured in Lincoln Center's Reel to Real Series, and was heralded by Dance Magazine as “a graceful dream with taps as happy as a song” for her performance at the CHICAGO TAP FESTIVAL. Look for Karen’s third upcoming children’s book, Gabriella and The Tap Dance Floor.

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Cartier Williams 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.  

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Janeeka Wilson, a graduate of Montclair State University, was recently introduced to New York City as the new, up and coming, choreographer by Rhapsody James, who has choreographed for Beyonce’s video “Getting Bodied”. Janeeka is becoming well-known for her creative, energy-filled works of art. Doubling as a choreographer and performer gives her the opportunity to express and share her love of dance. While in college, Janeeka’s self-starting attitude and unique style brought statewide recognition and national exposure to their dance team, “Da Truth”.  While working with the troupe, she was inspired to give the dancers a broader platform to showcase their talent. Subsequently, she booked, choreographed, and led them to dance before Def Jam at Jay-Z’s album release party for American Gangster. She was then asked to lead the cutting edge group, Alter Ego, where she led them to perform for beautiful singer, Mya. After obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree in Business/Marketing, she began choreographing for Rhapsody James’s “Sirens After Dark” showcases, Tina Brown, tours featuring Keri Hilson & Ric Ross, Lil Wayne and many other New York/New Jersey artists. Most recently, Janeeka choreographed for MTV’s 2009 Making the Band Tours. During this journey Janeeka attributes her success to focusing on her favorite scripture, Phillipians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

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Nicholas Young 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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