About the Ensembles
The Tap City Youth Ensemble has three divisions, the Tap City Youth Ensemble (advanced dancers ages 14-18), the Tap City Junior Ensemble (intermediate dancers ages 12-15) and the Tap City Junior Prep Ensemble (upper level junior dancers ages 10-14). These groups are the resident youth performing companies of the American Tap Dance Foundation. These dynamic and talented dancers focus on learning classic and contemporary choreography with professional choreographers and working with master teachers and musicians in the field today. The ensembles perform in a range of New York area venues including formal concerts, educational school shows, free public events and television, and have been featured in articles in Dance Teacher Magazine, Dance Spirit Magazine and Time Out New York Kids and appeared on television on NY 1. and Nickelodeon's METV, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on NBC. Members of the group have also traveled to perform and study to The Vancouver Tap Festival, The Chicago Tap Festival, The UK Tap Festival, and to Danza Escola Luthier in Barcelona, Spain.
The ensembles are directed by Susan Hebach with the mentorship of Brenda Bufalino (ATDF Artistic Mentor) Margaret Morrison (ATDF Education Advisor) and Tony Waag (ATDF Artistic Director) TCYE I, II and III work with Susan Hebach and TCYE faculty Claudia Rahardjanoto and Tamii Sakurai. Guest teachers and choreographers that have worked with TCYE include Guillem Alonso, Ali Bradley, Brenda Bufalino, Harold Cromer, Barbara Duffy, Michelle Dorrance, Felipe Galganni, Derick K. Grant, Lisa LaTouche, Michela Marino Lerman, Jason Mills, Margaret Morrison, Max Pollak, Charles Renato, Jason Samuels Smith, Leonardo Sandoval, Randy Skinner, Caleb Teicher and Tony Waag, to name a few. TCYE is the premiere performing division of the program. Dancers are selected by audition or invitation and come from all over the tri-state area.
TCYE meets on Sundays, mid-September 2023 – mid-June 2024. Weekly faculty includes Susan Hebach, Rachel Binney, Emma Butensky, and additional teachers & choreographers throughout the season.
The Tap City Junior Ensemble gives intermediate tap dancers (ages 12 - 15) the opportunity to learn classic and contemporary tap repertory that is part of the established repertory of TCYE. The Ensemble under the direction of Susan Hebach and led by Sandra Kluge, assisted by additional TCYE faculty. TCJE serves as a preparatory group for the premiere upper level ensemble. Dancers are required to attend a weekly technique class at the ATDF in addition to ensemble rehearsal. TCJE is given several additional performing opportunities throughout the season.
The Tap City Junior Ensemble Prep group is for younger students ages 10 - 14 who have demonstrated the desire and entry level skill to learn and perform the basic repertory of our TCJE ensembles. This group concentrates on the material of the Copasetics, and several other core dances that are part of the TCYE canon. These students are required to be enrolled in our ATDF youth program for a technique class that supports the learning and requisite skills for this group. They are given several additional performing opportunities throughout the season. Dancers are selected by audition and or/invitation.
TCYE IS AVAILABLE for Performance!
FOR BOOKINGS: For more information on TCYE and to book the ensemble for future appearances please contact shebach@atdf.org
For more information contact us at 646-230-9564
What people are saying about TCYE: “Past and future come together . . . in the recently formed Tap City Youth Ensemble, which performs classic routines like the Copasetic’ “Chair Dance” with brash adolescent energy” (Star-Ledger).
Performance Highlights of the TCYE 2006-2020 Seasons:
Rhythm in Motion
UK Dance Festival, Manchester, England
NYC Dance Parade
Escola Dansa Luthier, Barcelona Spain
NBC - The 84th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Duke Ellington's Annual Birthday Celebration
Tap City – The annual NYC Tap Festival at the Duke on 42nd Street, The Joyce Theater and the Peter Jay Sharp Theater/ Symphony Space
The Vancouver International Tap Festival
The Annual River to River Festival
The Apollo Theater
The Howl Festival
The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival
ATDF's Annual Rhythm in Motion Concert Series at the 14th Street Y and the Duke Theater
Lenox Hill Neighborhood House
Manhattan Children's Museum
Queens Tap Extravaganza
Career Transitions for Dancers Gala at NYC's City Center
Long Island Children's Museum
National Dance Week, NYC
Dancewave’s “Kid’s Café” Festival
Manhattan Restoration Project
Macy's Charity Day
School and Hospital Shows in NYC & NJ
Jamming it up at Capezio
Danskin Street Fair
From 5-Points to Harlem in Foley Square, Manhattan
PBS “Angelina Ballerina” special feature
Nickelodeon's METV
Beat Street
& More!
Visit: Fees & Due Dates
Visit: Downloadable Scholarship Application
Rehearsal Schedule for TCYE I, Apprentice I, TCYE II & TCYE III
TCYE I, TCYE Apprentice I & TCYE II: Sundays, 1:00pm-4:30pm
TCYE III: Sundays, 11:00am-1:00pm
Rehearsal Schedule for Tap City Junior Ensemble I & II
TCJE I: Saturdays 12:15-1:30pm (Tech Class)
TCJE II: Saturdays 1:45-3pm (Rehearsal)
All Rehearsals are held at:
The American Tap Dance Center, 154 Christopher St., #2B, NY, NY 10014
Who’s Who & How to reach us:
Mailing address & administrative office: ATDF, 154 Christopher St., #2B, NY, NY 10014
Office Phone: (646) 230-9564 Website: www.atdf.org
Susan Hebach: Ensemble Director & ATDF Youth Program Director shebach@atdf.org
Emma Butensky: TCYE Faculty –ebutensky@atdf.org
Tony Waag: Artistic/Executive Director
Margaret Morrison: Education Advisor
Brenda Bufalino: Artistic Mentor
Please speak to Susan Hebach about any aspect of Ensemble participation--rehearsals/classes, attendance, absences, progress, shoes, costumes, etc. All tuition and payment questions can be directed to Liz Carroll: shebach@atdf.org
Holidays: There are some dates that we have NO REHEARSAL. Please read below and make note on your calendar.
Main dates of holidays/No rehearsals for TCYE I-III & TCJE II:
Sunday, November 26, 2023 – Thanksgiving
Sunday, December 24 & 31, 2023 - Winter Holiday Break
Sunday, February 20, 2024 - Mid - Winter Break
Sunday, March 31, 2024 - Easter Holiday
Sunday, May 27, 2024 - Memorial Day Weekend
Sunday, April 28, 2024 - Spring Break
FOR BOOKINGS: For more information on TCYE and to book the ensemble for future appearances please contact shebach@atdf.org
For more information contact us at 646-230-9564