Festival Events

Visiting School Days (Oct. 25 & 26)

Dance Workshops Oct. 26 - 28 (Beginner to Advanced & Adult)

Living Legends Luncheon Honoring Mercedes Ellington  SOLD OUT!

Competition w/ Cash Prizes! (Oct. 27)

Tapology Concert  Oct. 28 @ 7pm

Historical Presentation w/ C. Daniel Dawson Oct. 28, in the

Anderson Room @ FIM - 9am - Continental Breakfast | Panel Discusson Follows

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Living Legends

2018 GUEST HONOREE

Mercedes Ellington: Tapology Living Legend. Broadway and television tap dancer, choreographer, director, and producer who has preserved and extended the musical legacy of her grandfather, Duke Ellington; hailed as "one of the brightest dancing stars this universe has ever known," was born to Ruth Silas and musician and bandleader Mercer Ellington. The United States has had few notable three-generation families in the performing arts, and even fewer still are families are those of color. The Ellington family is one of those unique entities.  See her in Concert on October 28 - 7pm @ The Whiting. 

The McFadden Brothers

“The McFadden Brothers”! World-class entertainers whose career spans many countries. Their unique style has earned them the label of “triple threat” as accomplished singers, tap dancers and musicians.  Their show encompasses a unique style of entertainment, with a silken touch and a wide range of steps from soft-shoe to street-corner moonwalking, and effortless-looking, but extremely difficult instrumentals. Intermixed is their own brand of comedy. A true entertainment experience. 

    

Dianne Walker - Concert and Workshops

Dianne Walker, jazz tap dancer known for her elegant and fluid style of dancing that is delicate yet rhythmically complex, was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Dance Magazine Award winner for lifetime achievement in dance. Principal dancer in the Paris production of Black and Blue, as well as principal choreographer in the Broadway production; she is considered by many female tap dancers as the transitional figure between the young generation of female dancers (such as Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Germaine Ingram, Ayodele Casel), and the "forgotten mothers of tap," such as Edith "Baby" Edwards, Jeni LeGon, Lois Miller, and Florence Covan.

 

Choreographers & Instructors

Jason Samuels Smith

Co-starred in Dean Hargrove's "Tap Heat", a short film available on DVD. featured dancer in HBO/Universal Pictures's motion picture "Idlewild" starring Outkast. Was featured in several productions of Debbie Allen including the AMC television series "Cool Women"; Sammy (a tribute to the life of Sammy Davis jr.); and leading role of Soul Possessed with Patti LaBelle, Arturo Sandoval and Carmen DeLavallade.

 

       

Maurice Chestnut

Joined Deborah Mitchell's New Jersey Tap Ensemble at age 9. Quickly recognized as a rising young star, he was featured on the Sally Jesse Raphael Show's "My Kid's A Star"; toured nationally with "Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk" and as special guest with jazz artists Christian McBride, Cyrus Chestnut, Thelonius Monk III, and the Geri Allen Trio.  Maurice has been a favorite choreographer at Tapology since 2010.

 

Joseph Wiggan

Joseph performed in the American tour of Riverdance, tap dance musical Imagine Tap! choreographed by Derick K. Grant.

As a teacher he has shared his artistry with students in Sweden, Japan, Russia, and Peru.  Joseph is a member of The Double J's, a tap duo act with his older sister Josette. With her, he toured in two Cirque du Soleil shows for four years, and performed at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. Joseph hopes that other tap dancers will apply to university jazz programs worldwide!

Josette Wiggan

In 2008, Josette was a Lester Horton Award nominee for “Outstanding Achievement in Performance” and In 2009 she danced in Disney's animated lm Princess and the Frog. Most recently, Josette has performed alongside her brother in the original casts of Cirque du Soleil's Banana Shpeel from 2009-2010 and Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour from 2011- 2013. While traveling, Josette is often an invited guest teacher and dancer in festivals around the world ranging from Debbie Allen's Dance Academy in Los Angeles, to festivals and workshops in Canada, Europe, and Asia.

 

Alexandria Brinae Ali Bradley - Festival Co-Producer

An International performer, Bradley danced Broadway's "Shuffle Along", "STOMP", George Faison's Bubblin’ Brown Sugar starring Diahnn Carroll. Was named one of  Dance Magazine's "25 To Watch".  A recorded vocalist and producer for the Tapology Festival, Ali is known as a demanding choreographer and lead trainer for Tapology's Youth Ensemble.

 

Frances Bradley  - Festival Co-Producer

Featured Tap soloist for international touring company Illstyle & Peace Productions, cast in Noah Racey's Pulse: The Beat of Song and Dance; and trained with Savion Glover.   Performs and teaches underserved youth in New York and St. Maarten.  Bradley also presented her art as part of a delegation to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland

Cherisse Bradley  

Cherisse Bradley is a dancer and vocalist - one of the Original Flintstone Hoofers. Cherisse is currently working as a vocalist and dance teacher in New York, continuing to use her skills to reach out to other youth. Cherisse has appeared in Debbie Allen's "Chocolate Nutcracker"

 

 

C. Daniel Dawson - Importance of Tap Across Continents, Through History 

His extensive knowledge of tap and its cultural roots, along with his ability to connect past and present, leave audiences thinking more critically about art and its influence on our daily lives.  Curated more than 70 exhibitions including Harlem Heyday: The Photographs of James Van Der Zee and The Sound I Saw: The Jazz Photographs of Roy DeCarava and was formerly a curator with the Jazz at Lincoln Center's curatorial team. Prof. Dawson worked as a photographer, filmmaker, curator, arts administrator, consultant and scholar.

 

  

Clara Reyes - Afro Caribbean Dance

Educator, Director and Choreographer, Ms. Reyes has a body of work that is diverse and all encompassing, ranging from youth productions to reviving dormant cultural traditions. Reyes believes the arts offer healing, transformation and wholeness that enable us to find deeper meaning and richness in our existence. M.F.A. in Dance & Choreography with specialization in dance education K- 12. Certified in both Yoga and Somatic movement.

 

Shanzell Page

Trained with the off-broadway musical STOMP at the Orpheum Theatre in New York, Urban Bush Women and Miami Heat dancers. Page worked at The School at Steps New York, Motor City Dance Factory and multiple Michigan studios. Directs Tapology's Outreach program, providing tap classes year round to after-school programs, introducing youth to the excitement and discipline of rhythm and tap.

Kandee Thacker-Mann

Kandee Thacker-Mann Flint native. She is an advocate for tap dance in Dayton and organizes annual workshops featuring and collaborating with the legendary Dianne Walker. She continues to spread her love of dance through teaching, choreography, and collaboration. Instructs at Dayton Dance Conservatory.

Mikaela Evans

Mikaela Miki Evans is an actress, vocalist, and dancer. She is a Detroit native and a second generation Flintstone Hoofer. Mikaela has gone on to teach and perform with youth in many different cultural settings from America, Europe, and Asia. She's gained skill in production with Virginia Stage Company, Harlem's Negro Ensemble Company, Long Island University and more. She currently teaches youth the application of rhythmic performance to everyday needed skills such as basic math, comprehension arts, and physical science. 

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Ages 5 - 80 / Beginner - Advanced

& Adults

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