Tap Academy

THE ACADEMY

Sept 2009 Hallmarks of the VTDS Academy include: professional faculty, a commitment to preserving the legacy of the tap masters, high profile performance opportunities and a culture of respect and passion for tap dance.

The Academy offers program instruction from the introductory recreational level to the rigorous curriculum offered to the pre professional student.

A colorful palette of tap classes have been created for adults from the absolute beginner to dancers seriously committed to studying the art of tap dance.

Artist in Residence: January 2009

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 (currently), Duke University, Meredith College, St. Louis Tap Festival, American Dance Festival, The Ballet School of Chapel Hill, the Saratov Music Conservatory (Russia), the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, NY City Tap Festival, Tap Encontro (Rio de Janeiro), The Hot Shoe Show (Vienna, Austria). Feet Beat (Helsinki, Finland), the fourth annual tap dance festival in Berlin, the Eighth Heidelberger Steptanz-Festival, the Stuttgart Tap Festival (Germany) and Performatica at La Universidad de Las Americas in Puebla, Mexico. Selected performance experience includes performances with the Squirrel Nut Zippers, solos in Duke Ellington's Nutcracker, Ellington's "David Danced" from his sacred music, Rising Stars of Tap (Colorado Dance Festival), and the Great Tap Reunion (Boston). Gene has received grants from the Durham Arts Council, the NC Arts Council, and the Orange County Arts Commission. He was featured in the March, 1998 Dance Teacher Now magazine, is recipient of the News and Observer (Raleigh, NC) "Tar Heel of the Week", and won the 1998 "Indy Award" for contribution to the arts awarded by the Independent Magazine.

He performed a duet with tap dance legend, Brenda Bufalino, at the World Dance Festival (March, 1999) held at the Town Hall Theater in NYC. Gene was also profiled in the September/October Carolina Alumnae Review, can be seen in the PBS special "JUBA, Master of Percussive Dance" and appears in the December 2001 issue of Southern Living. He was chosen to be the 2003 recipient of the North Carolina Dance Alliance annual award for his ongoing commitment to dance in the state of North Carolina and resounding achievement as a dance artist.

Most recently (July, 2005), he was invited to be a guest teacher at Broadway Dance Center (NY). This occurred concurrently with NCYTE performing a one week run at the Joyce Theater as part of Tap City, the New York City tap festival.

Guest Artist 2008 - 2009

Danny Nielsen, Calgary, Alberta

Danny Nielsen is a tap dancer from Calgary, AB. At 14, Danny met his mentor Lisa La Touche who opened his eyes to a whole new world of tap dancing. His association with La Touche led to a spot with her renowned company MADD Rhythms Canada, as well as opportunities to perform with the original MADD Rhythms in Chicago. His passion for tap dance has carried him to many tap festivals where he has had the opportunity to train with the legends and masters of this great American art form. Danny teaches, performs, produces, and studies tap in pursuit of giving tap a respected and equal right among other dance forms. Credits include performances at tap festivals in St. Louis, Chicago, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary, as well as Alberta Dance Explosions. Teaching at Tap Into A Cure in Edmonton, and The Calgary Tap Summit. Also a mention in the Tappin' In article in the December 2006 issue of Dancer Magazine.

Most recently, Danny has had the pleasure of working the Decidedly Jazz Danceworks Company, who have commissioned his choreography for their 2008 show Tinge and Tone.

Tap Academy Faculty

MIKA KOMATSU, Dir., Youth Programs Mika Komatsu - Born in Japan, Mika began her dancing career in Tokyo with ballet and then incorporated tap dance into her repertoire of dance disciplines. Mika has delighted audiences throughout BC with her choreographic abilities. Under her artistic direction, TapCo, a dynamic youth ensemble, tours as part of "Artstarts" and at high profile events, such as, the 2008 Vancouver Island Children's Festival and the Dance Center's "Discover Dance" series. As the Artistic Director, VTDS youth programs she has inspired and skillfully trained hundreds of young dancers the art of tap dance. Mika has trained with so many of the legends in the world of tap dance, Terry Brock, Heather Cornell, Dr. Jeni LeGon, Dianne Walker and Sam Weber.

SHELLEY STEWART HUNT Selected performance credits: Evita and My Fair Lady at the Arts Club/Stanley Theatre, CATS national tour (Rumpelteazer), ABC-TV's Bye Bye Birdie (Alice). Instructor: tap, jazz and musical theatre, Capilano College musical theatre diploma program. Choreographic credits include: The Boyfriend, Guys & Dolls, Pal Joey (Studio 58); My Fair Lady, Emily (Gateway Theatre); Oklahoma!, West Side Story, Little Shop of Horrors (TUTS); The Wiz, Children of Eden (Exit 22 Productions); motion capture choreography for Barbie: The Princess & The Pauper (Mattel); The Bird and the Waterfall, original musical (Kay Meek Centre); On The Town (codirector, Applause Musicals); Eve and the Firehorse (special jury prize winner Sundance Film Festival); resident choreographer for Uncle Randy Productions since 1997 (Ovation Award recipient for Jesus Christ Superstar and Cabaret). Upcoming, Annie Get Your Gun for Theatre Under The Stars.

AMANDA BUCKINGHAM Amanda has dedicated her life to the study of tap dance. She is the senior member of the highly respected tap ensemble, TapCo. Her performance credits include touring with BC preeminent artist's in education program, Artstarts, with the VTDS; Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival and various Lower Mainland dance competitions. Amanda has been fortunate to study with many of the masters of tap dance. She is thrilled to embark on another year of introducing youth to the joys of tap dance.

LINDSEY GALAUGHER Lindsey has been dancing for as long as she can remember. She is a triple threat talent and has won many awards for her dancing and choreography. Lindsey continues to her develop her dance skills by travelling to New York to study with top performers and choreographers. Lindsey works to ensure every student is comfortable in the class while she introduces the dancer to the joys of dance and enhancing their movement abilities and musicality.

TROY MCLAUGHLIN Troy hails from Richmond, Virginia and holds a B.F.A. in Jazz Dance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. There he studied under the master hoofer and tap legend Lavaughn Robinson. Troy co-founded Tap Team Two and has danced with the illustrious Manhattan Tap and had the privilege of working with the late great Harold Nicholas. He has shared his talent with universities, public schools and studios all over North America. Troy's performance career has taken him around the world, performing in Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Starlight Express", Disney's "Lion King", with the Radio City Rockettes. Locally he danced in "Miss Saigon" and Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" for the Arts Club Theatre Company.

ANGELA LOWNDES Angela was born in Costa Rica and has studied dance all over the World. She is a choreographer, Dancer, Teacher, and Singer. Her technique ranges in many different styles such as Old Skool, New Skool, Locking, Popping, Street Jazz, Jazz and Ballet. Her many credits include Moka Only, Rascalz, MTV Canada, MTV US, Much Music and many more. Her Dance crew, Grandmaster C and the Funky 5+1 are the recent Hip Hop Champions in the West Coast of Canada. The group traveled to Los Angeles this summer to represent Canada in the World Hip Hop Championships.