Andrew Nemr

Artist // Speaker

Performance

New World Soul Show is Live

By Andrew

A few weeks ago, I performed with a group of dancers I’m been connected with since the early 2000s. World Soul is a collective of street dancers curated by Brian Green that aims to showcase the relatedness of dance styles and celebrate their unique expression. For our most recent performance in Osaka, Japan, I co-choreographed the showcase alongside fellow member, Kim Holmes. What came to life was a story of beautiful interplay between the dances of tap, house, and African. For the first time in my career, I was able to be a part of making a show in which tap dance not only was part of the music, it was the music.

Enjoy my featured solo above. See the entire performance here.

How I will juggle 7 projects in 10 days

By Andrew

Between now and National Tap Dance Day, I will take part in no fewer than 7 different projects (Graffiti Night Church, Still Point Duo with Max ZT, Canales Project, Tap Dance Freedom, Limbs, Tap Legacy™, and a new research project) in which I will take on numerous roles – from performer to director, teacher to pastor. Many times I look at my schedule and think that something is wrong. I find myself thinking (maybe because others have told me), “No human should be working this much.” Sometimes I go through my week and feel like I get shot out the other end, not remembering what happened, and not feeling like anything was actually accomplished. That’s not good. In those moments I find myself being reminded of the reason I said yes to all of this in the first place.

In every good work there is the fulfillment of an aspect of love.

The special collaborations with Max ZT and the members of Limbs (Yuka C. Honda, Susie Ibarra, and Kazu Kumagai) are an expression of the intimacy and unity that is found in love. The music that we make comes from a willingness to be vulnerable and exposed, expressive and known.

The performances alongside other artists in the Canales Project puts my artistic gifts to the specific purpose of social justice. We want to envision a world in which there is no such thing as “the other.” While idealistic, isn’t that one of the reasons artists are here? That is to imagine the world as it could be? Such is the hope that is found in love.

Tap Dance Freedom and Tap Legacy are similar, not only in their focus on tap dance, but also in their hope to provide the tools needed for anyone to thoughtfully and deeply engage with the craft. While Tap Dance Freedom is specifically about teaching the craftwork, Tap Legacy provides the historical context for that teaching to make sense. This is the provision and multigenerational thinking that is found in love.

Research projects of the academic sort are relatively new to me, and the one I’m currently involved with is not published yet, so I can’t say much about it (other than it has been really exciting!). To enter into research, is to search for truth. This search may be predicated by the belief that there is a truth to be searched for. Truth is the foundation of love.

Love can be a funny word. It’s simple. But in it’s simplicity all the nuances, the different aspects and kinds of love, can get lost or confusing in communication. The past two years have been a journey as I have been called to a place where I must clearly and explicitly express the revelation of love I’ve been given. This revelation is the foundation on top of which all other work must stand (if it is going to stand at all). For me, it is the revelation of God through Jesus Christ. It is in Christ that I have found the beginning (and end) of love. And it is at Graffiti Night Church that I have found a home to explore this revelation with others. It is the community of love.

And then you rest.

So you see, it’s hard to say no to work that is fueled and filled with love. Then again love knows that there is a time and a season for all things. So if I ever feel like I’m reaching the end of my line (which happens more often than I’d like to admit), that’s my cue to sit, be still, give thanks and praise, and rest in love.

Tap Dancing in Virtual Reality

By Andrew

Back in August, 2016, I receive an email inviting me to come and play. Not one to ever turn down a playdate, I responded, but with some trepidation. This was not your normal request. I was being invited to take part in a newly launched Artist in Residence program, by the folks at TiltBrush. If you’re not familiar with the tool, here’s the basic premise: Take your average painting software (think Adobe’s Photoshop, or Corel’s Painter), and stick it inside of Virtual Reality. That’s right – painting in 3D space, and you are inside the space.

I’ve personally tend to avoid tech trends in the art, theater, and storytelling worlds (including VR), on account of the principle that tap dance is fundamentally a live experience. The more intimate and acoustic, the better, I think. I wondered what I could be asked to do with TiltBrush as a tap dancer, and secretly thought the folks inviting me had found out that I had attended School of Visual Arts for Computer Art (2001). Well, I said yes, and after 3 days painting in VR, I’m glad I did. I now have a body of work that I’m excited to share!

Everything has been under wraps until the official public launch of the TiltBrush Artist in Residence Program. That happened last week with this awesome video, this article in the New York Times, and this post on Google’s blog.

So what did I actually do? I got to play!! You can check out some of the work on my profile page on the Artist in Residence Program Website, and find a larger sampling of the visual artwork here.

As for tap dancing in VR – it happened. I created a piece that incorporated storytelling, tap dancing, and painting in TiltBrush, for the 2016 Future of Storytelling Summit. It was great. The audience loved it. We’re waiting on the official video before we share it here. Once I get it, you’ll be the first to know. If you’re a social media maven you might be able to find a bootleg of part of the performance on twitter.

Here’s to the future.

Wheaton College Still Point Duo Bootleg!

By Andrew

For anyone who couldn’t make the show or wants to relive some of the magic felt in the room, here’s a short bootleg of our encore, No Lights, care of Alan Teller. Special thanks to the folks at Wheaton College Artist Series and Center for Applied Christian Ethics for making the show possible.

March in NYC – Two Exciting Events

By Andrew

TheStoop

As I’m heavy in preparations for Cats Paying Dues 10th Anniversary season, my solo work hasn’t been front of mind. But things are still happening 🙂 Check out these two fun events that are coming up in NYC.

 

Sunday, March 1 – Birdland Jazz Party with Natalie Douglas

I’ll be a special guest with Gabrielle Stravelli with host Natalie Douglas at the world famous Birdland Jazz Club.

Doors: 5PM
Performance: 6PM
Tickets: $30 plus $10min/person

Facebook Event
Venue Event Page

Saturday, March 21 – Andrew Nemr and Max ZT with Cats Paying Dues

Andrew and Max play in duo with additional pieces performed by Cats Paying Dues. Music will be made, stories will be shared, and a good time will be had by all.

Doors: 7:30PM
Performance: 8:00PM
Tickets: Pay-What-You-Wish, Suggested Donation $12

Tickets will be available at the door

Facebook Event

Desert Spawns New Creation in Joshua Tree

By Andrew

Never thought I’d write a headline like that. But so it was. For 10 days I was blessed to be part of the creative team for a brand new show to debut in Paris, February 2015. STreeT/FeaT, a tap dance narrative, is the brain child of Joe Orrach (director), and came to life at a work-in-progress showing at the Harrison House for Music and Arts (directed by Eva Soltes) just last week with myself (co-choreographer), Allie Pizzo (performer), with musical director Matt Clark.

Andrew and Joe
The four of us spent an intense 10 days bringing the show from paper to the stage, culminating in a work-in-progress showing inaugurating a newly built outdoor stage at the Harrison House. New music was written and played, choreography was written and performed, characters were developed, and the show began to find its legs (it is a tap dance show after all).

On stage 2

We worked everyday, outdoors in the heat, drinking lots of fluids, and getting a deep desert tan. As a change a pace, we ventured on a morning excursion to Joshua Tree National Park. The beauty of the scenery refueled our soul and we returned to the stage to continue the work.

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As was eloquently expressed during the post-showing talk back, it is indeed a rare occasion that creative individuals are gifted with the time and space to explore a new creation. For the work, the beauty, the people, and the rarity of such an experience, our time at the Harrison House will be something I remember for many years to come.

Cats Paying Dues turns 10!

By Andrew

Four-and-a-half red hot minutes. With two minutes in the back pocket just in case. Those words, spoken by Jimmy Slyde in early 2004 set the path for what would eventually become Cats Paying Dues. The company – founded as a trio with Michelle Dorrance and Nicholas Young – would debut in July of 2005 at the Mainstage Theater at Playwrights Horizons (the first dance show to grace the newly renovated space) with six members in All for Love.

Many shows later we have arrived at a milestone.

CPD-10-LogoFull-med

This season marks the 10th Anniversary of Cats Paying Dues!! We have a lot planned for the year. We’re diving into the archives for a series of articles about the company’s history and some Throwback Thursday pictures on Facebook and Twitter. We’ll also be announcing some amazing collaborations to be presented at a celebration at the end of the season.

We’re super excited to share this milestone with all of you!! There will also be plenty of opportunities to get involved along the way, so be sure to sign up for the Cats Paying Dues Email List to get all the information.

Summer Travels UPDATE.

By Andrew

stompology-2014-logoI’m hitting the rode heavy this summer, and kicking the whole trip off with a bang! STOMPOLOGY – the solo vernacular jazz dance weekend starts June 6th, then it’s off to Toronto for a quick visit with some new and old friends. I make it back to NYC just in time for my quartet’s performance at The Children’s Museum of Manhattan as part of the brand new JAZZED! exhibit – which you should ALL GO SEE. Then it’s back off to the west coast workshopping an exciting new piece (can’t really talk about it) with a dear friend, and teaching and performing in LA (details to come shortly).