Artist // Speaker
Today I released my first video for a new weekly series. You may have seen it on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.
I’m hopping on the #tapdancetuesdays bandwagon but with a slightly different offering. I talking (and dancing out) process, content, and context. I’ll tackle a different topic every week in short 2 minute videos.
See the first one here.
You can hear my first official interview from Vancouver live tonight. It’s on one of Vancouver’s hippest radio stations, Co-Op Radio!! I had a great time doing the interview with Gerry Kowalenko who hosts the program Arts Rational. The show airs at 9PM (PST) and my segment will be close to the top. Here’s how to listen:
ONLINE: www.coopradio.org
RADIO: Tune in to 100.5 FM
After taking on the role of Artistic Director at the Vancouver Tap Dance Society I’ve received many questions about what my future career would look like. Would I continue to perform? Yes. Would I continue to speak? Yes. How many classes would I be teaching in Vancouver? I wasn’t exactly sure when I first landed.
I can now answer the final question. Here’s the schedule of new classes that I will be teaching at the VanTap Academy in 2019. I’m excited to join the awesome faculty at the Academy in sharing the joy I’ve found in tap dancing. If you want to save your slot, registration is now open!!
The Friday Get Down – A Monthly Workshop
THREE hours of intense tap dance training with VanTap Artistic Director, Andrew Nemr. Get down for any of the 1 hour classes or take all 3 for a full effect.
Hour One – Technique – Steve Condo’s style Rudiments, Traveling Steps, Air Steps, and Turning Steps. Check your chops. There will be no hiding allowed.
Hour Two – Choreography – New choreography will be built each month. Modeled after Andrew’s experience in Savion Glover’s TiDii and his own tap dance company Cats Paying Dues, choreography will be ensemble-based and focused on listening, dynamics, and moving through space.
Hour Three – Improvisation – The circle, trading 8’s, the time step, the song as improvisational structure, groove based playing, and more. All these improvisational structures will be explored with the goal of gaining familiarity and confidence in making strong choices.
DETAILS
TIME: 6-9PM
DATES: January 11th, February 8th, March 8th, April 5th, May 3rd.
VENUE: VanTap (2775 East Hastings, Vancouver)
PRICE: $25/hr or $65 for 3 hrs (Drop-ins welcome!)
RESERVE YOUR SPOT or PAY AT THE DOOR
Absolute Beginner Course – 8 Week Course
Have you ever wanted to try tap dancing? Missed out on your opportunity as a kid? Now is your chance! This 8 week course is geared towards anyone interested in learning how to tap dance. No prior experience necessary.
DETAILS
TIME: 1-2PM
DATES: Every Saturday, January 12th – March 2nd.
VENUE: VanTap (2775 East Hastings, Vancouver)
PRICE: $150 for all 8 weeks (Sorry, no drop-ins allowed)
Every year around this time I look back through my calendar to see what actually happened in the blur of activity that I usually find myself in. Most years are full and 2018 was no exception.
It began with receiving the Spirit of Windrider Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Being presented the award by my friend and mentor Mako Fujimura was a special moment.
My musical collaborations continued, with performances in Boise, ID as part of a residency at Surel’s Place, and in Miami, FL, as part of the classical musicians concert for YoungArts week MIAMI.
HollerJake also dropped their first album!!
The seeds were planted for some new projects with time well spent at Eric Berlow’s Swall Institute, and new projects came to life like this collaboration with fiddler Evie Andrus.
Teaching has always been an important part of my work and 2018 was packed with it. Worldwide festivals included Stockholm, Barcelona, and the inaugural Show Me Tap Fest in St. Louis, where the Tap Legacy Exhibit also was displayed.
I was excited to return to Betsy Daily School of the Performing Arts for a series of Studio Workshops, and continue my journey in the lindy hop world with stints at Stompology and Swing Out New Hampshire. Of course, the Tap Dance Freedom intensive ran in NYC, and was an absolute blast.
I was also invited back to the newly branded REFLECT Conference (previously the Creative Church Conference, Boise, ID), where this amazing collaborations with fine artist Amandalynn Lovewell and composer Justin Nielsen came to life.
But the biggest news came towards the end of the year. That’s when I sign up to become the Artistic Director of the Vancouver Tap Dance Society. I’ve since been spending the majority of my time in Vancouver, while continuing to travel to perform, speak, and teach.
And before the year was out, I landed back at Carnegie Hall with Keith and Kristyn Getty, and got to perform at the newly opened Birdland Theater with the Tony Award nominee Tony Yazbeck.
Indeed, 2018 was full, and 2019 looks to be shaping up to be as well. This journey has been a blast so far, I’m excited to see where it will lead. Wishing each of you the fullness that brings joy, growth, and peace in every day.
As always, read my daily notes here, check out all the news here, all the upcoming events on my calendar, and find me on facebook, twitter, or instagram.
Much Love,
A-