Andrew Nemr

Artist // Speaker

Tap Into Freedom

Tap Into Freedom March Webinar

By Andrew

Talking With Your Feet

Most artists have been known to have a unique inner dialogue. We critique, comment on, and attempt to inspire ourselves while we’re creating. This dialogue becomes more prominent and important once we realize that our feet sometimes don’t do what we ask them to. Establishing a healthy relationship with your feet, especially in the language that we use with them, is key to an enjoyable journey.

In this webinar we’ll discuss different approaches to talking with our feet, how varying our approach will yield different results, and how having a varied toolkit for dialogue will allow for greater growth.

Registration begin MARCH 1, 2016.

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Visit Tap Into Freedom’s Website for the complete list of upcoming Webinars.

Tap Into Freedom February Webinar

By Andrew

You Have Something To Say

In the vernacular tradition of tap dance the highest praise has always been recognition of a tap dancer’s unique voice. “I hear you!” would be hollered at a dancer when their voice resonated with the audience. Their individual steps were the fruits of hours of time developing their personal approach, discovering their own personality, and deciding what it is they wanted to say through tap dance.

Today the development of one’s personal voice can be hampered by a culture of virtuosity, the amazing opportunities provided by tap dance companies and the natural mandates they place on dancers, and the continually changing landscape of the tap dance world.

Here we’ll discuss ways to continually develop ones personal voice while still pursuing tap dance opportunities and feeling connected with the greater tap dance community.

Registration begin February 1, 2016.

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Visit Tap Into Freedom’s Website for the complete list of upcoming Webinars.

Tap into Freedom January Webinar

By Andrew

Embodiment

What is that quality that we so resonate with when we see a master display their skill? In one word: Embodiment. It’s that ability to express oneself completely in the moment without doubt, to become one with the expressive vocabulary one is using, to see no separation between intent, thought, and action. The legends of tap dance had this in excess. They found out how to embody the craft, and express their personality through it.

In this webinar we’ll define embodiment as the highest goal and discuss what the process looks like to achieve it. We’ll look at ways we might find it ourselves, and how we might guide others to this goal.

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Visit Tap Into Freedom’s Website for the complete list of upcoming Webinars.

Andrew Selected as Artist-In-Residence at Surel’s Place

By Andrew

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BOISE, ID – Andrew Nemr has been selected as an artist-in-residence at Surel’s Place, a unique artist residency in Boise, Idaho.

During his residency Andrew will be focusing on two new projects: a show and a book. The show, being co-developed with Flying Carpet Theater, will continue Andrew’s journey in exploring tap dance as a narrative tool in live theatre. The book, focused on tap dance education, will be the first written document based on the Tap Into Freedom curriculum and aim to offer tap dance educators with a comprehensive teaching methodology and toolkit. Additionally during his time in Boise, Andrew will collaborate with local organizations to spread his love for tap dancing through Meet the Artist events and workshops. He will also be continuing his Sunday afternoon gatherings around the Table.

Cornerstone events include a workshop and end-of-residency performance organized by Surel’s Place.

ABOUT ANDREW NEMR
Mentored by Gregory Hines, Andrew is considered one of the most diverse tap dance artists today. Whether playing with Grammy Award winning musicians across multiple genres, directing his tap dance company Cats Paying Dues, or leading the Tap Legacy™ Foundation, Inc. (which he co-founded with Hines), Andrew has a reputation for deep understanding, integrity, and sensitivity. “A masterly tapper” (New York Times), Nemr now uses the story of his journey and the craft of tap dance to speak on ideas of identity, community, faith, and love, within the context of business and the performing arts.
www.andrewnemr.com

ABOUT SUREL’S PLACE
Surel’s Place, a non-profit artist-in-residence program, aims to support local, national, and international artists of many disciplines by offering them the time, space, and shelter necessary to focus on their work, which they will share with the public through free events including exhibits, classes, workshops, readings, lectures, and performances for people of all ages. Founded in 2012 by Surel’s younger daughter Rebecca Mitchell Kelada and Surel’s dear friend Karen Bubb, Boise’s city public arts manager, Surel’s Place aims to help artists focus on their art as a way to carry on Surel’s legacy in Boise’s vibrant arts community. Surel’s Place is funded through generous private donations and grants from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, among other organizations.
www.surelsplace.org

WEBINAR: Asking the Right Questions

By Andrew

For Learners

A key to any educational pursuit is in the asking, not the finding. From scientific research to self-guided learning, this axiom holds true. If you ask the right question you will find the right answer. Ask the wrong question and every answer you get will be wrong.

Learn keys to finding the right question to ask in your pursuit of tap dance education.

For Educators

The asking of questions is also an amazing teaching tool. Teaching through the asking of questions, as opposed to the providing of answers, continually engages the student to creatively problem solve and search for the answers themselves.

Learn keys to using this method in the classroom to teach your students how to teach themselves by asking the right questions.

Jimmy Slyde’s Birthday.

By Andrew

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Photo Credit: Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos

Today is Jimmy Slyde’s birthday. Not a moment goes by when I am dancing when I don’t here is deep voice saying something in my head. It normally starts out saying “no” and slowly progresses to a “yeah, now that’s easy.”

Jimmy Slyde was instrumental in my growth as a tap dancer. He was the one hosting at La Cav the night I first got up to improvise in front of a public audience. He was the one who told me to “dance from your heart.” A moment so pivotal in my life it was the topic of my very first TED talk.  He was the one who established the standard of sonic integrity that my ears can still recognize. He was the one who told me that I was a thinking man, so I should keep thinking. He was the one who inspired the first direction of Cats Paying Dues to create 4:30min of red hot dancing (and 2min in reserve, just in case). It was his ideas of improvisation and motion that are cornerstones of my teaching theories and fundamental to the Tap Into Freedom curriculum.

And so it is appropriate that today we announced the Tap Into Freedom 2015 Schedule.

He would want us to keep learning, digging in, sifting out the truth from the rubble, and giving ourselves a solid laugh while we do it.

“You should laugh at yourself every now and then, ’cause you’re funny.” – Jimmy Slyde

Happy Birthday Slyde.

Lifetime Learners, a thank you.

By Andrew

Last week I had the pleasure of sharing the entirety of my understanding of the art of tap dance with 12 amazing people. From as far away as London and Puerto Rico participants in the Tap Into Freedom Intensive came to study tap dance. What ended up happening was more than anyone could have ever expected.

Over the course of the week we talked about the purpose of art, the power of story, the nature of music, and the value of history. We danced through the exercises I used (and still do) when I was cutting my teeth, and shared ways of asking questions and discovering new content – so that we might continue to teach ourselves. We shared stories of the old cats, watched video, and tried our hand at some of their steps. We all shared in the generosity of guests Nathan Bugh, Shane Shanahan, Peter Aguero, George Nierenberg, and Penelope Wendtlandt. We experienced the grit of New York City (at the studio in Joria Productions), the nerves that come with putting oneself out on the stage (at the Tap Jam at Small’s), and the wonders of the commercial stage (at STOMP).

The beauty of the week came when through the power of story we were reminded of why we do the things we do, our dreams, our inspirations, our purposes, and how we might affect others. We shared our hearts.

We entered the room 13 strangers and left friends, in the truest sense of the word.

I am ever grateful for the 12 who chose to share this special week with me, and look forward to the next one. 2015 dates will be announced soon at tapdancefreedom.com