The Dayton Tap Project

Performing artists from Dayton and beyond will head up a tap dance performance and workshop on Saturday, Nov. 20, at Stivers School for the Arts, 1313 E. Fifth St. The event will begin with workshops starting at 9 a.m. and culminate in a 7:30 p.m. performance. Guests can attend all or part of the event.

The Dayton Tap Project will be presented by two local organizations: Sole Purpose — a nonprofit tap company founded by Dayton’s own Kandee Thacker-Mann, who’s performed in Savion Glover’s Footnotes, won Showtime at the Apollo and volunteers to teach tap at Ruskin Elementary — and The Tap Factor — a new local professional company founded by Chris Erk that offers dance lessons and community outreach. The Dayton Tap Project will provide instruction to Dayton’s public school students and community members.   The project is made possible with a grant provided by Montgomery County Arts and Culture District and cooperation with East End Community Service.

“The Dayton Tap Project is an effort to present tap dance to the community and help preserve its place as an American art form,” Erk said.

The fee for the workshops is as follows: one class is $25, two classes $40 and three classes is $50. The cost is $10 per class for Dayton Public Schools students. General admission for the evening performance is $10. For tickets, call the Dayton Playhouse 937-424-8477 or go to www.daytonplayhouse.com.

“Before the show there will be master classes held at Stivers School for the Arts,” said Thacker-Mann. “Our guest performers will teach classes to students with The Dayton Tap Project, as well as others from the Dayton area and beyond.”

Performances and workshops will be given by professional dancers, including:

• Alexandra Bradley, from Flint, Mich., has performed internationally at the Cannes Film Festival and 2002 Winter Olympics, as well as in Improvography at the Joyce Theater in New York City.
• Quynn Johnson has performed in Jamaica and Lima, Peru. He’s an original member of the Flintstone Hoofers, has performed with American Tap at the Lincoln Center in New York City and was recognized as Maryland’s No. 1 choreographer for students younger than 12.  (see video below)
• Frances Bradley has performed in the Tap Masters Honorarium in Oklahoma City, Savion Glover’s Footnotes in Detroit, the 2000 National Tap Dance Day Tap Extravaganza in New York City, and Bubblin’ Brown Sugar in Atlanta.

Also included in the performances for the show will be an array of student performers from the East Dayton Community Center, Wright State University, Sinclair Community College, the University of Dayton and Stivers, as well as from other local public schools and colleges. Poetic and video installations also will be on display. Music will be provided by Premium Blend and others.

“This is going to be an exciting day of classes and a delightful evening of tap dancing,” Erk said. “Dayton, being a city that appreciates tap dance, will warmly welcome our new local performers and guests to town and appreciate the breadth in which so many members of our community can participate. This is just the beginning of more to come as tap dancing stays alive and thrives in Dayton.”

Quynn Johnson from studio3wd.net on Vimeo.