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Da Super Villanz

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Dormeshia Tap Dance Class
photo by Eduardo Patino

Dormeshia

Dormeshia (performer, choreographer, instructor) was on the cover of Dance Magazine and tap coach to the king of pop Michael Jackson himself over the course of 11 years. She is currently on the board as the Tap Advisor for Dance Magazine and was the official Tap Spokesperson for Capezio being featured in their international advertising campaign. She was featured on Broadway in Black and Blue, the Tony Award Winning Bring In Da’Noise, Bring In Da’Funk, International Tour of Bring in Da’Noise, Bring in Da’Funk (dance captain/principal dancer/understudy to the lead role). Other performances include the national tour of Wild Woman Blues and Debbie Allen’s SAMMY (the life and times of Sammy Davis Jr.). Dormeshia was nominated for best actress for her starring role in “The Rise and Fall of Miss Thang” (Lavender House Films) currently touring film festivals nationwide. Other film credits include “TAP” with Gregory Hines, Spike Lee’s “Bamboozled” (Assistant Choreographer/actress), and “The Rodgers and Hart Story: Thou Swell, Thou Witty”. Dormeshia’s choreography has been featured in TAAP:The Art & Appreciation of Percussion and was utilized in Michael Jackson’s music video “Rock Your World”. She was also spotlighted in a commercial for Tops.

Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards Dance
photo by Matthew Murphy

Jason Samuels Smith

Jason Samuels Smith has emerged as a multi-talented leader in the art form of Tap. He received a Dance Magazine Award, Emmy and American Choreography Award, as well as grants/residencies supporting the development of previous work. Choreography and film performances include CBS’s “Secret Talents of the Stars” (MYA), “So You Think You Can Dance”, “Dancing with The Stars”, Dean Hargrove’s “Tap Heat”, Outkast’s “Idlewild”, and Debbie Allen’s “Cool Women”. Stage credits include Soul Possessed (leading role), Broadway’s Bring in Da’Noise, Bring in Da’Funk (principal/lead roles), and Imagine Tap! (leading role). He continues to tour the world with his tap company A.C.G.I (Anybody Can Get It), India Jazz Suites with Pandit Chitresh Das and JaJa Productions Band. As a humanitarian, he has supported Dancers Responding to Aids, Tied to Greatness, Career Transitions for Dancers and Tap Into A Cure, and helped develop Tap Dreams, offering global exchange opportunities for international tap dancers to attend major tap festivals within the US. He has also designed and developed a professional tap shoe sold exclusively by BLOCH. Jason aims to promote respect for dance and create opportunities as an ambassador for tap around the world.

Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards Dance

Derick K. Grant

A native of Boston, Derick K. Grant has been tapping for 27 years. He was an original

company member and Dance Captain for Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk at The Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival and on Broadway. Derick recreated Savion Glover’s choreography and starred in the role of ‘da beat for the first national tour.

Derick began his training at the age of two at The Roxbury Center for the Performing Arts, and by the time he was eight years old, he has learned the “hoofin” style of tap from the master tap dancer Diane Walker. Derick furthered his training in Los Angeles at Universal Dance Design Studio under the tutelage of Paul Kennedy. Derick spent three years with the Jazz Tap Ensemble touring the world. He is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award for Upcoming Young Artists as well as The Helen Hayes Award (Washington D.C.)

for Outstanding featured Actor for his role in Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk. Derick was featured at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts African Odyssey program, part of the Expresiones Latinas Festival. He collaborated on a piece that incorporated tap and capoeira with renowned Brazilian artist Nego Gato, which opened the festivities for singer Daniella Mercury. He also choreographed and performed in a piece on the history of tap that launched the Black History Month 2001 celebration at Aaron Davis Hall. Recent compositions were featured in The Queens Symphony Opera’s Duke Ellington Concert in Ann Arbor’s Arts Festival.

Derick created Imagine Tap that had a successful run in Chicago, and A Night Out: Tap! which toured the country for three months. Of his latest choreography and performance with Jazz Tap Ensemble at the Joyce Theater in NYC the New York Times said “Mr. Grant let gusts of rhythm propel him with remarkable velocity!”