The 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center's 2021-22 Mainstage Series continues on Thursday, December 16 with Michelle Dorrance, Dormeshia & Guests . It's billed as an evening of tap but that understated description is unlikely to adequately cover what's in store. In addition to solo turns by the headliners, Dormeshia and Michelle will also "pass the mic" to tap dance soloists of the next generation. We can safely predict unparalleled artistry, surprises and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these visionary dancer-musicians open up improvisationally in a shared evening together. Featuring tap dancers Elizabeth Burke, Christina Carminucci, Leonardo Sandoval and more TBA, the evening will be accompanied by the exceptional artistry of Detroit-based jazz pianist, Michael Jellick. Join them for an evening of live music, rhythmic sophistication at its finest, and a chance to see the tap world's current superstars sharing the stage with some of the next generation's brightest new voices.
Michelle Dorrance is a New York City-based tap dancer, choreographer, director, teacher, musician, and Artistic Director of Dorrance Dance. Mentored by
Gene Medler (North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble), she studied under many of the last hoofers of the jazz era. Career highlights include: STOMP,
Derick Grant's Imagine Tap!,
Jason Samuels Smith's Charlie's Angels/Chasing the Bird,
Ayodele Casel's Diary of a Tap Dancer ,
Mable Lee's Dancing Ladies, and playing the bass with indie-pop sensation Darwin Deez. Company work includes:
Savion Glover's Ti Dii, Manhattan Tap, Barbara Duffy and Co., JazzTap Ensemble, and Rumba Tap. Solo work ranges from The Late Show with
Stephen Colbert to commissions for the
Martha Graham Dance Company and American Ballet Theatre to her 2021 choreographic Broadway debut with
James Lapine's Flying Over Sunset . A 2018 Doris Duke Artist, 2017 Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellow, and 2015 MacArthur Fellow, Michelle has been acknowledged and supported by United States Artists,
The Joyce Theater, New York City Center, the Alpert Awards, Jacob's Pillow, Princess Grace Foundation-USA, The Field, The Yard, American Tap Dance Foundation, Crain's New York, and the Bessie Awards. Dorrance holds a B.A. from New York University, is an Artistic Associate at The Juilliard School, is a Co-Director at the School at Jacob's Pillow's Tap Program with Dormeshia, and is a Capezio Athlete.
Dormeshia is a 2021 Doris Duke Artist, two-time Bessie Award winner (as a performer and choreographer), a Princess Grace Award winner, Jacob's Pillow Dance Award recipient, and an Astaire Award winner for Best Female Performer in Broadway's After Midnight. Additional Broadway credits include Black and Blue and Bring In Da'Noise, Bring In Da'Funk. Dormeshia was integral to Noise/Funk 's International Tour (dance captain/principal) and performed as special guest at International Jazz Day featuring the legendary
Al Jarreau and
Dee Dee Bridgewater. Choreography credits include
Michael Jackson's Rock My World, The Blues Project (co-choreographer/creator), and Jacob's Pillow debut of And Still You Must Swing (creator/co-choreographer), The New York Times' "The Best of Dance for 2016," as well as "Best of Dance for 2019" after its NY debut at The Joyce. As a creator and artistic director, some of her community projects include Tap Family Reunion, "Ladies in the Shoe" Tap Conference , and the Jacob's Pillow Tap Program. She is also a featured dancer in the Forever Collection of United States Postage Stamps celebrating tap dance. With over 30 years touring the world, she also spent 11 years as
Michael Jackson's tap instructor.
GUESTS:
Elizabeth Burke is a founding member and Dance Captain of Dorrance Dance who spent eleven years under the direction of her mentor,
Gene Medler, in the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble. She is an alumna of the School at Jacob's Pillow and Marymount Manhattan College. Other performance credits include work with Bessie Award winner Nicholas Van Young's SoundMovement and the American Dance Festival alongside
Luke Hickey. She has been described as "sinuous and sizzling" and a "deft and impassioned" dancer. (IndyWeek; The New York Times)
Christina Carminucci , born and raised in NJ, is a NYC based tap dancer. In her youth, she trained locally as a multidisciplinary dancer, but sought out further tap instruction at BDC, TCYE, and STEPS. While earning her BBA in Arts and Entertainment Management at Pace University, Christina was fortunate to study extensively under the mentorship of Derick K Grant. The 2014 Jacob's Pillow Tap Program alumna has since been performing throughout NYC and around the world. Passionate about sharing her love of the dance, she teaches regularly at STEPS and produces events for the community.
Brazilian tap dancer and choreographer Leonardo Sandoval is renowned for blending America's great tap tradition with Brazil's rich rhythmic and musical heritage. A true dancer-musician, he is one of Dance Magazine's "25 To Watch" for 2021 and the recipient of a 2022 Vilcek Foundation Prize for Creative Promise. In 2015, with composer Gregory Richardson, he founded Music From The Sole, a tap dance and live music company that has appeared at venues like Jacob's Pillow, Lincoln Center, The Yard, and Works & Process at the Guggenheim. He has been a core member of Dorrance Dance since 2014.
Michael L. Jellick, born in New Delhi, India, and raised in Detroit, MI, has become a mainstay on the Detroit jazz scene and beyond. A well sought-after pianist, he has had the pleasure of playing with such greats as
Bobby McFerrin, Common,
Christian McBride,
Sheila Jordan, Ingrid Jensen,
James Carter, as well as a versatile array of other notable artists. He can be heard on the Blue Note Records release Detroit Jazz City and loves being immersed in his equal love of teaching, composing and arranging.
Additional guests TBA.
