Chicago Human Rhythm Project's 23rd Rhythm World Festival Kicks Off Today

Highlighting the depth and breadth of national and international tap artistry, Chicago Human Rhythm Project (CHRP), the nation's premier presenter of American tap dance and contemporary percussive arts, presents Rhythm World, the oldest and most comprehensive festival of American tap and contemporary percussive arts in the world, beginning today, July 22, and running through August 4 in downtown Chicago.

CHRP's 23rd annual festival of performance, education and community outreach programs, directed by Founder and Director Lane Alexander, features an extraordinary master faculty in two weeks of residencies, courses, workshops, master classes, student showcases, tap jams, a cutting contest and conferences for the field at the American Rhythm Center, located in the historic Fine Arts Building, as well as faculty concerts at the Jazz Showcase and The Edlis Neeson Theater at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.

Tap Scholar Awards

Each year, CHRP awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to deserving, talented teens so they may participate in Rhythm World. This year, 20 deserving students earned tuition support during CHRP's February 2013 Winter Tap JAMboree and at select auditions around the globe (Tokyo, Zurich, Rio, Stuttgart and Toronto). "These scholarships support CHRP's mission to build community by bringing together students from different backgrounds and places to meet their international peers and study with great and emerging masters," said Alexander. Founded in 1995 to honor the life of CHRP Co-Founder Kelly Michaels, the Rhythm World Tap Scholar Award program has provided more than $225,000 in financial aid to more than 200 talented, deserving young dancers from Chicago and throughout the United States as well as international exchange students.

Education programs

Rhythm World begins July 22-26 with intensive residencies led by Chicago native, Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Ted Louis Levy; next generation tap phenomenon Jason Janas; and international tap performer Charles Renato from Brazil.

Courses, workshops and master classes take place July 29-August 4. The highly respected faculty of master teachers, many of whom have taught at the festival throughout its 23-year history, includes Lane Alexander, Bril Barrett, Julie Cartier, Zada Cheeks, Starinah Dixon, recent Princess Grace Award winner Michelle Dorrance,Martin "Tre" Dumas, Derick K. Grant, Jason Janas, Lisa La Touche, Nico Rubio, Sarah Savelli, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Jumaane Taylor, Dianne "Lady Di" Walker, Sam Weber, Mark Yonally, Nicholas Young and guests from Brazil Marina Coura, Charles Renato and Leonardo Sandoval.

The KIDS Program July 30-August 1 offers intermediate tappers ages nine through 12 a curriculum including oral and video histories, tap technique classes, improvisation instruction and individual development of style and expressive ability. After Work Adult Courses also take place July 30-August 1.

Conferences for the field

Now in its 12th year, CHRP's annual Youth Tap Ensemble Conference (YTEC) and PrepTEC, now in its fifth year, take place July 29-August 2. YTEC is one of the most comprehensive programs available to tap ensembles. Students work with masters on technique and improvisation, meet with specialists regarding related disciplines and learn new choreography. PrepTEC offers the same opportunities for study to intermediate-level tappers. More than 90 dancers between the ages of 12 and 19, representing 10 youth tap ensembles from the U.S., Brazil and Canada, will gather to study new choreography, technique, improvisation and theatre-related topics. This year's YTEC and PrepTEC participants will learn original choreographies from Charles Renato, Jumaane Taylor and STOMP's Nicholas Young.

All education programs take place at the American Rhythm Center, Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago. To register, visit chicagotap.org or call 773-281-1825.

Performances by Rhythm World faculty, students and Virtual Rhythms winners

Rhythm World features a performance component during its second week. The opening night July 29 performance at 8 p.m. features Rhythm World faculty and students performing with jazz musicians at the Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Court. Tickets are $10-25 at the door.

Rhythm World culminates with CHRP's annual festival concerts, "JUBA! Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance," featuring a host of extraordinary foot drummers and percussive arts masters July 31, August 1 and August 3 at 7:30 p.m. in The Edlis Neeson Theater at the MCA, 220 E. Chicago Avenue. Also on these programs are the winners of Virtual Rhythms, CHRP's fourth online competition offering exposure for emerging tap choreographers and videographers. The programs, accompanied by the Greg Spero Trio, are as follows:

• July 31-Broadway and Bronzeville: Tony-nominated and Helen Hayes and Emmy award-winning performer and choreographer Ted Louis Levy offers an excerpt of his show Sammy - The Life and Times of Sammy Davis Jr., with performances by Chicago's M.A.D.D. Rhythms and Rhythm World guests including STOMP's Lisa La Touche and Jason Janas accompanied by the Greg Spero Trio and a screening of the 2013 Virtual Rhythms Videography winner.
• August 1-Berkshires and Brazil: Brazilian "sapateado" guest artists Marina Coura, Charles Renato and Leonardo Sandoval (featured on Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's Q-Vida!), accompanied by their Brazilian quartet-Rodrigo Gudin Paiva, Alexandre Homem, Leandro Rodrigues Fortes and Rafael Calegari Ramos-perform a world premiere evening of Brazilian rhythms and dance created for the MCA. And direct from the world premiere of her evening-length work The Blues Project at Jacob's Pillow, Bessie and Princess Grace Award winner Michelle Dorrance shares the stage with Broadway stars Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Derick K. Grant, STOMP's Nicholas Young and CHRP's ensemble BAM! performing Dorrance's award winning Push Past Break with the Greg Spero Trio.
• August 3-Bad Boys, Back Beats and Best Bets: Jason Janas, Sam Weber, Martin "Tre" Dumas, Jumaane Taylor and Nico Rubio push the limits of dynamic physical rhythmic expression with the Greg Spero Trio, joined by emerging voices "discovered" at this year's festival and the 2013 Virtual Rhythms Choreography Winner.

Tickets to the "JUBA!" performances are $25-32 and go on sale May 25, National Tap Dance Day. Call 312-397-4010 or visit mcachicago.org. Performances sell out every year, early purchase is advised. All programming is subject to change. For complete Rhythm World information, visit chicagotap.org or call 773-281-1825.

Founded in 1990, Chicago Human Rhythm Project (CHRP) builds community by presenting American tap dance and contemporary percussive arts in world-class and innovative performance, education and community outreach programs. During the last 23 years, CHRP has produced multiple community-based collaborations involving shared revenue programs, concerts and touring opportunities, including:

• annual National Tap Dance Day concerts, featuring an array of tap and percussive dance artists
• a shared revenue program designed to assist Chicago's budding tap community to build capacity through audience development, created in 2001
• Thanks 4 Giving, another innovative shared revenue program launched in 2005 as part of its annual Global Rhythms concerts at the Harris Theater, through which CHRP has partnered with more than 100 Chicago-based nonprofits to raise funds for a wide variety of service agencies
• participation in the 5th Anniversary Beijing International Dance Festival, assembling 70 artists to represent the United States
• establishment of the American Rhythm Center (ARC), providing a shared, affordable and sustainable education, rehearsal and administrative facility for several leading Chicago arts organizations in the historic Fine Arts Building
• curating the first ever, full-length performance of concert tap dance on a main stage of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 7, 2012

CHRP's vision is to establish the first global center for American tap and percussive arts, which will create a complete ecosystem of education, performance, creation and community in a state-of-the-art facility uniting generations of diverse artists and the general public. For information visit chicagotap.org.

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