Savion Glover, Maurice Hines and More Slated for 27th Rhythm World Festival

Chicago Human Rhythm Project (CHRP), presents the 27th annual summer festival of American tap and percussive dance, Rhythm World, featuring three generations of hoofers, including tap giants Savion Glover and Maurice Hines.

Rhythm World takes place July 17-23 at the American Rhythm Center, Studebaker Theater, Jazz Showcase and, new this year, the Polk Bros Performance Lawns at Navy Pier. Rhythm World will feature a wide-ranging array of tap luminaries, including alumni from its 20+-year old Tap Scholar program as a part of a five-year cycle-Root and Branch-as well as the first-ever STOMP Intensive led by STOMP cast members Ali Bradley and Jeremy Pric.

In the second year of the Root and Branch five-year cycle, CHRP's annual summer festival, directed by CHRP Founder and Director Lane Alexander, shines the spotlight on the talented performers, choreographers and teachers who have "grown up" with CHRP and the masters who first inspired them.

"The teenagers who studied with us 10, 15 and 20 years ago are not teenagers anymore," said Alexander. "They are winning MacArthur Fellowship (Genius) Awards (Michelle Dorrance), choreographing on Broadway and with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (Jared Grimes), performing in historic Broadway revivals (Lee Howard and Karissa Royster) and making new works that are revolutionizing our art form (Jumaane Taylor's Supreme Love and Zada Cheeks' Diabolus). Perhaps most important, one dancer, Dani Borak, is returning as a multi-year Artist in Residence to provide new and fresh artistic direction for CHRP. We are devoting the summer festival to exploring they ways their inspirations are affecting the work they are creating now." Former Tap Scholars and CHRP ensemble members returning to teach and perform this year include Jumaane Taylor, Lee Howard, Tristan Bruns and Lisa Latouche.

JUBA! Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance and other performances

Rhythm World performances open with the annual appearance at the Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Court featuring faculty accompanied by a jazz trio Monday, July 17 at 8 p.m.

Two audience favorites, the improv tournament, or "cutting contest," and the student showcasetake place Tuesday, July 18 with faculty judges choosing the winners who will vie for the honor of performing on one of the two weekend performances at the Studebaker Theater.

New this year, Rhythm World master teachers and students will perform FREE on Navy Pier's brand-new Polk Bros. Performance Lawns Wednesday, July 19. More information will follow.

The JUBA! Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance concerts, the crowning events of Rhythm World, feature a host of extraordinary foot drummers and percussive arts masters July 21 and 22at 7:30 p.m. in the Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. The programs are as follows:

Friday, July 21--The concert features a world premiere by CHRP's new Artist in Residence, Dani Borak; solo performances by former Tap Scholars, including Jumaane Taylor and former CHRP ensemble member Tristan Bruns; STOMP alumna and Broadway hoofer (Shuffle Along) Lisa Latouche; and members of percussive dance ensembles featured in CHRP's citywide festival STOMPING GROUNDS, including Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, Muntu Dance Theatre and Trinity Irish Dance Company.

This year's opening night also serves as CHRP's annual fundraising gala, Jubalee, honoring The Chicago Community Trust and its President and CEO Terry Mazany with the JUBA! Award for Extraordinary Support for the Arts and Community in Chicago. CHRP is thrilled to have past JUBA! Award winner, the Honorable Mayor Rahm Emanuel, serve as Honorary Chair of the event, which includes pre- and post-show receptions.

Saturday, July 22--The performance showcases a wide-ranging mix of master faculty, including Dani Borak, Martin "Tre" Dumas, Lisa Latouche and more.

Tickets to the Jazz Showcase and "JUBA!" performances are $10-55 and go on sale May 25, National Tap Dance Day at chicagotap.org.

Performances sell out every year, early purchase is advised. All programming is subject to change.

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, nine studentshave earned full or partial scholarships to study at Rhythm World. "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. Established in 1995 to honor the life of CHRP Co-Founder Kelly Michaels, the Rhythm World Tap Scholar Award program has provided more than $300,000 in financial aid to more than 300 talented, deserving young dancers from Chicago and throughout the United States as well as international exchange students.

Intensive residencies, courses, workshops and master classes feature a highly respected faculty of master teachers. Joining special guests Savion Glover, Maurice Hines and STOMP's Ali Bradley and Jeremy Price are acclaimed U.S. and international masters who have taught at the festival throughout its 27 years: Lane Alexander, Maud Arnold, Bril Barrett, Dani Borak, Tristan Bruns, Sekou Conde and Stacy Letrice from Muntu Dance Theatre, Star Dixon, Martin "Tre" Dumas, Lee Howard, Donnetta Jackson, Lisa Latouche, Yukiko Misumi, Nico Rubio, Linda Sohl-Ellison and Jumaane Taylor.

New this year is a Teacher Certification Program covering elements of tap history, repertory, pedagogy, physiology and music theory. The program is non-cumulative, meaning teachers may attend any year and receive a separate Certificate of Completion for each year. Teachers completing four consecutive years will receive a special Master Teacher Certification from CHRP.

The Kids Program July 17-20 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. The Adults Program July 17-20 offers intermediate-level classes and a seminar each day.

Conference for the field

Celebrating its 16th anniversary, CHRP's Youth Tap Ensemble Conference (YTEC) takes place July 17-20. YTEC is the world's most comprehensive program available to tap ensembles. Students work with masters on technique and improvisation, meet with specialists regarding related disciplines and learn new choreography. This year's YTEC participants learn a master choreography from Maurice Hines, who will teach one of the dances that he and his brother performed as Hines and Hines, assisted by Yukiko Misumi. The Hines Brothers and Misumi were protégées of Broadway and movie choreographer Henry LeTang.

All education programs take place at the American Rhythm Center, Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago.

To register, visit chicagotap.org/classes-3/rhythm-world-2017, call 312-542-CHRP (2477) or write to registration@chicagotap.org.

For complete Rhythm World information, visit chicagotap.org or call 312-542-CHRP (2477).

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Chicago Human Rhythm Project, which believes tap is to dance what jazz is to music-an American contribution to global culture-has been presenting American tap and global percussive dance for almost 30 years, evolving from a summer tap festival into the world's first, year-round presenter dedicated to foot-drumming and contemporary rhythmic expression. Central to CHRP's performance, education and community activating programs is its mission to build bridges between individuals and communities through the practice and appreciation of rhythm. Whether as part of the oldest and largest tap festival on the globe, Rhythm World; the collaborative citywide percussive dance festival, STOMPING GROUNDS; year-round education programs in Chicago Public Schools, We All Got Rhythm; or its shared dance/arts incubator, the American Rhythm Center (ARC), CHRP focuses on artistic excellence, innovation, authentic diversity and cultural pluralism. CHRP received an Emmy nomination for its PBS-ITVS documentary JUBA! Master of Tap and Percussive Dance; curated the first-ever full-length tap concert in a major theater at the Kennedy Center; has officially represented the U.S. in dance festivals in South America, Asia and Europe; and has been lauded as a pioneer in the field by the New York Times. Past students receiving great acclaim include, among many others, MacArthur "Genius" Michelle Dorrance, Broadway hoofers Karissa Royster and Lee Howard and Jazz at Lincoln Center soloist Jared Grimes. For information, visit chicagotap.org.

Pictured: Savion Glover by Savion Glover Productions; Maurice Hines by Scott Schuman; Maud Arnold by William Frederking at the American Rhythm Center; Lane Alexander by Christiano Prim.

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