Toffan Rhythm Projects presents the TORONTO INTERNATIONAL TAP DANCE FESTIVAL

With roots in percussive dance traditions such as African tribal dance and Irish jigs, tap dance became popularized on the vaudeville stage. Over the decades, tap dancing has taken on many forms but it has never lost its focus on the musicality of dance. International headlining acts Heather Cornell and Ted Louis Levy represent opposite ends of tap's spectrum; one uses the sounds of their tap shoes striking the floor as percussion, the other performs accompanied by music in its full force.

The festival will kick off with What The Ear Sees led by Canadian Tap Dance icon, Heather Cornell at the Fleck Dance Theatre on Friday, June 2. Named "The Oscar Peterson of hoofing" by The Globe and Mail, Cornell's new project, Making Music Dance (NYC) combines African balafon (similar to xylophone), violin, classical guitar, and percussive dance-tap and flamenco-as the sole percussion instrument.

Emmy Award-winner Ted Louis Levy will grace the Fleck Dance Theatre stage with A Class Act, Defined on Saturday, June 3. Joined by a selection of Canada's finest up-and-coming tap dancers, and accompanied by the Toronto Jazz Orchestra, Levy proves that sophistication and talent transcend time. One of America's premier tap dance artists, Levy appeared in, and received a Tony Award nomination for choreography with Gregory Hines for, Jelly's Last Jam.

On Sunday, June 4, Rhythm & Sound will host The Jam in the Brigantine Room. The Jam includes live music, improvisation, choreography, and lots of special guests. Finally, the stage opens up and welcomes tappers of all levels to join in on an improvisation tap party to close out the Festival.

Local commissions from artists including Travis Knights, Dianne Montgomery, Johnathan Morin and Paula Skimin will open for each headliner. Festival programming also includes masterclasses and workshops with Festival artists, a residency program with Ted Louis Levy, and a series of panel discussions. For more information visit toffanrhythmprojects.com/toronto-international-tap-dance-fes.
Toffan Rhythm Projects and Harbourfront Centre present
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL TAP DANCE FESTIVAL
June 2-4, 2017
Harbourfront Centre - 235 Queens Quay West

What The Ear Sees
Featuring Heather Cornell and Making Music Dance (NYC)
Plus two world premiere commissions from local artists
Dianne Montgomery and Travis Knights
Friday, June 2, 2017
Fleck Dance Theatre, 8pm

A Class Act, Defined
Featuring Ted Louis Levy and The Toronto Jazz Orchestra
Plus two world premiere commissions from local artists
Johnathan Morin and Paula Skimin
Saturday, June 3
Fleck Dance Theatre, 8pm

Panel Discussions
Moderated by Artistic Director Allison Toffan
Sunday, June 4
The Brigantine Room
2-6pm, FREE

The Jam
Hosted by Rhythm & Sound
Sunday, June 4
The Brigantine Room, 8-10pm

Masterclasses & Workshops run June 2-4
For more information and to submit suggested topics for panel discussions,
please contact toffanrhythmprojects@gmail.com
or visit toffanrhythmprojects.com/toronto-international-tap-dance-fes

Festival Pass - $85
Single Tickets range from $15 - $42.50
Panel Discussions - FREE

For more information and to purchase tickets visit: harbourfrontcentre.com/TorontoInternationalTapDanceFestival
or call 416-973-4000

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Media Contact: FLIP PUBLICITY, 416.533.7710
Danielle LeSage X232, danielle@flip-publicity.com

The inaugural festival marks the official launch of Toffan Rhythm Projects, bridging the goals, mandates, and facilitation of Artistic Director Allison Toffan's professional body of work rooted in collaboration, creation, curation, and community development. Career highlights include the worldwide broadcast of the 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremonies, Festival Dance Encore (Tasha Lawson) TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival, Warehouse 13 Series Finale (Jeff Dimitriou), TapCity's Tap Internationals (Lisa La Touche, NYC), Montreal Tap Festival's Rhythm Lives! - with living legend Arthur Duncan, and establishing the Toronto Rhythm Initiative - a platform Allison created to voice the artistry of Toronto's tap dancers in collaboration with live music.

Allison Toffan is a seasoned educator who has taught at festivals, conventions, and multiple workshops across Canada. Most recently her work was featured in Toronto's Body Percussion Festival, she performed in Lisa's La Touche's world premiere of Hold On, has been on two multi-city US tours with The StepCrew, is a contributing artist with Anandam Dancetheatre, and created The Big Band Tap Revue in collaboration with Toronto Jazz Orchestra's Artistic Director Josh Grossman and co-producer Soraya Peerbaye, directed by Emmy Award winner and tap dance icon Ted Louis Levy.

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