Today’s 10 Questions With… features Andrew J. Nemr, a tap dancer and artistic director that was mentored by Gregory Hines…

 

1.      How did you become involved with dance?

I was very young, roughly three years old, and being home-schooled at the time. As an only child, my parents wanted me to do something with other kids my age and dance was the option that we collectively chose to explore. The first class I observed was a combination tap, ballet, and tumbling class taught by Chris Collins in Alexandria, VA. I think the fact that it was a male teacher was helpful for me. At any rate, I took to the activity and rose through the ranks of the studio, taking private lessons, joining the performing troupe, and competing. In 1989 I saw the movie TAP, starring Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis, Jr., and that proved to be the next turning point. I immediately began pursuing the more vernacular style of American Rhythm Tap, and have been stuck to it ever since.

2.      What are you currently doing in the field?

I find myself involved in all aspects of the craft. I perform as a soloist in a number of musical collaborations from traditional jazz (Jake Sanders Band), Hard Bop (Nat Adderley Jr. Trio), world music (Max ZT), and electronic (Sean Hagerty and the 1to1Project). Exploring ensemble choreography with my tap dance company CPD PLUS (Cats Paying Dues), I’ve produced evening-length works since its founding in 2004. The most recent, Echoes In Time included reconstructed works of tap dance masters, tribute pieces, and original works, all telling the story of a tap dancer’s introduction to the craft from the first lesson in a classroom to the freedom of personal expression. In the hopes of supporting the preservation and promotion of the craft I co-founded the Tap Legacy™ Foundation with Gregory Hines in 2002. Chartered with a goal of building a cultural center in New York City dedicated to tap dance, Tap Legacy™ producing programming geared to re-igniting the oral history through which tap dance has been passed down over the years, while preserving and championing the craft’s history.

3.      Would you share a special moment from your career with readers? [Read more…]