(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Jersey Tap Fest, NJ's sole dance festival featuring world-class tap faculty and extravaganza, celebrates its ninth year, August 9-12?, in East Hanover and Morristown, NJ. The expanding 4-day festival offers a full menu of over 50 beginner, intermediate and advanced classes in tap, improvisation, body percussion, hip-hop, music theory and more. In offering optimal opportunities for students to interact with the faculty and their peers, registrants also participate in jam sessions with live accompaniment, share their own works in a student showcase, and engage in tap talks with the festival’s esteemed faculty.
In tradition, the festival will conclude with TAP ‘N TIME?, the main stage event featuring internationally acclaimed tap dance artists, regional tap companies, and other special performers.
Bridging together students and faculty, the yearly TAP ‘N TIME? showcase will be held Saturday, August 11, 7:30 p.m. ?Attracting tap enthusiasts throughout the northeast, the evening will feature live music, rhythmic dance and tap performances by Anthony Morigerato (SYTYCD), Jason Samuels Smith (Emmy Award, Bring in ‘Da Noise Bring in ‘Da Funk), Bril Barrett (Riverdance), Karen Callaway Williams (Riverdance), Jeff Foote (NJTAP), Hillary-Marie’s Sole Music Collective, FutureSTEP Tap Company, the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble, Metro Youth Tap Ensemble and more inspirational artists to be announced.
Speaking of inspiration, “TAP ‘N TIME” will also feature Evan Ruggiero, the dancer, actor, musician and recent Drama Desk and Chita Rivera award nominee who rebounded courageously when bone cancer claimed his right leg at the age of nineteen. “Evan is the type of person who makes you see the beauty in life and the reason for art,” says Hillary-Marie. “We grew up dancing together as kids and it’s amazing to see him years later chasing his dreams and inspiring people around the world. To have him back at Jersey Tap Fest is like a tap family reunion.”
“Tap ‘n Time is guaranteed to be the best tap dance show that New Jersey will see this summer,” says founder and director, Hillary-Marie Atkinson. “Jersey Tap Fest is the family dance festival. We celebrate local master tap dance artists and offer an unprecedented opportunity for tap enthusiasts to come and learn - not only technique but also history. We offer an opportunity to find a home for exploration and to leave with a renewed relationship to the tap community.”
More information on the festival can be found at www.jerseytapfest.com. Audiences can interact with the festival on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube @jerseytapfest, and with hashtags #jerseytapfest and #JTF2018.
TAP ‘N TIME PERFORMANCE and VENUE INFORMATION
TAP ‘N TIME will be performed at Morris Museum, located at 6 Normandy Heights Rd, Morristown, NJ, on Saturday, August 11, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be available online July 1 and range from $20 for students and seniors to $25 for the general public.
2018 Jersey Tap Fest Schedule
Jersey Tap Fest | Thursday, August 9 – Sunday, August 12
Class Location: Nicole's Broadway Dance Company - 30 Littell Rd, East Hanover, NJ 07936
Performance Location: Morris Museum 6 Normandy Heights Rd, Morristown, NJ 07960
Registration and Schedule: www.jerseytapfest.com/registration/
Thursday, August 9, 2018
9:30 a.m.: Check-In
10:00-11:30 a.m.: 3-Day Residency (Morigerato, Barrett)
11:45-1:00 p.m.: Advanced (Barrett), Intermediate/Advanced (Orsborn), Intermediate (Morigerato)
1:15-2:15 p.m.: Tap Talks/Lunch (Hillary-Marie, Myles, Orsborn, & Barrett)
2:30-3:45 p.m.: Improvisation (Hillary-Marie), Improvisation (Myles)
4:00-5:00 p.m.: Tap Jam (Hillary-Marie)
5:15-6:30 p.m.: Advanced (Myles), Intermediate (Orsborn)
7:30 p.m.: Laser Tag
Friday, August 10, 2018
9:30 a.m.: Check-In
10:00-11:30 a.m.: 3-Day Residency (Morigerato, Barrett)
11:45-1:00 p.m.: Advanced (Ruggiero), Intermediate/Advanced (Morigerato), Intermediate (Barrett)
1:15-2:15 p.m.: Tap Talks/Lunch (Hillary-Marie, Smith, & Morigerato)
2:30-3:30 p.m.: Music Theory for Tap Dancers (Hillary-Marie, Atkinson)
3:45-5:00 p.m.: Advanced (Smith), Intermediate/Advanced (Hutchins), Intermediate (Wilder), Adults Intermediate (Hillary-Marie)
5:15-6:30 p.m.: Advanced (Hillary-Marie), Intermediate/Advanced (Smith), Intermediate (Hutchins), Adults Advanced Beginner (Williams)
7:30 p.m.: Student Showcase
Saturday, August 11, 2018
9:30 a.m.: Check-In
10:00-11:30 a.m.: 3-Day Residency (Morigerato, Barrett)
11:45-1:00 p.m.: Advanced (Morigerato), Intermediate/Advanced (Barrett), Intermediate (Smith)
1:15-2:15 p.m.: Hip-Hop (Alston), Hip-Hop (Castillo), Adults Intermediate (Hesselink), Adults Advanced Beginner (Schwab)
2:30-3:45 p.m.: Advanced (Wilder), Intermediate/Advanced (Smith), Intermediate (Foote), Adults Intermediate (Schwab)
4:00-5:15 p.m.: Intermediate/Advanced (Hesselink)
5:15-6:30 p.m.: Advanced (Hillary-Marie), Intermediate/Advanced (Smith), Intermediate (Hutchins), Adults Only (Williams)
7:30 p.m.: Main Stage Event TAP ‘N TIME!
Sunday, August 12, 2018
9:30 a.m.: Check In
10:00-11:00 a.m.: FutureSTEP Company Audition
11:15-12:30 p.m.: Advanced (Hillary-Marie), Intermediate (Wilder)
12:45-2:00 p.m.: Advanced (Smith), Intermediate (Young), Adults Intermediate (Williams), Adults Advanced Beginner (Foote)
2:15-3:30 p.m.: Body Percussion (Young), Adults Intermediate (Foote)
3:45-5:00 p.m.: Advanced (Young), Intermediate (Smith)
About Jersey Tap Fest
Founded in 2010, Jersey Tap Fest is New Jersey's sole dance festival featuring world-class tap faculty and extravaganza. We celebrate the masters of the past and bring light to the current and upcoming masters of today, giving them the opportunity to educate the current and next generation dancers as the future face of the tap dance community. Through master classes and performance opportunities, this stimulating, demanding and rigorous annual program allows for tap dancers all over the world to improve their technical abilities, hone their performance skills, network within the community and increase their overall knowledge of the art form. We are focused on serving tap dance by uniting the tap community, teaching its history, preserving is percussive and improvisational style, expanding the respect for the art and promoting the dance as a cherished American art form.
PHOTO CREDITS: (TOP) Photo by Robert Nautu (BOTTOM) Photo by Darnell Gourdine
