Jazz Tap Ensemble at the Joyce Theatre 1993
Dally, Lynn
performer
Sumbry, Dormeshia
performer
Grant, Derick K.
performer
Manning, Lainie
performer
Weber, Sam
performer
Concert
1993-05-18
The Joyce Theater
18 May-30, 1993 Jazz Tap Ensemble started a two-week residency at the Joyce Theatre with two programs; guest artist Brenda Bufalino, Mark Mendoza. New works by Sam Weber, Derick Grant, Lynn Dally, Dormeshia Sumbry, with musicians Jerry Kalaf (drums), Eric Ajaye (bass), Doug Walter (piano/sax) Stacy Rowles (trumpet/vocals).
The classical jazz tap company founded and directed by Lynn Dally and including company member Sam Weber, has been augmented with three young virtuosos, seventeen-year-old Dormeshia Sumby, and Lainie Manning, and 20-year-old Derick Grant. On the program was a reconstruction of tap classic Bill Robinson's "Livin' in a Great Big Way" Fred Astaire's "Top Hat" and Astaire and Eleanor Powell's "Begin the Beguine."
Featured invited guests to this performance included Harold Nicholas, Jimmy Slyde, Brenda Bufalino, Savion Glover, and the 16-year-old Baakari Wilder, from Washingrton, DC who reviewer Sally Sommer called the "new kid on the block: Concentrated, pleased as punch to be tapping for you, Wilder (who looks like a pliable back arrow) sits back on his hips, almost crossing his feet in front of his body, hands flopping like loose socks. Below he's knocking out unbelievably clear sounds, each tap popping out with a tiny space around it." Dally presented a new solo, perhaps one of the best in the history of the company, "Another Summer" with rhythmic counterparts sung and danced by members of Jazz Tap Ensemble. "The company always was smooth as old Scotch" Sommer wrote. "Now it has bite."
(Sally Sommer, Village Voice 6/22/1993.)
Performing Arts Encyclopedia
http://www.loc.gov/performingarts
Hill, Constance Valis: Constance Valis Hill, personal collection of tap dance materials. ().
Tap Dance America
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/tda/tda-home.html
Derick K. Grant (biography)
loc.music.tdabio.100
Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards (biography)
loc.music.tdabio.83
Lynn Dally (biography)
loc.music.tdabio.69
tda
IHAS
151216
loc.music.tda.892