Ivery Wheeler, 55, began his dancing career at age three when his father took him to “jig joints” in Las Vegas.  “At the Louisiana Club, he would put me on the bar and I would dance to the music in the juke box,” Wheeler recalled. “My mom didn’t like it, but my dad would sneak me out, and people would give him money. 

Jason Samuels Smith has created a new, ground-breaking tap work, parodying the classic “Charlie’s Angels” television show.  He intended to mimic the television show, having a similar “Charlie” character assigning musical missions to three gorgeous tappers to transcribe music into tap dance. He also showed how Parker parallels the individual experience of each tap dancer. He chose three great dancers to portray Tap’s newest “angels.”

Elka Samuels Smith has been very successful in establishing and running Divine Rhythm Productions, an artist management company representing many artists in various fields of dance. Read how her life experiences combined to make her the perfect leader of this venture serving dance artists.

December 2009 - Dancer Magazine

Ernest "Brownie" Brown died in August 2009 at age 93, having outlived most of his fellow vaudevillians. Melba outlines his legacy, for which he will be remembered and missed by many generations of the tap world who loved him.

November 2009 - Dancer Magazine

What is bebop? How can you answer that question in an advanced tap class? Ardie Bryant's discussion of bebop during classes in New York for Tradition in Tap provided food for thought.

October 2009 - Dancer Magazine

Unbeknownst to most, Michael Jackson wanted to learn to tap dance. About 10 years ago he asked Debbie Allen to help him find a great tap teacher. Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, who worked with him on this, shares her observations.

September 2009 - Dancer Magazine

In November 2008, New York's Tradition in Tap festival honored Ardie Bryant, a tap legend who is still performing in his 80s.

March 2009 - Dancer Magazine

Dormeshia's exposure to the tap legends, mixed with training in all the different art forms, plus encouragement from family, teachers and many others, helped her become the world class dancer she is today. Most of all, she will never forget Arlene and Paul Kennedy for their gifts to her and the world ot tap.

January 2009 - Dancer Magazine

Ludie Jones, one of the greatest tap dancers in Harlem, has kept tap alive for 70 years and is still dancing and teaching at age 92.

October 2008 - Dancer Magazine

Four of Melba's teachers enjoyed a dance experience in New York this summer.
September 14, 2008 - The Monitor

Teachers are the "front line" in preserving tap and inspiring new generations of tap dancers. Tap is not only an end in itself, but a method we can use to provide students well-rounded dance training.

September 2008 - Dancer Magazine

February rain and snow did not chill the energy of the first Oklahoma City Tap Festival, held at Oklahoma City University.

August 2008 - Dancer Magazine

When tap dancer Danny Daniels could not attend his award ceremony in New York for Tradition in Tap, producers Avi Miller, Ofer Ben and Germaine Salsberg took the award to California to present to Daniels.

July 2008 - Dancer Magazine

Friends of Jimmy Slyde share their memories of this unequaled performer whose exquisite dancing spanned many decades.

July 2008 - Dancer Magazine (Reverence column)