Tap Dance

Avalon Rathgeb graduated from Bird College in 2009 after studying on a 3 year full time scholarship. Recipient of two internships from the American Tap Dance Foundation 2009/11, Grant Swift’s TeAyPe (Melbourne, Australia) 2009-10, a scholarship for the Los Angeles Tap Festival 2012, winner of the 2013 cutting contest at Stockholm Tap Festival, invited to accept 1 of 25 places reserved for outstanding dancers in the 2014 Tap program at the School at Jacob’s Pillow in Massachusetts, USA. Her career highlights include dancing in the opening ceremony of London 2012 Olympic Games, the closing ceremony of the European Games (Baku Azerbaijan) 2015, Artistic Director of ‘Old Kent Road’ 2014-current, principle dancer for ‘Tapestry Dance Company’ under the direction of Acia Gray 2017-19. Avalon is endorsed by Ruben Sanchez DanceWear. Avalon founded the London Tap Dance Festival in 2024.

Clara Martínez is a dancer and choreographer from Barcelona specializing in tap dance. She began her training in musical theatre as a teenager at Coco Comín and later on completed her main tap training in the Tap Program at Luthier Dansa with Guillem Alonso. Since the age of 17, she has traveled extensively to study with leading international artists, and in 2019 she received a scholarship for the prestigious Jacob’s Pillow Tap Program, where her piece Vuela was selected to be presented at the renowned Ted Shawn Theatre. Her first professional opportunities include the Luthier Youth Tap Company (dir. Guillem Alonso), UNUM Project (dir. Estefanía Porqueras), and W.O.T.O (founded and directed by Ludovico Hombravella and Ivan Bouchain). In 2016 she created the duet The Ground Sisters, and in 2018 she founded La Banda Street Groove, a company combining tap dance, percussion, and urban dance styles that remains active with three original productions touring across Spain. As an independent artist, she has performed on multiple stages, directed and choreographed various projects, and built a career that combines creation and pedagogy. In 2024 she premiered her musical project Clara Martínez Quintet, a live music project in which Clara develops her most rhythmic artistic voice within the world of improvisation. Since 2018 she has also worked with Dàmaris Gelabert and Grow Up Singing as a choreographer, dancer, and stage director, completing three tours and five music videos. In the educational field, she is a regular tap teacher at Luthier Dansa in Barcelona and gives workshops and masterclasses across Europe, standing out for a methodology focused on groove and the connection between technique and rhythm.

Daniel Luka is a globally sought after tap dance artist. Whether as a dancer and producer of his own stage pieces, guest dancer and member of various companies, at numerous television appearances and events, as instructor as well as guest performer at festivals and concerts with a large number of international dancers and musicians: Daniel is always looking for new paths. He appreciates the border crossing, experiments with cross-genre music, absorbs impulses from the most diverse cultures or seeks the interconnection with video and digital art. He developed his dance style as an inspired student of various international tap dance artists, above all his most important influence and master, Sarah Petronio, with whom he was allowed to dance in many different shows (including „Thelonious" on Broadway in NYC, "Monk In Motion" and “Jazz In Motion” in Paris). He is a proud member of the Paris based "Hip Tap Project" (including "À l'unisson" and "Boom Tchak"), created and directed by Leela Petronio who is another major influence for Daniel. Since 2011 he is a member of the percussion show "Beats And Noises", created by Knuth Jerxsen and Ute Wilbertz and furthermore constantly travels the world as a versatile soloist (including Duke Ellington’s „Sacred Concert“ or „We Got Rhythm“ with the WDR Bigband). When Daniel is not on tour, he devotes himself passionately to his job as a teacher, the artistic direction as curator of the „Tap Ahead Festival“ at tanzhaus nrw, as well as to the „Tap Jam Düsseldorf“, which he founded.

Jep Meléndez has been trained as a tap dancer in many art schools from Barcelona and New York, he’s also a classic dance, jazz and afrocuban percussion enthusiast. He is a dancer and improvisator who’s been part of numerous famous shows: “Benny Goodman Memorial”, “Jazzin and Dancin”, “Escolta’m” (Barcelona), “Navigazzioni” (Italy) “Tap City”, “Swing 46 Tap Jam” (New York), etc. His own dance style is based on body percussion. He’s been developing his own performance for 20 years influenced by diverses styles and genres. He’s been leading the show “Pampidam” ideated by the well-known dance troupe MAYUMANA. He’s also been the leading dancer of CAMUT BAND on its shows “Keatoniana”, “Tambores”, “La vida es ritmo” and “Kiting-Kita”. In his last performances, we could highlight his participation as a co-author and choreographer in “Faros del Silencio”, his stellar participation on “Tapage Nocturne”, his academic role on the III International Body Music Festival in Sao Paulo (Brasil) and his new project “A mano limpia!” displayed at the V International Body Music Festival of Istanbul (Turkey). He’s been directing and managing also the festival Encuentro Internacional de Música Corporal de Tenerife in 2011 and 2012. During 2011, he worked in the creation and investigation for his new show “Cambuyon”, became its artistic director and performer. This show was introduced in the IV International Body Music Festival in San Francisco and it was released in Tenerife, Barcelona and subsequently in “The New Victory Theater”, off-Broadway, New York. He’s also a tap, body percussion and dance instructor, and he counts with a diverse national and international academical experience. Last time he was at tanzhaus in 2019 presenting „À L’UNISSON“, a new offbeat show he produced with Leela Petronio in which tap dance, body percussion and hip hop dancing blend to defend a rhythmic and poetic message of unity in artistic expressions featuring Ludovic Tronché and Daniel Luka.

Groomed by tap and vaudeville stars of the 1930's, tap dance artist Joshua Hilberman has shared the stage with Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Jimmy Slyde, Brenda Bufalino, and most every tap dancer of note. Long-time artistic collaborations include mentors Bufalino and tap's great pianist Paul Arslanian. Together with dancer/producer Drika Overton, and the German duo Tap and Tray, Josh has been creating and performing original ensemble and solo theatrical productions for over 25 years. Josh has taught hundreds of workshops and tap festivals, including New York, Chicago, Vancouver, Helsinki, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Stockholm, etc. His deep understanding of tap dance in performance combined with a healthy sense of humor make him a fun, patient, enlightening instructor. Hilberman's contributions to the evolution of tap dance receive mention in the 2010 book Tap Dance America, and he has been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the US Presidential Scholars Teachers Recognition Award, and the Premi Claqueta from the dancers of Barcelona, Spain for significant contributions to the tap community. Since 2013, he has been living in Liege, Belgium with his wife Stéphanie and vibrant baby boy, Félix. Together they run the Claquettes Club, a center for tap dance in Belgium. Information at www.claquettesclub.be.

Leela Petronio is a franco-american tap dancer and body percussionist. She is a choreographer, teacher and producer and has been part of the European cast of STOMP since 2001. She is artistic director of the Hip Tap Project, a percussive dance ensemble whose work blends rhythm tap, hip hop, body percussion and live music. Leela studied with tap masters Sarah Petronio, Jimmy Slyde and Steve Condos. Over the years, she studied and shared the spotlight with Tap greats Honi Coles, Cholly Atkins. Chuck Green, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, Ted Levy and Lon Chaney at different festivals. Her eclectic approach has led her to participate in many different projects which include: performances with the Cirque du Soleil in Italy, a tap concerto performed with a symphonic orchestra at the Paris Opéra Comique; Soul to Sole Festival in Austin, the Joyce Theater for New York’s “Tap City”. She has perfomed for the International Body Music Festival in San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Istanbul and Terni. She was invited as guest performer with the Jazz Tap Ensemble at the Salzburg Jazz Festival and with the acclaimed French singer Camille at the Cirque d’hiver. In 2012, she was part of the Olympics closing ceremonies with STOMP. In Paris she has performed in such venues as the Quai Branly Museum in Paris, Jamel Debouze’s Comedy Club, the Festival of Urban Cultures of La Villette, the Maison des métallos… She performs regularly in Sarah Petronio’s “Jazz in Motion” and “Thelonius” (New Morning in Paris, Jazz venues in Europe, “Perth International Arts Festival” in Australia, “Tap Dance Day 2004” at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Duke on 42nd street for Tap City in NYC…). She is part of the international cast of a new show “Body Music – hear dance, see music” directed by Keith Terry which premiered October 2016 at the Maison des métallos in Paris.

Als Linda sich 2001 in einer Tanzschule in der Tür vertan hatte und dadurch zufällig das erste Mal mit Tap Dance in Berührung kam, konnte sie noch nicht ahnen, dass sich daraus eine Leidenschaft für sie entwickeln wird. Seitdem nutzte sie eine Vielzahl von Gelegenheiten, um sich bei Tap Dance-Größen wie z.B. Roxane Butterfly, Josh Hilberman, Ludovico Hombravella sowie im Rahmen eines konstanten Einzelcoachings bei Daniel Luka und beim Professional Tap Training von Thomas Marek 2019 und 2021 weiterzuentwickeln. Sie erwarb zudem Bühnenerfahrung unter anderem bei Sebastian Webers Berlin Tap Project 2015 und den Projekten im Rahmen des Tap Ahead Festivals in Düsseldorf von Josh Hilberman, Barbara Duffy, Pia Neises und Daniel Luka. Ihr musikalisches Interesse insbesondere für Jazz und die damit verbundenen Begeisterung für die Improvisation zeigt sie regelmäßig bei Tap Jams in Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Lüttich und Wien. Darüber hinaus ist ihr neuestes Projekt der Tap Salon in Duisburg.

Nikolai Kemeny ist ein international gefeierter Tap Dancer, Choreograf und Produzent, der mit seinen Inszenierungen wie COSMIC TAP virtuos die Verbindung von Rhythmus, Bewegung und Erzählkunst verkörpert. Geprägt von den Lehren internationaler Tap-Legenden, verbindet er Tradition mit einem zeitgenössischen Blick auf den Tanz. Seine Choreografien und Produktionen wurden weltweit an Theaterhäusern, Festivals und in preisgekrönten Kunstfilmen wie LAZARUS und THE STEPS I STOLE präsentiert. Neben seiner Arbeit an renommierten Staatstheatern und Opernhäusern in Deutschland ist er Gründungsmitglied der Sebastian Weber Dance Company. Gemeinsam mit Andrea Alvergue bereist er die Welt, um die Vielfalt und das historische Erbe von Musik- und Tanzkulturen tiefer zu erkunden und präsentiert innovative Tanz- und Musik Konzerte wie BLUE TAPS und OFFBeat. Mit einem modernen Stil begeistert er als Tänzer, Choreograf, Musiker und Produzent gleichermaßen.

Ob als Bühnenkünstler, Choreograph oder Lehrer: Seit 30 Jahren vereint Thomas Marek in seiner Arbeit traditionelle und moderne Formen des Tap Dance mit zeitgenössischen musikalischen und theatralischen Elementen. Schon die Meister, bei denen er lernte und die ihn inspirierten, waren und sind Erneuerer ihrer Kunst: Honi Coles, Cholly Atkins, Chuck Green, Buster Brown, Jimmy Slyde und allen voran Brenda Bufalino, mit deren American Tap Dance Orchestra er Mitte der Neunzigerjahre durch Florida tourte. Tief verwurzelt im Jazz spielt Marek mit den Möglichkeiten von Klanggestaltung, von Phrasierung, Touch und Sound, lotet den Raum aus, in dem sich der Steptanz bewegt, verschiebt Grenzen und entdeckt neue Ausdrucksformen, die an die Ursprünge des Tap anknüpfen und aus seinem kulturellen Kontext schöpfen – und die neue Geschichten erzählen. Solo, im Duo mit Bass oder Klavier oder als Jazz Quartet: Das Erzählerische in der abstrakten tänzerischen und musikalischen Form des Tap ist der Motor von Mareks Kunst, auch und gerade in seinen großen Tanzproduktionen. Ausverkaufte Theater zeugen davon, dass es Marek mit seinen Inszenierungen, musikalischen Reflexionen über kulturelle Tradition und individuellen Ausdruck im Zusammenspiel von Jazz, Choreographie und Improvisation gelingt, die Kunst des Tap Dance einem breiteren Publikum zugänglich zu machen. Musikalität und eigenen Ausdruck zu fördern, ist auch das Ziel, dem sich Thomas Marek als Lehrer verschrieben hat, den Sinn zu wecken für kreative Gestaltung auf Grundlage eines starken technischen Fundaments. Er ist regelmäßiger Gast als Workshopleiter sowie als Solist auf Festivals und Bühnen in Deutschland, Europa und den USA und tanzte mit Steptanzgrößen wie Brenda Bufalino, Barbara Duffy und Sarah Petronio.

Yaroslav Ros wurde an der Kyjiwer Akademie für Varieté- und Zirkuskunst in den Disziplinen Clownerie, Tanz und Jonglage ausgebildet. Dort lernte er von einigen der besten Steptänzern der Welt: Savion Glover, Jason-Samuels Smith, Dexter Jones und Geri Ames. Am Staatlichen Institut für Theaterkunst in Moskau studierte Ros Schauspiel und war zehn Jahre lang Ensemblemitglied des Moskauer Yermalova-Theaters. Neben seinem Festengagement trat er in Musicals und Shows auf und wurde zu renommierten Steptanz-Festivals weltweit eingeladen. Am Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus ist Yaroslav Ros zurzeit in den Inszenierungen »Cabaret«, »Novecento oder Die Legende vom Ozeanpianisten« und »Moby Dick« zu sehen.