Search results for: jason samuels smith

When I’m asked why tap dance matters, why it’s a worthy skill to learn, I usually come back to the same answer: freedom. As a young girl, I found the freedom to be loud. To be brash. To be different than my family. Tap dancing allows me to express my artistic side, my creative side, […]

It’s January, and that means one thing here at Dance Magazine: It’s “25 to Watch” time. Back in January 2001, we started the tradition of highlighting 25 up-and-coming dancers, choreographers, companies and trends who, in our humble opinion, were on the brink of making major waves. This was my first year being in the room […]

Dance performances often encourage audiences to escape reality. But on July 7, dance forced the audience at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival to face it. During a performance of And Still You Must Swing, tap dancers Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards and Derick K. Grant stopped mid-show, near tears, and acknowledged the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando […]

Tap artist Brenda Bufalino argues it’s time to rethink the way we write about tap. Dorrance Dance is stretching the boundaries of tap with their theatricality and virtuosity. Photo by Christopher Duggan, Courtesy Jacob’s Pillow. Critics are always forecasting the next decline of tap dancing. In one instance, a 2011 review in The New York […]

Part of dance’s beauty is that its perfection is elusive. At the same time, this can be one of the most frustrating things about the form. Whether you’ve been cursed with tight muscles or have picked up a distracting habit, fixing your technical hang-ups can feel like a never-ending battle. But the truth is, all […]

As the temps drop this winter, think warm thoughts. Here, Jacob’s Pillow’s famous outdoor stage. Photo by Christopher Duggan, Courtesy Jacob’s Pillow. Although Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival doesn’t kick off until June, there’s much to be excited about. Last week, the Pillow announced its line-up for what’s bound to be another rich season of dance. Live music. […]

In 2017, we celebrate Rennie Harris, Marika Molnar, Linda Celeste Sims and Diana Vishneva. Join us to celebrate with live performances and special guests at New York’s Ailey Citigroup Theater on December 4. For the first time, this year’s event will donate proceeds to the Harkness Foundation for Dance to fund a newly-created award for […]

Two organizations, each with a long history of helping dancers, will merge, to better serve us all. By the end of this year, Career Transition For Dancers‘ operations will move into The Actors Fund‘s offices in Manhattan, L.A. and Chicago. This is great news. Since you may be more familiar with CTFD—which holds its 30th-anniversary […]