Bringing the best of tap dancing to the feet of Dallas

Tap dancing is the one original dance art form in America that transcends dance…it is music in motion.  Tap dancers are passionate, creative musicians who view their art form as an experience to be shared, passed down to new generations, and enjoyed by a diverse audience.  Tap festivals are a rare opportunity for this exchange to take place.  I created RIFF to bring this experience that every other large city in America has benefited from through the years, to Dallas, Texas.

I encourage you to join me in this journey to celebrate tap dancing, expand the opportunities of local tap dancers, and to be an integral part of the history of moving tap dance forward in our community.

Registration will be available August

“I'm excited to bring to Dallas another great festival for the tap dancers that I consider family.  Please join me in celebrating tap dance, growing in our knowledge, and sharing our experiences, passions, and talents with one another.” ~Malana Murphy

 
 
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Reviews

Review: TapN2Tap | RIFF Dallas | Naomi Bruton Theatre

Roots and All

RIFF Dallas shows its worth with its annual festival, featuring excellent tap dancers and styles from around the country.

by Cheryl Callon
published Friday, January 19, 2018

Photo: Serkan Zanagar Photography

Evan Ruggerio at TAPN2TAP 2018

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 Dallas — A pre-show glance at the show order for TapN2Tap, the annual concert performed in conjunction with the Rhythm in Fusion Festival (now RIFF Dallas), reveals a similar structure from the previous two years. Youth tap ensembles share the stage with RIFF faculty, some of the leading artists in the industry. But a closer look at the bios of those performing at The Black Academy of Arts and Letters uncovers a remarkable revelation.

Dallas is no longer a hidden gem in the tap industry. Our city is making its mark in the percussive dance world.

Much of that credit goes to Malana Murphy, the founder and producer of RIFF, who this year snagged living legend Savion Glover for a special workshop for the festival. Her commitment and dedication to growing the festival and continuing to connect young artists with the best in the business has garnered the interest and attention of those around the nation.

Photo: Serkan Zanagar Photography

 
 

RIFF DALLAS Guest Artists

Acia Gray

Aleksandr Ostanin

Andrew Nemr

Anthony Morigerato

Aaron Tolson

Avalon Rathgeb

Brenda Bufalino

Charles Renato

Chloe Arnold

Christopher Broughton

CK Edwards

Dante Lara 

Deborah Mitchell

Demi Remick

Derick Grant

Dianne Walker

Dre Torres

Elizabeth Burke

Emily Mikoltich

Estefania Porqueras

Evan Ruggiero

Heather Cornell

Ian Berg

Jeremy Arnold

Joseph Wiggan

Josette Wiggan

Josh Nixon

Justin Lewis

Justin Myles

Kazu Kumagai

 
 

Keith Terry

Lisa LaTouche

Luke Hickey

Maddie Murphy

Maddie Owens

Malana Murphy

Mark Orsborn

Marshall Davis, Jr

Martin “Tre” Dumas

Matt Shields

Maurice Chestnut

Max Pollak

Melinda Sullivan

Michelle Dorrance

Miu Nakagawa

Nicholas Van Young

Nick Dinic

Rebecca Cannaday

Roxy King

Sam Weber

Sarah Petronio

Sarah Reich

Savion Glover

Sean Kaminski

Siobhan Cook

Star Dixon

Sterling Harris

Ted Louis Levy

Tommy Wasiuta

Tony Merriwether

*Guest artists are a compilation of previous RIFF Dallas festivals

 
 
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Bandan Koro at TAPN2TAP 2018

The youth ensemble lineup is a great example. Of the seven groups, only two come from North Texas, while the others travel from out of state. Murphy’s RIFF Ensemble demonstrates a sharp sensitivity to timing dynamics as they move to “California Dreamin’,” while Keira Leverton’s Choreo Records delivers the usually strong execution of Leverton’s unique style.

The Washington, D.C. area shares some of its talent with Big D. The JaM Youth Project has been making waves with its YouTube presence, and their street-inspired Recessfeaturing electronic music and bucket drumming keeps the energy alive early on in the show. Metropolitan Youth Tap Ensemble goes the classical route with the best performance of Act I, donning smart red jackets over black tops and pants as they dance to Vivaldi’s “Winter”.  Another East Coast group, Mary No & Co from New Jersey, flaunts a laid-back yet confident vibe with a captivating sense of rhythm.

The West Coast joins the party with the L.A./Orange County-based ReVerb Tap Company, who brought down the house with last year’s ode to Hamilton. Led by Leah Silva, the Junior ensemble subtly grooves to Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” while the Youth dancers keep the Broadway theme going with Rent’s “Seasons of Love” featuring a very nostalgic flair to their eclectic 90s-style costumes.

So much young talent abounds in Act I, but if there’s a single face of the next generation of tap, Sydney Burtis is it. As this year’s featured youth soloist, she delivers a clever mesh of her classical dance training with tap. The combo isn’t surprising, as she’s been on the national tour of Billy Elliott, but her execution and melding of seemingly disparate dance forms proves mesmerizing.

The list of professionals for Act II showcases a wide range of younger and established talent. A short awards presentation honors Acia Gray and Dianne Walker, and the inclusion of Dallas’ own Bandan Koro African Drum and Dance Ensemble pays a nice homage to tap’s roots.

Chloe Arnold and Sarah Reich (who have been an integral part of RIFF since its 2015 debut) return with some dazzling new material. The former performs a work that features her narration alongside the taps, while Reich teams up with Melinda Sullivan (who first found the spotlight with So You Think You Can Dance) for a set of duets displaying plenty of strength, sass, and synchronicity.

Nicholas Van Young spent his early years with Austin’s Tapestry Dance company before appearing in STOMP and most recently with the critically-acclaimed Dorrance Dance. He lights up the stage with an improvised rhythmic conversation with RIFF band members Scott Bucklin, Jonathan Fisher, and Andrew Griffith, including some body percussion.

Brazilian hoofer Charles Renato carries some impressive teaching, choreography, and performance gigs on his resume, and his approachable charm makes for an easy-going performance amidst a fiery intensity worthy of his home country. Dallas native Maddie Murphy whisks around the stage with lightning-fast feet, and longtime industry leader Derick Grant slides and glides through space in brilliant shoes with a mischievous smile.

Evan Ruggerio proves that rhythm has no limits with his singing and dancing to “Rhythm is My Business.” He lost the lower part of his right leg to cancer several years ago, but that hasn’t stopped him from continuing his tap studies, becoming a YouTube sensation, and appearing on Ellen, among many other things.

Ted Louis Levy hilariously interacts with the audience and the band during his set, and while he illustrates a satisfying classical style, his inclusion of some younger dancers at the end of his time on stage provides a nice bridge from one generation of tappers to the next.

The only downside to the show, again, is the length. This one ran two hours and forty-five minutes, so for the viewer not associated with the festival, it might drag on too long.

But with a lineup like this, the only question remaining is where does it go from here? I can’t wait to find out. 

http://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/reviews/20180120095959/2018-01-19/RIFF-Dallas/TapN2Tap

“...brings the best of tap dancing...”

RIFF Dallas presents TAPN2TAP, the only tap concert that brings the best of tap dancing to the feet of Dallas...TAPN2TAP will showcase and honor traditions of the past of tap dancing, while giving the audience a taste of what is and what is to come of this great American art.— dallas.culturemap.com

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RIFF DALLAS, LLC