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Meet the Ensemble
Gracie “Snoopy” Bohl (‘08 Footprints, ‘06 Footprints II)
is 14 years old and in her third year with the Footprints family. Gracie has
studied tap for seven years, first with Shelley Hoselton
and now with Mark Yonally. She also takes jazz,
MTV, ballet and hip hop. Gracie participated in the 2007 Chicago Human Rhythm
Project’s summer tap festival and Winter Tap JAMboree!, where she studied with a number of master tap dancers.
Outside of dance, Gracie enjoys hanging out with friends, listening to her
iPod and using the computer. Her most memorable dance accomplishment was
becoming a member of Footprints! Gracie’s future plans include dancing
and studying hard.
Grace’s tap teachers: Dianne
“Lady Di” Walker, Yukiko Misumi, Gregg
Russell, Mark Yonally, Cait
Jones, Martin “Tre” Dumas, Jumaane Taylor, Shelley Hoselton
Joey “Fatone”
Columbus (‘06 Footprints, ‘05 Footprints II) is 14 years old
and cannot believe that this is his fourth year in the Footprints family. He
is an assistant rehearsal director. He has been dancing constantly since the
age of three. In addition to Footprints, Joey is in Forum Jazz Dance Theatre
and studies ballet, jazz, lyrical, MTV and hip hop. He attended the Chicago
Human Rhythm Project in 2005, 2007 and 2008. In 2008. he
won a scholarship to their Rhythm World summer festival. He has studied from
many master tap teachers and is especially proud to have taken a workshop
with Jimmy Slyde before the recent passing of this
great tap master. Joey is one of Footprints’ Spirit Coordinators, as
well as one of the choreographers of tonight’s opening piece. Joey was
lucky to be able to perform in Beijing,
China, with
the Chicago Human Rhythm Project in December 2007. He said that performing in
Beijing made all
the hard work worth it, and he counts it as one of his most memorable tapping
experiences. Joey is a high school freshman and loves high school so far. He
hopes that he will be dancing for the rest of his life.
Joey’s tap teachers: Jimmy Slyde, Dianne “Lady Di” Walker, Sam Weber,
Jason Samuels Smith, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards,
Martin “Tre” Dumas, Ayodele
Casel, Gene Medler, Josh Hilberman, Michelle Dorrance, Guillem Alonso, Roxane
Butterfly, Reggio “The Hoofer” McLaughlin, Lane Alexander, Barbatuques, Derick Grant, John
Kloss, Lisa LaTouche,
Gregg Russell, Mark Yonally, Cait
Jones
Chrissy “Baby Jones” Jones
(‘04 Footprints, ‘03 Footprints II) is 16 years old and has been
dancing since the age of two. She is a
long-time student of Mark Yonally. Chrissy’s choreography has appeared in Tap Jams
2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008; National
Tap Dance Day Windy City Rhythms 2008; concerts presented by Grayslake High
School Orchesis, of which she is a member; the 2005 and 2006 Chicago Human Rhythm
Project’s Great American Youth Tap Ensembles concerts at Northwestern
and Loyola Universities; and Dance
Chicago 2008. Chrissy appeared live on the WTTW
(PBS) television production called “Center Stage: Arts Across
Illinois,” dancing a traditional chair dance with other Footprints,
Ernest “Brownie” Brown and Reggio “The Hoofer” McLaughlin.
She has performed at Chicago Human Rhythm Project concerts and participated
in the annual CHRP Youth Tap Ensembles Conference since 2003. She performed
at Warner Brothers’ “Happy Feet” movie promotional, Shedd Aquarium’s Annual Benefit 2007, Tap
Kids’ Showcases in 2006 and 2008, the stage play Oklahoma!, and numerous other professional
venues. Most recently, Chrissy danced with select
Footprints in a series of concerts comprising the production Christmas
Dancing Shoes at the Beijing Exhibition Center
in Beijing, China. She has facilitated summer
tap dance improvisation workshops at Talent Forum. Chrissy
is a choreographer for TransRhythm Tap, as well as
a rehearsal director for Footprints. She is currently a member of the tap
dance duo called The Jones Sisters.
Chrissy’s tap teachers: Jason Samuels Smith, Dianne “Lady
Di” Walker, Jimmy Slyde, Dormeshia
Sumbry-Edwards,
Sarah Petronio, Jeni
LeGon, Ernest “Brownie” Brown, Ayodele Casel, Gregg Russell, Roxane Butterfly, Lisa LaTouche,
Ted Levy, Lynn Dally, Barbara Duffy, Sam Weber, Lane Alexander, Lisa Hopkins,
Mark Goodman, Cait Jones, Mark Yonally,
Martin “Tre” Dumas, Jumaani
Taylor, Bakaari Wilder, Gene Medler,
Jason Janus, Josh Hilberman, Michelle Dorrance, Max Pollak, Idella Reed, Jay Fagan, Jimmy Payne, Jr., Heather
Cornell, Reggio “The Hoofer” McLaughlin, Valeria Pinheiro, Sarah Savelli,
Shelley Hoselton
Lexie “Shmexi”
Kay (‘07 Footprints, ‘06 Footprints II) is 15 and in her
second season as a Footprint and her third year dancing at Talent Forum. She
has tapped for five years, taken ballet for six and jazz for seven. This will
be her third year of training with Mark Yonally.
She enjoyed participating in last year’s Chicago Human Rhythm
Project’s Youth Tap Ensembles Conference, held at Northwestern University,
along with other members of Footprints. During this conference she learned
choreography from Lane Alexander. Throughout her years as a Footprint she has
taken master classes with many wonderful tap teachers. Last season she
attended Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s Winter Workshop Weekend. Lexie is also a part of Talent Forum’s jazz
company, Forum Jazz Dance Theatre. In addition to dancing, she keeps herself
busy at school with Orchesis and band. Lexie looks forward to working hard in her sophomore year
at high school and hopes to keep dancing for as long as she can!
Lexie’s tap teachers: Dianne “Lady Di” Walker, Ayodele Casel, Martin “Tre” Dumas, Roxane
Butterfly, Gregg Russell, Lane Alexander, Mark Yonally,
Cait Jones
Nikki “Cookie” Krumm (‘08 Footprints, ‘06 Footprints II)
is 14 years old and thrilled to have been selected to Footprints this season
after having been a member of Footprints II. She has studied tap and ballet
for 11 years and jazz for eight. Nikki also enjoys taking MTV and lyrical
classes. She credits Shelley Hoselton and Mark Yonally for making her the strong tapper she is today.
Nikki attended the Chicago Human Rhythm Project 2007 and 2008 Winter Tap JAMboree!, where she took master
tap classes from Dianne “Lady Di” Walker and Martin “Tre” Dumas. She has also taken master tap classes from
several other incredible teachers. This summer Nikki participated in the CHRP
Youth Tap Ensembles Conference at Loyola
University, as well as
Talent Forum’s summer dance intensive program. Outside of dance, Nikki
enjoys dancing on the high school varsity pom squad
and hanging out with friends. Nikki plans to keep on dancing and having fun!
Way to go, Nikki!
Nikki’s tap teachers: Jason
Samuels Smith, Dianne “Lady Di” Walker, Martin “Tre” Dumas, Ayodele Casel, Gregg Russell, Barbara Duffy, Derick
Grant, Ted Levy, Yukiko Misumi, Mark Yonally, Shelley Hoselton
Stephanie “Tappin Toes” Marsh (‘04 Footprints,
‘02 Footprints II) is just 16 but she has been dancing regularly for 14
years! She is in her fourteenth year of ballet and her twelfth year of tap!
She has danced at Dance Chicago, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, the Taste
of Chicago, Shedd Aquarium and many other venues.
Outside of dance, Stephanie is on the poms squad at
her school and is a member of ACE (Athletics Committed to Excellence). With
dancing and school, she still somehow manages to keep her grades up and be on
honor roll. Stephanie loves to shop, go see movies and just “hang out
with friends.” She is a Footprints rehearsal director and hopes to keep
dancing all her life.
Stephanie’s tap teachers: Dianne
Walker, Sarah Petronio, Ayodele
Casel, Martin “Tre”
Dumas, Gregg Russell, Jason Samuels Smith, Mark Yonally,
Idella Reed, Jay Fagan, Lane Alexander, Cait Jones, Shelley Hoselton
Madeline “Bullwinkle” Partain (‘06 Footprints, ‘04 Footprints
II), is 16 years old and pleased to be a member of Footprints Tap Ensemble. She
was recently named an assistant rehearsal director. Madeline is a sophomore
in high school and has taken tap lessons for 11 years with Shelley Hoselton and Mark Yonally. She
has attended the Chicago Human Rhythm Project summer festival for four years
and the Youth Tap Ensembles Conference for three. There she has taken classes
with many tap masters and is one of the choreographers of tonight’s
opening number. Madeline is also a member of Forum Jazz Dance Theatre. She
has taken ballet for 13 years with Shelley Hoselton,
Beth McNeill, Richard Smith and Brent Caburnay.
Madeline loves many forms of dance—ballet, pointe,
jazz, lyrical and MTV—and loves to spend hours dancing. Keep moving
those feet, Madeline!
Madeline’s tap teachers: Dr. Jeni LeGon, Dianne “Lady
Di” Walker, Reggio “The Hoffer”
McLaughlin, Ernest “Brownie” Brown, Harold Cromer, Gene medler, Jeannie Hill, Sarah Savelli,
Mark Yonally, Cait Jones,
Shelley Hoselton
Sara “Dairy Queen”
Pritchard (‘07 Footprints, ‘06 Footprints II), 14 years old,
is thrilled to be in her fourth year in the Footprints family. Sara is
captain of her high school’s J.V. poms squad
and also plays competitive softball. She keeps herself as busy as possible
doing what she loves best — taking as many dance classes as she can! In
addition to tap, Sara enjoys ballet, jazz, hip hop and MTV classes at Talent
Forum. Along with her training with Shelley Hoselton
and Mark Yonally, for the past three summers she
attended Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s Youth Tap Ensemble Conference
and she has studied with many master tap dancers. Last December Sara
performed in the Chicago Tap Theatre’s holiday show, “Tidings of
Tap,” and for the past two years she took part in the CHRP Winter JAMboree! Sara looks forward to more fun times with her
fellow Footprints, as well as keeping up her excellent school work and always
having fun with her friends. Keep it up, DQ!
Sara’s tap teachers: Jason
Samuels Smith, Ayodele Casel,
Sam Weber, Gregg Russell, Chloe Arnold, Yukiko Misumi,
Lane Alexander, Roxane Butterfly, Gene Medler, Mark Yonally, Martin
“Tre” Dumas, Ted Levy, Barbara Duffy, Guillem Alonso, Jumaane Taylor,
Shelley Hoselton
Ali “Alicat”
Ryder (‘07 Footprints, 06 Footprints II) is 14. She has been
enjoying all the classes she and the other Footprints have taken all last
year. She performed with Footprints in Mark Yonally’s
holiday show. In her community’s annual June parade, Ali joined
Footprints tapping their way down the main street dancing to “Opus
I.” This past summer, Ali took week-long classes at Loyola University
in Chicago
with the Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s Youth Tap Ensemble Conference.
She had the honor of taking classes with some truly great tap masters. Ali is
looking forward to performing with Footprints and taking jazz, lyrical, ballet
and hip hop this year at Talent Forum! Ali will be in her final year of
junior high school, playing volleyball, working hard in school and dancing
the year away!
Ali’s tap teachers: Jason
Samuels Smith, Dianne “Lady
Di” Walker, Lane Alexander, Roxane Butterfly,
Mark Yonally, Gregg Russell, Martin “Tre” Dumas, Shelley Hoselton
Christina “Fredugal” Scocchera
(‘08 Footprints, ‘05 Footprints II) is 14 years old and is in her
ninth year in tap. She has taken classes from Shelley Hoselton,
Mark Yonally and Debbie Guy at Talent Forum, as
well as many other master tap dancers. At Talent Forum, she also takes
ballet, pointe, jazz, hip hop, MITV, lyrical and
contemporary. Outside of dance, Christina plays the trumpet in marching band,
along with flute and bassoon in regular band. She also loves to just hang
with friends.
Christina’s tap teachers: Dianne
“Lady Di” Walker, Ayodele Casel, Yukiko “Smiley” Misumi,
Gregg Russell, Lisa LaTouche, Martin “Tre” Dumas, Mark Yonally,
Cait Jones, Shelley Hoselton
Hannah “Twiglet”
Travers (‘08 Footprints, ‘07 Footprints II) is 14 years old
and was recently selected as a member of Footprints, having spent the last
season as a member of Footprints II. She has studied tap and ballet for five
years, jazz for six, and is in her second year of training at Talent Forum.
At this summer’s Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s Youth Tap
Ensembles Conference at Loyola
University, Hannah
received choreography from Barbara Duffy and took master classes with several
other wonderful master teachers. At school, Hannah enjoys running on the
cross country team and participating in band. She is looking forward to her
first year in high school, as well as the rest of this Footprints season!
Hannah’s tap teachers: Dianne
“Lady Di” Walker, Lisa LaTouche,
Barbara Duffy, Martin “Tre” Dumas, Sam
Weber, Gene Medler, Yukiko “Smiley” Misumi, Gregg Russell, Mark Yonally
Photo
by Kathleen Weinstein Photography.
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