Register for a two-day tap dance workshop May 23-24 with some of Chicago's best and brightest all star tap dancers, including Ivy Anderson, Bril Barrett, Andrew Carr, Star Dixon, Tre Dumas, Jay Fagan, Izaiah Harris, Heather Latakas, Nico Rubio, KJ Sheldon-Zarate, Billy Siegenfeld, Molly Smith, and Mark Yonally! Intermediate and Advanced Levels available for ages 8 through Adult.

Weekend Schedule: 

Saturday, May 23rd: 

10-11am Int w/ Ivy Anderson and Adv w/ Molly Smith

11am-12pm Int w/ Bril Barrett and Adv w/ KJ Sheldon-Zarate

12-1:30pm Lunch (bring your own) GF Productions presents:  A Trans+Genderqueer History of Chicago Tap 

1:30-2:30pm Int w/ Jay Fagan and Adv w/ Izaiah Harris

2:30-3:30pm Int w/ Andrew Carr and Adv w/ Martin “Tre” Dumas III

3:45-4:45pm Tap Jam, all levels welcome

Sunday, May 24th: 

10-11am Int w/ Mark Yonally and Adv w/ Star Dixon

11am-12pm Int w/ Heather Latakas and Adv w/ Nico Rubio

12-1:30pm Billy Siegenfeld Audacity Award Presentation & Legacy Discussion

1:30-2:30pm Combined levels Legacy Class with Billy Siegenfeld

2:45-3:45pm Tap Footage presented by Shuffle Liiife Productions

4-5:30pm CTA Convening at Conscious Plates (820 E 63rd St) Delicious vegan brunch food for purchase. Gather with the Chicago Tap Dance Community for conversations to bring us closer and discussion of what's coming up next for CTA!

Transportation

Parking : street parking is available in the residential area surrounding the Center.

Public Transportation: Green Line - 47th street stop; Red line - 47th street stop; bus - Number 47 to King Dr.

Enter on 47th St door at the Ring doorbell. Take the stairs or elevator to the second floor.

Special thanks to the Harold Washington Cultural Center and The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation for their support of CTA's programming.

Chicago Tap Allstars is a communal collective that bridges the gap between artistry and activism by audaciously advocating for the entire Tap community while creating experiences centered on education and self-expression of the art form.

• We offer an inclusive community for Tap artists, organizations, and enthusiasts to coexist and improve access to economic gatekeeping.
• We create experiences centered in education and self-expression of the art form.
• We advocate for more resources afforded to Tap Dance and Tap Dancers.

History

Founder of M.A.D.D. Rhythms, Bril Barrett and Founder of Chicago Tap Theatre, Mark Yonally, joined forces to create Chicago Tap Allstars, a tap dance collective based in Chicago, in response to the cultural and racial reckoning of summer 2020, and its effects on the world, its people and the arts. Frustrated by the economic gatekeeping, historical revisionism, and lack of resources afforded to Tap Dance and Tap Dancers, Bril and Mark took on the challenge of engendering a strong, inclusive, and transparent community that collectively could accomplish more than they
could apart.

As leaders of two well-established Tap Dance Companies, they marshaled their efforts to provide the administrative and logistical backbone for the broader community.

The initial step towards achieving their goals was creating one of Chicago’s first truly inclusive celebrations of National Tap Dance Day in May 2021. Featuring over 30 Tap Dancers from all over the city, CTA offered a weekend celebrating Tap from multiple angles, including virtual classes, a history discussion, and a live performance.

The following year CTA offered in-person activities for the first time. This allowed them to fulfill part of their mission to unite people from the North and South Sides of the city. The beautiful Harold Washington Cultural Center in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood hosted a weekend of classes and a show. On the North Side in Rogers Park, CTA hosted a screening of Tap Footage from Chicago Tap Dancers (curated by Nico Rubio) and the movie Bojangles.

In year three, CTA made the critical decision to separate its activities into events for Tap Dancers and Tap Audiences. In May 2023, CTA presented two days of classes, including its first Heritage workshop and Legacy Series lecture from National Treasure Reggio “The Hoofer”
McLaughlin. In August of that year, CTA was honored to perform at Dance for Life alongside Chicago cultural icons like Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Giordano Dance Company, and Joffrey Ballet.

Today, Chicago Tap Allstars continues to uphold its standards as a communal collective for independent Tap artists, organizations, and enthusiasts alike to enjoy, embrace, and celebrate Tap Dance while continually advocating for the entire tap community and actively reshaping the narrative around Chicago and the history of the art of Tap Dance.