Shelley Oliver Tap Dancers To Perform With Jazz Trio At Muhlenberg College
The Department of Theatre & Dance at Muhlenberg College will present a special concert appearance of The Shelley Oliver Tap Dancers with the David Leonhardt Jazz Trio for three performances in March.Thursday, March 13, 2003 02:41 PM
The Department of Theatre & Dance at Muhlenberg College will present a special concert appearance of The Shelley Oliver Tap Dancers with the David Leonhardt Jazz Trio for three performances in March. On stage Friday, March 28 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, March 29 at 2 and 8 p.m., the concerts will be staged in the Dorothy Hess Baker Theatre of the Trexler Pavilion for Theatre & Dance. Ticket reservations are available by calling 484-664-3333. Adults $15, Youth $8.
Jazztap dancers use tight, rapid footwork to create a rhythmic beat that is performed to jazz music, and like jazz musicians, they develop a style that emphasizes individual freedom and creativity. The Shelley Oliver Tap Dancers provide an exciting evening of sophisticated music and dance with the world-class jazz of the David Leonhardt Jazz Trio. As artistic director and performer, Shelley Oliver creates exciting visual dances set to arrangements of both original music and jazz standards. True to the traditions of both jazz music and rhythm tap dancing, the performances include dynamic improvisational elements, synchronized ensemble dancing and stunning solo work by Shelley Oliver, Rebekkah Brown, and Sarabeth Lewis. Each dancer in the ensemble is a strong soloist skilled in jazztap improvisation with diverse professional dance experience.
Appearing with the live jazz trio, the Shelley Oliver Tap Dancers have consistently drawn raves in concert halls, theaters, clubs and festivals for the dynamic interaction among dancers and musicians that develops during each performance. Through sophisticated musical arrangements and strong original choreography, each performer is given the opportunity to dramatically enhance the audience’s appreciation and enthusiasm for this wildly expressive dance form.
David Leonhardt, jazz pianist and composer, is a highly skilled and versatile musician. At present Leonhardt is leading his own band with successful appearances at the International Arts Festival of Shenzen in China, the Winnipeg Jazz Festival, The French Maison de Dance in Lyon, as well festivals and concerts throughout the United States. Leonhardt’s twenty-five years of professional experience has included recordings, T.V. and radio, concerts and festivals, nightclubs and stage shows. His Jazz Trio currently includes Mathew Parrish on bass and Taro Okamoto on drums.
Also appearing with The Shelley Oliver Tap Dancers and The David Leonhardt Jazz Trio for the Muhlenberg College concert is the Muhlenberg Jazztap Ensemble. Oliver is the artistic director and Leonhardt is the musical director and arranger of this dance ensemble which develops and tours programs for presentation at schools, community centers and senior citizen residences. The members of the Muhlenberg Jazztap Ensemble 2003 are Frankie Grande-Marchione ’05, Yara Jahrling ’05, Jon Lightcap ’05, Mary McLaughlin ’04, Jenny Peters ’05, Christina Spring ’03, David Torsiello ’05, Angelina Young ’04 and Christina Young ’04. The Jazztap Ensemble previously joined the Shelley Oliver Dancers in concert with the legendary Buster Brown and the Dave Leonhardt Trio at the Deer Head Inn, one of the premiere jazz clubs in the Poconos.
