Published: October 22, 2009 09:49 pm      

Tribute to tap dance coming to Frostburg State University

‘Thank You, Gregory!’ honors the Late Gregory Hines, other ‘hoofers’

FROSTBURG — Eight tap dancers, a trio of jazz musicians, multimedia projections and live narration combine when the Frostburg State University Cultural Events Series Main Stage Series presents “Thank You, Gregory! A Tribute to the Legends of Tap,” which pays tribute to the late Gregory Hines and past and present “hoofers.”

The performance will be on the Drama Theatre stage in the Performing Arts Center on Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m. and closes with an invitation to the audience to “put on their tap shoes and join the cast in the shim sham shimmy.”

Celebrating tap dance’s history, artistry and rhythms, the show not only honors the late Gregory Hines but also features tributes to the “Kings of Tap,” including Fred Astaire, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, John Bubbles and Gene Kelly and the Nicholas Brothers. The show also honors the “Leading Ladies of Hollywood,” Ruby Keeler, Ann Miller, Eleanore Power and Juanita Pitts; “Eccentric Dancers” Ray Bolger, Donald O’Connor and Hal Leroy; “Concert Dancers” Dr. Jimmy Slyde, Chuck Green, Bunny Briggs and Paul Draper; “Pioneering Women of the 1970s led by Brenda Bufalino; and “Unsung Hoofers” who were frequently overlooked because of race, gender or social circumstances.

The cast features Joseph Webb, an award-winning actor/dancer of Broadway’s “Bring in Da’Noise, Bring in Da’Funk”; Chloe Arnold, a protégé of Debbie Allen and dance captain/choreographer; Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, also a principal dancer from “Bring in Da’Noise”; Brent McBeth of Bob Fosse fame; comic tapper and singer Heather Holohan, a protégé of Bufalino; Donovan Helma, lead dancer from “Tap Dogs”; and Susan Nase, an internationally acclaimed highland dancer and vocalist.

Adding to the evening’s festivities is the Cultural Events Series’ Pre-Performance Dinner Club, which offers concert goers an opportunity to enhance their cultural experience. Guests arrive on campus early, enjoy the benefit of easy parking access in the Performing Arts Center parking lot and dine on a catered meal in a private restaurant setting in the Lane University Center. Dinner includes soup or salad, entrée with sides, dessert and coffee or iced tea. A cash bar is available throughout dinner.

Tickets may be ordered by calling (866) 849-9237 or (301) 687-3137, or by visiting http://ces.frostburg.edu.

A tap dance film festival will be held in the Lane University Center Room 201 on Sunday beginning at noon and continuing all evening. The movies being shown will include “Bojangles,” “ Singin’ in the Rain,” ”Save the Last Dance,” “White Nights,” and ”Happy Feet.” All movies are open to the public free of charge. A tap workshop will be held on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Lane University Center Loft. Presented by Nicole Frost, this dance workshop will demonstrate how the “tap dance” has evolved from “Broadway style” to “rhythm tap” and the newest “jazz dance,” since the early 1900s.

The program is geared toward the beginner to intermediate tap dancer. Participants should wear comfortable clothing, bring tap shoes if possible, otherwise, wear shoes that will “click” and move easily on a wood floor.

The program is free, but reservations are required. Contact Melanie Moore at (301) 687-7420 or cesoutreach@frostburg.edu.