It’s always a pleasure to play keys for the lovely community WTW Big Band. I first played a guest number with the supporting WTW Jazz Band a few years ago and have since “depped” (filled in/helped out) on piano for a few big band gigs. It’s been my introduction and education in playing with a big band and has come with many challenges, most notably sight-reading!
In 2016 I joined dancer/choreographer Jessica Murray and dancer Matt Coghill in a new live music and dance show. With music played by the pop and rock vintage jazz style band, The Black Sheikhs, there’s tap dance, Lindy Hop and comedy. For the show I’m excited to have dusted of my shiny silver, LaDuca Roxie tap shoes to pay homage to Ann Miller’s Too Darn Hot tap routine complete with a hot pink costume with tassels, a pair of long pink gloves and a fan!
It was great to return to The Albany in Deptford for Upswing and The Albany’s BITES: Remix. Amongst the wonderful acts of Unusual Circus Fusions I performed a rhythmical collaboration with the talented percussionist and vocalist, Devaki Thomas, on a newly created “improvographical” piece called Rhythm Talks.
Two new dates of TAP DANCE classes (covering for Rachel Chapman) at Dance Attic Studios in Fulham, London (England, UK).
I’ll be covering 2x 3hr-session of TAP DANCE classes for Rachel Chapman at Dance Attic Studios in Fulham, London.
2015 has been a busy year for creative projects and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down. While I was in the midst of touring with Edmund The Learned Pig I joined the funky, jazz fusion Myke Masters Band (MMB)!
I play the role of Aeriella, an aerialist with vertigo, in this “gloriously dark, humane, weird little show” (ThreeWeeks) which is “a short and curly tale of itinerant Circus folk and a Pig who taught himself to read” (Fittings Multimedia Arts). The skills I use in this production include acting, dance, aerial silks and percussion.
Edmund the Learned Pig goes on a national tour in 2015 starting at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2015 as part of the British Council Edinburgh Showcase 2015. See below for 2015 tour dates and booking details.
A few years ago I took up jazz piano to help support my tap dance musicianship development. Although I’ve played the odd jazz tune for hoofers at the London Tap Jam (encouraged and supported by one of my past music tutors) I wondered what it would be like to play for choreographed numbers. Well in January I was presented with that very opportunity although it came with a mammoth task of learning set arrangements in a short space of time for a debut performance of Avalon Rathgeb’s bright, young and new tap company Old Kent Road. Nonetheless, it was a challenge I was willing to take on and after 4 weeks of preparation I made my piano solo debut for tap dance with the company’s debut performance at The Place Resolution. An exciting start to the year.