Acia
Gray
Academy Faculty
Andrea
Torres
As soloist, choreographer and master teacher, Ms. Gray has toured extensively across the U.S. and abroad and in 1989 co-founded Tapestry Dance Company in Austin, TX with Deirdre Strand and currently serves as Producing Artistic Director & Artistic Director of The Soul to Sole Tap Festival. A gradualte of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts/NYC, Ms. Gray has shared the stage with numerous legends and contemporaries of American tap dance throughout the US and abroad. She was chosen to work with tap legend Charles ‘Honi’ Coles in America’s first creative residency for tap at The Colorado Dance Festival and again with Jimmy Slyde and was featured in the documentary A Class Act: The Magic of Honi Coles. She was a founding member and Managing Director of the touring company Austin on Tap, served on the Steering Committee of The International Tap Association and was a featured soloist representing the US in the Dance Magazine Calendar. She has also danced, choreographed and taught for Columbia College, The Univerisity of Texas, The Colorado Dance Festival, International Summer School/Cyprus, Dance Masters of America, TASIS/London, Tanzsommer/Austria, The St. Louis Tap Festival, The Chicago Human Rhythm Project, The NYC Tap Festival, Le Festival De Danse Encore and many others. Her book The Souls of Your Feet – A Tap Dance Guide for Rhythm Explorers has been translated in the Czech Republic and China and has been an Amazon.com bestseller in its category. Her numerous awards include the “Hoofer Award” by The New York City Tap Festival and a premiere member of the Austin Arts Fall of Fame. She has received numerous "Best Of" awards by the Critics Table in Austn and her work "The Souls of Our Feet - A Celebration of American Tap Dance" was chosen as an NEA American Masterpiece production and toured throughout the US, Canada and China. Currently she can be seen in the tap documentary "Tap or Die". Ms. Gray served as the President of the International Tap Association from 2008-2014 and is currently the organization's Director.
George
Bohn
Originally from California, George started tapping and performing at an early age. His first teacher was Vernon Russell who was heavily influenced by Louis DaPron. After college, George spent 2 years with a regional ballet company touring the Northwest in a hippie-painted bus performing ballets in every type of venue from theaters to gym floors, with the dancers doing all sets, lights, and sound. He was invited to insert a tap section into a ballet about Calamity Jane set to Aaron Copeland music. He then moved on to arena shows performing with Disney-On-Parade in South Africa before finally moving to New York.
Once in New York, George performed in summer stock (Gypsy with Angela Landsbury), and Off-Off Broadway, had a stint with The American Dance Machine and taught at the Nat Horne Theater and the Manhattan Plaza. Picked by Stuart Ross of Forever Plaid fame for the outrageous comedy review Not So New Faces, George and choreographer Terry Rieser created the “Flipper Dance” (now on YouTube). The late Henry LeTang choreographed a nightclub act for George and also selected him for the Las Vegas revue of The Cotton Club, which coincided with the release of the film starring Gregory Hines. George ended up teaching at the LeTang Studio. Next George joined Dancellington, a concert tap company founded by Maurice Hines and led by Mercedes Ellington, the Duke’s granddaughter. In addition to performing and touring with the company, George made his choreographic debut creating the Russian dance and Sugarplum Fairy dance in Dancellington’s premier of Cracker Jazz—Peter and the Duke, Ellington’s arrangement of the Nutcracker Suite. He went on to perform his choreography live with the Ellington orchestra at the Delaware Opera house receiving a full-house standing ovation. Next he was Miss Ellington’s assistant, choreographing pieces for Austrian Andre Heller’s Body and Soul which debuted at the Munich Opera House and went on to tour Germany and Austria. Back in New York, George got to perform A Simple Song with his long-time friend and Broadway actor, Bob Fitch with the group Dancers Over Forty. After 30 years in NY George has rubbed shoulders and traded steps with a raft of tappers and dancers of many disciplines. Since coming to Austin, George is involved with the summer arts and music camp at St. Theresa Church and helps stage and choreograph their Christmas concerts.
Heather
Uthoff
Heather Uthoff was first led to dance while watching the Richmond Ballet on PBS at age three. She persuaded her parents to let he take dance lessons and never quit. Heather moved to Austin in 1997 with her family, and began studying at Ballet Austin's Academy. She trained in their pre-professional program until graduation and then continued her dance studies as a Dance BFA at the University of Texas at Austin. She has toured with UT's Dance Repertory Theater in Austria, performed in works by New York choreographer Ann Carlson, and worked with local choreographers such as Toni Bravo and Arletta Howard-Logan. Heather has a genuine love of teaching and has been a part of the Tapestry family since 2005.
A member of Tapestry Dance Company, Andrea Torres hails from the Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, Texas. With a Bachelor of Science degree in American Dance Pedagogy and Minor in Business Entrepreneurship from Oklahoma City University, she has choreographed and has been seen on many stages in New York City including the Highline Ballroom, Symphony Space, the Paul Taylor Studios, the Grand Hyatt and Sheraton Hotel for the Pulse on Tour faculty, the Actor’s Fund Arts Center, the IZOD Center, the Connelly Theater, and the Kaye Playhouse. Andrea's latest performances include tap dancing on The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, Dancing in The Shine On awards show at Radio City Music Hall hosted by Meryl Streep, The A.C.E. Awards, and as a featured tap dancer for the Step Up 3D promotional music video. Andrea has performed with Bessie Award Winner and tap dance mentor, Michelle Dorrance and has also performed works with the Co-Creator and assistant producer of Imagine Tap, Aaron Tolson. Andrea was a part of Brice Moussett’s Contemporary Company works and was a proud member of Germaine Salsberg's Tap Dance Company Les Femmes Plus for four years. Andrea has also been on faculty for the International Teachers of Dance Inc. Convention, Peridance Capezio Center, and Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Andrea is the artistic director of The Andrea Torres Dance Company and produced/debuted the production of “Outed” in New York City. Her goal is to bring awareness to teen suicide prevention, anti-bullying and love and equality overall. She hopes to shed light upon this negativity and drown out such darkness. “Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.” – Henry David Thoreau
Anu
Naimpally
Anuradha has been performing worldwide for over 25 years. In 1989 she was awarded the prestigious Jacqueline LeMieux Prize by the Canada Council, making her the only Indian classical dancer to receive this high honor. She was bestowed the title of Sringar Mani, “Artistic Jewel”, in Bombay after her performance at the Kal-Ke-Kalakar Festival in 1990. With an Honors BA in Philosophy and a Master of Fine Arts in Dance, Anuradha combines artistry with scholarship. Numerous study grants and honors have allowed her to continue research and study of ancient Sanskrit texts. She has been on the faculty of various universities around Austin. Anuradha has been actively involved in teaching youth in many capacities. In Canada she participated in artist-in-residence teaching programs, workshops, and lecture-demonstrations in public schools. In Austin, she has been a teacher with Ballet Austin’s Leaps and No Bounds Program in AISD schools. She also presents assembly performances on Indian dance and culture in Austin area schools. She performs innovative children’s shows as a part of other groups such as Cowboys and Indians: A Wild East Multicultural Show, Dance For World Peace, and Circle of Light. Anuradha is also an active performer and collaborator in Austin today and also continues to renew her ties with the Canadian dance scene. In addition to performing solo and participating in the Kalanidhi Dance Festival in Toronto, she collaborates with many artists and companies including Ballet Austin, Tapestry Dance Company, Sally Jacques, Tina Marsh, and Canada’s critically acclaimed world music ensemble, Tasa. She teaches Bharata Natyam technique through her organization, Austin Dance India, which sees students from beginner level through to professional training. As an experienced teacher, she is invited to provide nattuvangam, or conduct, performances of Bharata Natyam dance.
Yuka
Kameda
Yuka began tapping at the age of 10 in her native city of Osaka, Japan. In 2003, she saw the film, “TAP” and the musical, “Bring in Da Noise Bring in Da Funk,” which introduced her to her passion, Rhythm Tap. She joined the funk tap dance company, “Beis Crew,” in 2004 and performed throughout Japan. In 2005, Yuka moved to New York City, where she has furthered her tap career by performing at Lincoln Center, Joe’s Pub, Symphony Space, Aaron Davis Hall, The Knitting Factory among other venues. Yuka is also a member of Mable Lee’s Dancing Ladies and has performed in the New York Tap Extravaganza and the New York City Tap Festival. Yuka performed every Monday night at the world famous Cotton Club as a part of Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards’ “Sophisticated Ladies” and has been a dedicated teacher in New York City.
