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Dancers Linda Sohl-Ellison - Pauline Hagino - Bob Carroll - Mindy Millard - Holly Scheall-Mehling - Gabe Copeland Apprentices: Daphne Areta - Mark Marchillo Musicians Gildo Mahones: piano - Tim Messina: woodwinds - Jardine Wilson: bass - Jack Le Compte: drums Bob Fernandez: percussion - Monti Ellison: percussionist / composer Leo Chelyapov: clarinetist/composer - Claire Bergan: violinist Guest Artists Arthur Duncan - Fred Strickler - Steve Zee *Past guest artists include: Althea Waites: pianist - I Nyoman Wenten: percussionist and members of the Balinese Gamelan "Burat Wangi" |
LINDA SOHL-ELLISON, Artistic Director and Choreographer, co-founded Rhapsody In Taps with Toni Tack in 1981. Linda has a BFA from Ohio University in Dance and Graphic Design and an MA from UCLA. Her training includes studies under the great tap masters Foster Johnson, Eddie Brown, Honi Coles and Buster Brown. Recognized for her choreographic innovation in tap, she has been awarded five Choreographers’ Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, two Irvine Fellowships in Dance (1999, 2001) and a Dance: Creation to Performance grant (2006) from the James Irvine Foundation. In 1999 Linda was nominated for the prestigious Alpert Award in Dance. She has received Choreography Fellowships from the California Arts Council, Arts Council for Long Beach, Public Corporation for the Arts, National Association for Regional Ballet and California Community Foundation. In 2006 she received a Lester Horton Dance Award for Outstanding Choreography from the DRC and a Distinguished Alumni Award from Ohio University. A Professor of Dance at Orange Coast College where she has taught many dance forms since 1978, Linda has toured throughout the United States, Asia, France and Germany teaching and performing. She was the founder and director of the Southern California Tap Festival from 1993 - 97 and has appeared on many festivals and in tap documentaries. |
PAULINE HAGINO,
founding member of Rhapsody in Taps and assistant rehearsal director,
has supported the company for 25 years with her artistry and unwavering
commitment. Her interest lies in developing musicality and broadening
the format of rhythm tap to include other expressive qualities and elements
of dance that are not associated with tap. Pauline has also studied modern
dance with Louise Burns, Viola Farber, Larry Clarke and performed with
Jeff Slayton and Dancers. She has taught at CSU Long Beach, Mount San
Antonio College, MiraCosta College, the Jones-Ludin Studio in Honolulu,
Hawaii, and is currently on the faculty at Orange Coast College and DeFore
Dance Center. Pauline is a certified Pilates and Gyrokinesis instructor. |
BOB CARROLL,
soloist, has tapped in film, television and stage productions. His mentor
was the late Louis DaPron. Bob is a former member and soloist with Manhattan
Tap and was part of the original cast and touring company of Caution: Men
at Work, Tap. He has worked as a tap coach/advisor for 20th Century Fox
Studios and with many noted choreographers including Heather Cornell, Alfred
Desio, Twyla Tharp and Debbie Allen. Bob has taught workshops in the U.S.
and Japan and currently teaches tap at Santa Monica College. |
MINDY MILLARD COPELAND,
is currently on staff at Santa Ana College, Saddleback College, and Santiago
Canyon College. She has studied extensively with tap masters Sam Weber,
Fred Strickler, Linda Sohl-Ellison, Mark Mendonca and Christy Hernandez.
She is the founder and artistic director of Tap Overload, a young rhythm
tap company. Mindy has appeared in the short film Tap Heat, starring Arthur
Duncan and Jason Samuels Smith, where she performed choreography by Danny
Daniels. She also danced on the 2003 Jerry Lewis Telethon live national
television broadcast in an Emmy-winning tribute to tap dancing where she
shared the stage with Fayard Nicholas of the legendary Nicholas Brothers.
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HOLLY SCHEALL-MEHLING,
began studying tap with former RIT member Monie Adamson. She has an MFA
in dance from the University of California Irvine and BA in theater from
California State University Chico. Holly performed with the Chico Ballet,
Ballet Pacifica, Chico City Light Opera and appeared on Fox’s MADTV.
She has taught tap, ballet, jazz and Pilates at UC Irvine and Chapman University,
Irvine Valley College and Ballet Pacifica Conservatory. Holly is the Dance
Director/Teacher at Saint Margaret’s Episcopal School in San Juan
Capistrano.
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GABE COPELAND,
has studied with many tap greats including extensive training with Joy Hewitt, Chance Taylor, and Linda Sohl-Ellison. Gabe is a choreographer and performer
for Tap Overload, a young rhythm tap company and he has also danced with
KIN Dance Company. Gabe has taught tap at the California Conservatory of
the Arts and South Orange County School of the Arts, as well as several
dance studios in Orange County. He has performed in many musical theater
and dance productions throughout LA and Orange County and was recently nominated
for a 2005 Lester Horton award for best male dancer. |
DAPHNE ARETA,
(apprentice) has a BA in Communication and a minor in Journalism from USC where she was
on the Dean's List. Her dance training includes thirteen years of intensive
study at Freddie Finn Dance Studios in Riverside where she currently teaches
tap, jazz, and hip hop, in addition to tap studies and master classes with
Joey Letteri, Jason Samuels Smith, Linda Sohl-Ellison, and others. A member
and featured soloist with the New America Singers choir, Daphne has toured
Germany, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Poland, and Australia.
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MARK MARCHILLO,
(apprentice) takes his tap influences from mentor Dean Barlow (of Paula Abdul fame),
and friend Miriam Nelson. He studied classical ballet at the Marin Ballet
School and San Francisco Ballet School, performing with the San Francisco
Ballet as a teenager. As a child, Mark studied under film choreographer
Marguerite Derricks (jazz) for many years. He has performed in TV and films
including the PBS series American Family, and feature film The Cardinal
Code. His choreography credits include several music videos, the TV pilot
Dragon Tales and two feature films. A graduate of the USC film school, he
is also a professional filmmaker. |
GILDO MAHONES,
pianist and musical director, has performed worldwide for more than 35
years with many artists in the jazz and entertainment industry including
Lester Young, Jazz Modes, Lambert, Handricks & Ross, Benny Carter,
Milt Jackson, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Rollins, O.C. Smith, Lou Rawls and Joe
Williams, to name a few. He has worked as a musical director for the stage
productions "Evolution of the Blues" at the Westwood Playhouse
and "The Charlatan" and "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope"
at the Mark Taper Forum. Gildo's numerous recording credits include five
albums with vocalist Lorez Alexandria ("Harlem Butterfly" was
nominated for a Grammy) and three of his own albums, "I'm Shooting
High," "Gildo Mahones Soulful Piano" and "For All
We Know."
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TIM MESSINA
Musical Director and woodwinds, studied at the Berklee College of Music
and New England Conservatory. He also studied privately with clarinet
virtuoso Eddie Daniels and saxophonist George Coleman. In addition, he
had the good fortune to work with Dizzy Gillespie. He has recorded with
Tony Bennett, Prince, U2 and Bob Dylan, various film soundtracks and has
played in the pit orchestras for numerous shows on Broadway including
Cabaret, Grease, Guys and Dolls, Dream Girls and Sophisticated Ladies.
Tim currently tours with the Brian Setzer Orchestra and many other artists.
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JARDINE WILSON,
plays acoustic bass, electric bass and chapman stick. He has studied extensively
with highly regarded instructors Bill Rene, Roberto Miranda and Paul Edwards
of the group Kittyhawk. Jardine has performed and recorded with Thelma
Houston, The Fifth Dimension, Johnnie Otis and Coke Escaveto. Currently
he plays with various artists in local jazz clubs in the L.A. area and
works as a sound engineer.
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JACK LE COMPTE,
drummer, born and educated in Philadelphia, came to Los Angeles in 1980
to further his music career. He has since performed with Anita O'Day,
Barbara Morrison, Julie Kelly, Gladys Knight, Diane Sure, Buddy Colette's
Jazz America, Jack Sheldon, Teddy Edwards, Milcho Leviev, Bill Henderson,
Sonny Craver, Rebecca Parrish to name a few. Jack's film appearances include
"Bird", The Charlie Parker story, "The Sinatra Story",
"For The Boys", and "Lush Life". Jack offers his talents
to support several youth programs including: Music Center on Tour and
Jazz After School Program for the Los Angeles Center for Education Research.
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BOB FERNANDEZ,
is a world percussion musician who has performed and recorded music from
his Cuban heritage and music from the 20th century western classical repertoire
since the early 1970’s. He has received degrees from CalArts, USC
and has studied Latin and Afro-Cuban music with master Pedro Orta and
Francisco Aguabella in the United States and traditional and contemporary
styles of Cuban percussion in Havana with Maestros Changuito, Angel Bolanos
and Julio Guerra. Bob composes, performs and records in various groups
in California, is presently on the faculty at California State University,
L.A. and has authored a book “The Afro-Cuban Tradition: Folk Musics
of Cuba.” He has worked with John Cage, John Adams, Frank Zappa
and did a three-year world tour with Barry Manilow. His grants and awards
include: American Composers Forum/Artist Residencies, Composer’s
Suitcase Pilot Series, National Endowment for the Arts Consortium Commission
and a California Arts Council touring grant.
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MONTI ELLISON,
is an accomplished percussionist/drummer, composer and performer. He has
performed worldwide as a soloist with Harry Belafonte, Stephanie Mills,
Lonnie Liston Smith, Little Steven and others. As a dance musician he
spent 15 years at the Alvin Ailey School in New York where he was head
staff musician and currently he is an accompanist at CSU, Long Beach,
Loyola Marymount, Orange Coast College and St. Joseph’s Ballet.
He has composed numerous scores including Judith Jamison’s “Divining”
for the Ailey company, percussion score for the New York based Urban Arts
Corps’ production of “Alice in Wonderland” directed
by Vinette Carroll and choreographed by Talley Beatty; “J5A6Z7Z8”
for jazz choreographer Jose Meier; “Dat’s Right,” “Espiritu,” “Riptide,” “FOIL/Copper, Zinc, Brass” and “Stroke
of the Oarsmen” for Rhapsody in Taps and compositions for the Monti
Ellison Percussion Ensemble. Monti also teaches African dance and African
drumming. |
LEO CHELYAPOV,
composer and clarinetist, graduated from the Moscow College of Musical
Arts and immigrated to California in 1992. As a klezmer musician he is
devoted to infusing pure, traditional Jewish folk music into the fabric
of American pop culture. Leo was commissioned to arrange "Klezmer Dances"
for the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, which they recorded with him in 1998.
He has recorded two CD's with Hollywood Klezmer and was interviewed for
Yale Strom's published book on klezmer music. Leo's crossover endeavors
into jazz music include concerts with jazz luminaries Buddy Collette,
Abe Most, Herb Jeffries and Bobby Rodriguez as well as performances at
the 2002 Playboy Jazz Festival with his Hollywood Klezmer Jazz Quintet.
In 2004, he performed the world premier of David Stern's Clarinet Concerto
with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony. Leo's commercial work includes performances
on the film soundtrack for "Private Parts," with rock bands The Red Hot
Chili Peppers and Porno for Pyros, and performances on MTV, Late Night
with David Letterman, and at Madison Square Garden. |
CLAIRE BERGEN,
violinist, has been studying klezmer music since 1996. She founded her
first klezmer band as a student at Pomona College, and has since performed
with various ensembles in New York, Los Angeles and Krakow, Poland. She
has studied with contemporary klezmer violinists Deborah Strauss, Alicia
Svigals and Cookie Segelstein. She performed with klezmer/hip hop artist
Socalled as a member of the Alef Project, which was featured at the 2004
Yiddishkayt Festival in Los Angeles. Claire holds a BA in music from Pomona
College and is on the faculty of the Los Angeles Music and Art School
and the Rainbow Music Academy.
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ARTHUR DUNCAN*,
is a tap dancer, vocalist and actor who has performed throughout the
world. He was a featured personality in the movie, "Tap,"
starring Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis, Jr. and toured in the Broadway
show "My One and Only" with Tommy Tune. Arthur joined Bob
Hope on several tours, performed both at Lincoln Center and Carnegie
Hall. His television credits include guest appearances in "Diagnosis
of a Murder" with Dick Van Dyke, "Columbo" with Peter
Faulk, and was a regular on the weekly "Lawrence Welk Show,"
to name just a few. Arthur is a dedicated mentor and shares his experiences
through lecture demonstrations and master tap classes. |
FRED STRICKLER,
has been dancing professionally since 1961, including concert tours
in seventeen countries as well as four film/video documentaries aired
on PBS, NBC, Bravo and Britain's Channel 4 Television. A founding member
of the Jazz Tap Ensemble, Eyes Wide Open Dance Theatre and his own group,
Fred Strickler & Friends, Fred has also been a featured dancer with
Rhapsody in Taps (1992-2003) and the Bella Lewitzky Dance Company. Since
1983 he has performed his very own version of the Tap Dance Concerto
with many orchestras, including a concert with the National Symphony
in front of the U.S. Capitol for an audience of 70,000. An active choreographer,
Strickler has created original works for tap, modern and ballet companies
and has received numerous fellowships and grants from the National Endowment
for the Arts and the California Arts Council. As a touring artist/educator,
he has conducted hundreds of workshops and master classes throughout
the U.S. and abroad. He is currently a Distinguished Professor of Dance
at U.C. Riverside, where he has taught since 1967. |
STEVE ZEE,
has danced with many noted tap dancers including Gregory Hines and the
Nicholas Brothers. He has been a member of Rhapsody In Taps, a featured
soloist in the Jazz Tap Ensemble, an artist in residence at the Chicago
Human Rhythm Project and has performed and taught across the United
States, Canada, Brazil and Germany. Steve edited the Oral History/Biography
of tap master Stan Kahn, which is on file at the San Francisco Performing
Arts Library & Museum and he has made three instructional tap videos.
As a theater artist, Steve trained at UCLA, the Sorbonne/Universite
de Paris III and with the Piccolo Teatro di Milano. He is currently
on faculty at Cal State Long Beach, the Culver City High School Academy
of Visual and Performing Arts and is the Artistic Director of LA Ironworks,
a new nonprofit arts organization for young aspiring tap dancers. |