Boston Tap Company

The mission of the Junior Boston Tap Company is to educate and entertain. The members promote respect for themselves and others while learning, creating and sharing the cultural and artistic history of the American art of percussive tap dance.   The Junior Company of Boston Tap is a diverse group of young men and women between the ages of 11 and 17 that cross cultural, geographic, racial and ethnic backgrounds.  They come from southern Massachusetts to northern New Hampshire from many diverse dance backgrounds and join together weekly for this common cause.  Each member of the BTC Junior Company must have a 3.0 when auditioning for BTC and maintain their 3.0 grade point average scholastically in order to be a member of the company.  The members of the BTC believe in dance as a universal and uniting language.  The BTC promotes a positive, diverse, productive and respectful way of expression that encourages confidence, learning, discipline and acceptance. At the Boston Tap Company we believe 

“The Only Way to Be Different Is To Be Yourself”.   

Emily Ambrosino:   is eleven years old and the youngest member of the Boston Tap Company.  Emily is a sixth grader at the Miscoe Middle School in Mendon Massachusetts where she lives.  Emily has been dancing since she was three years old.  She is a member of the Express Dance and Acrobatics Performance Team, competing throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.  She has been competing with a tap solo for the past five years, where she has earned numerous platinum, top high scores and special awards.  She also competes in group numbers in tap, jazz, lyrical, musical theater, and acrobatics, and also studies ballet.  Emily is the winner of the 2007 Miscoe Middle School Talent Show.  Emily has attended numerous dance conventions, including The Pulse in New York City, where she has performed for and taken master classes from Brian Friedman, Mia Michaels, Shane Sparks, Wade Robson, David Scott, and Chris Judd.  Emily has recently performed with the Boston Tap Company at Boston Medical Center’s 2008 Halloweentown, Topsfield Fair, Rhythm in the Night 2008, Playstead Park for Unity in the Community, Jacob’s Pillow and The Beantown Tap Festival.  Emily is also a member of the Miscoe Middle School Dance Troupe, is involved in student council, and the Miscoe Middle School band, playing the Clarinet.  She also plays softball, basketball and is a member of the All-star cheer squad for Dragon Gymnastics.

Marika Brownlee:  At age 14, Marika is a dedicated hoofer, musician, and top student in her freshman year.  She is a part-time resident of both the Boston area and her home town of Savannah, GA.  Marika first started tap dancing at age 7 — the youngest member of the Z-Hoofers, a youth tap company directed by Dr. Steve Zimmerman.  Since first performing in the St. Patrick’s Day 2002 Parade in Savannah, she has appeared in many venues on the east coast — television, charity performances, fairs and special events, improvisation performances at schools,  NY Tap City shows, Beantown Tap Festival, and as featured guest performer at Sunrise Theatre in Fort Pierce, Florida.  Taking adult level master classes at tap festivals since the age of 8, she has traveled to Atlanta, Austin, NYC, Boston, and Chicago to learn from talented master performers and teachers — most recently at the Chicago Rhythm World 2008 with Dianne Walker, to learn the choreography of Leon Collins. Marika studied for two years in classes with Julia Boynton, and then became a member of the Boston Tap Company when it was first formed in October, 2007.  Academic accomplishments include two state awards for highest academic achievement; memberships in Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth as well as Duke Univ. Talent Identification Program.  She has been a recipient of scholarships for dance, accelerated studies, and for music instruction in percussion and saxophone.  Tapping and computer graphic design are her favorite pastimes.

Hannah Lebeau:   is 15 and is from Auburn MA.  Hannah has been dancing since the age of four.  By the age of six, Hannah began competing in both dance and gymnastics. Hannah has won many different dance titles, high scores and special awards.   Hannah has done modeling and at age 8 she was cast for a Danimals yogurt commercial, which aired nationwide.  At age 10 she was selected for the United States dance team as a soloist and she performed in Germany where she placed 9th out of 158 dancers from other countries.  In 2006, she performed with the Worcester Performing Arts Company in their production of The Nutcracker.  Hannah has also been in many school plays such as Aladdin, Wizard of Oz, Fiddler On The Roof and Tundela & Prince Key.   This year she choreographed many dances for the Auburn Middle School play, Grease.  In 2007, Hannah won a tap scholarship to the Broadway Dance Center in New York at a national competition.  Most recently, she won dancer of year through American Dance Awards at a regional competition.  Hannah has attended many dance conventions and master classes taught by top choreographers and teachers such as Jason Samuels, Jarrod Grimes, Michelle Dorrance, Derrick Grant, Aaron Tolson, Max Pollak, Jay Fagan and many others.  Hannah’s Boston Tap Company performances include: Music In The Garden, Franklin Park Zoo, the Beantown Tap Festival, Rhythm In The Night and Boston Medical Center’s Halloween Town 2008. 

 Neeve MacGregor:   is 15 years old and has studied and performed all  genres of dance including tap, jazz, ballet and contemporary.  In 2008 Neeve  decided to focus her dance studies on rhythm tap and was privileged to be selected  as a member of the Boston Tap Company under the artistic direction of Sean C.  Fielder.  As a member of the Boston Tap Company (BTC) she  has performed at  Tap City 2009, Tapestry 2009, The 2009 Urban Music Awards, Jacob’s Pillow  Inside/Out Series 2008, The Beantown Tap Festival 2008, the 2008 Topsfield Fair,  Boston Medical Center’s Halloween Town 2008 and the 2009 Salem State College  Sojourner Truth Women’s Celebration Dinner. As part of her commitment to the  BTC, Neeve has also been a performer and educator at many schools throughout  the Massachusetts area to spread the history of rhythm tap and to perform and demonstrate tap for children. In addition Neeve has been privileged to attend many dance conventions including Tap City 2009 as the recipient of a Gregory Hines Youth Scholarship, Chicago Human Rhythm World 2009 and the Washington DC Tap Festival 2009.  Prior to joining the Boston Tap Company Neeve was a member of the award winning competition jazz, tap and lyrical dance teams at New England Dance Academy in Attleboro MA.  Neeve is an honors/advanced placement student at Norton High School and maintains an A average academically. Neeve is also on the student council at her high school, a freshman delegate to the student government and a member of her high school track and field team.

Ashley Marsh:  Ashley Marsh is a fourteen-year-old freshman at Laconia High School. She has been dancing since the age of 2 ½ at Broadway North School of Performing Arts in Belmont, NH. She started competing at the age of 7. She dances in many different styles such as, jazz, hip-hop, ballet, modern, contemporary and lyrical. She has won many awards for her tapping at many different competitions like Overall Dancer in her junior division in 2008 at Olympic Miss Dance. She has attended several master classes from Aaron Tolson, Jason Samuel Smith, and Derrick Grant. She also has danced with Aaron Tolson for five years. She has attended the 2007 Chicago Rhythm Project. Her performances with BTC include the New England Urban Music Awards in 2009. She has won the school talent show in 6th and 7th grade and placed 2nd in 8th grade. Besides dancing Ashley also loves playing soccer, basketball, and track. For the past four years she has also been a dance assistant. She loves being with friends, family, hanging out, going to the movies and tapping! Ashley is very happy to be a part of the Boston Tap Company.

Vanessa Merta:   Vanessa Merta is a 16 year old honors student at Masconomet Regional High School.  She has been a member of the Boston Tap Company’s Junior Company since its inception in October 2007.  Vanessa has performed with the Boston Tap Company in many performances including the first and second ‘Rhythm in The Night’ show, Tapcity the NYC tap festival 2008 & 2009, Tapestry 2009, Beantown Tap Festival 2008,  Jacobs Pillow Inside/Out Series, the 2008 Topsfield Fair.  Vanessa also performed at Salem State College, Natick Montessori School, Franklin Park Zoo, Boston University, Northeastern University and the Lincoln Sudbury Curtis Middle School.  Alongside BTC Vanessa is studying at the Jeannette Neil Studio as a part of The Boston Youth Moves Program.  Before joining BTC Vanessa was a dancer on the competition team at Dance Enthusiasm for two years. Prior to that Vanessa danced competitively at the Liza Indiciani Studio of Dance and The Dance Center of Danvers.  She has been the recipient of many platinum and high score awards at numerous dance competitions throughout New England, Florida and Ohio including American Dance Awards, I Love Dance, International Dance Challenge, Dance Ovations and Bravo and was awarded special judges awards at Starquest, Creations, Dancers Inc. and Olympic Miss competitions. She studied all genres of dance including jazz, ballet, hip-hop, and modern-contemporary, lyrical and of course tap.  Vanessa is currently teaching tap at Dance Enthusiasm in Salem, Ma.  She has studied under Shannon Sullivan, Sean Fielder, Suzie Michaud, Heather Cornell, Josh Hilberman, Randy Skinner, Kelly Kaleta, and Derick Grant.

Shaquan Reed:    Shaquan Reed is 15 years old and has been performing since the age of 6.  He has managed to make a name for himself throughout the Boston area.  He currently attends Boston Arts Academy High School as a Dance Major, where he is currently taking tap, jazz, ballet, modern, and lyrical.  From the age of 6 he attended Roxbury Center for the Performing Arts, under supervision of Ms. Andrea Herbert-Majors, where he took his first tap lessons from Ms. Jennifer Andrews along with jazz, African and hip-hop.  At the age of 12, Shaquan began working with Sean Fielder of Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk, he has also taken Master Classes with Vincent Bingham, Emmy Award Winner Jason Samuel Smith, Baakari Wilder, Joseph Webb, and Derick Grant all of Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk, Aaron Tolson of River Dance, Michelle Dorrance of Stomp, Chloe Arnold of Savion Glover’s All Star Tap Revue and much more, and the Legendary Dr. Harold Cromer (whom has choreographed for Sammie Davis Jr., Fred Astair, Gene Kelly and more).  He has performed in the 2009 Shubert Theater’s City Spotlights as a Guest Artist, 2007 Urban Nutcracker, A Tribute to the Late Great Dr. Jimmy Slyde at the Union Methodist Church in Boston, and is currently a member of the Boston Tap Company where he has performed at such places as Out of Africa at the King School, DC Tap Festival  - Youth Showcase, 3^rd Annual New England’s Urban Music Award, East Coast Hip Hop Throwdown , Boston Medical Center’s 2008 HalloweenTown, Topsfield Fair, Boston Tap Company’s 1^st & 2nd production of  “Rhythm in The Night”, The South End House, Jacob’s Pillow’s Inside/Out Summer Series, On Tap at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, Act Roxbury’s 1st Annual Fesitval of Dance, Diane Walker & Friends at Mass Mocha, SCHOOLS & EDUCATIONAL VENUES,  Boston University, Dean College, Salem State University, Northeastern University , Ohenburger Elementary School, The Matthers Middle School, The Roger’s Middle School, The Elliott Montesori School, The Curtis Middle School, Hyde Park Library, Jamaica Plain Library, Unity in the Community at Playstead Park (near Franklin Park), Perkins Community Center. In 2007 he began performing with a hip-hop crew out of Boston called Status Quo (SQ), under supervision of Ernest Phillips.  From 2004-2007 Shaquan has been a part of Boston’s own legendary break dancing crew (The Floorlords), under supervision of Lino Delgardo.  In September 2005 Shaquan was the youngest out of 4 Hoofers to perform at The Cutler Majestic Theater in “On the Twentieth Century” A Broadway Musical. In 2004 & 2005, Shaquan performed as Young Bo-Jangles in the 6 & 7th Annual Harlem Renaissance Revisited with a Boston Flavor, under the supervision of Mr. Haywood Fennell. 

Demi Remick:  Demi Remick is thirteen years old and attends Gilford Middle School, in Gilford, NH.  She has been tap dancing since the age of three.  Demi is currently a member of the Boston Tap Company, under the direction of Sean Fielder, where she has performed at venues such as Jacob’s Pillow and the Strand Theater. As well as various colleges, schools and libraries, and at events such as the Boston Urban Music Awards and Rhythm in the Night, Sean Fielder’s original show.  She also receives private instruction from Pam Raff and Lisa Hopkins.  In the International Tap Dance Day’s show, Boston Celebrates Tap, Demi was a soloist, performing Pam Raff’s choreography. Demi has traveled to many different parts of the United Stated to study the art of Tap Dancing.  She has attended the Rhythm World Festival in Chicago, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s summer program, in 2006, 2007, and 2009, where she studied with tap masters such as Jason Samuels Smith, Michelle Dorrance, Jason Janas, Diane Walker and Derick Grant. Demi has attended the Tap Kids Summer Intensive, in Tarrytown, NY, in the summers of 2008 and 2009 where she has worked with Lisa Hopkins, Ayodele Casel, Max Pollack, and Barbara Duffy. She has attended the Shake’n’Break Intensive in NYC in 2008, where she won the Junior Metal vs. Wood/Shakedown Competition, two years of the Beantown Tap Fest in Boston, MA, two years of the Tappy Holidays Intensive in NYC and she has performed in the professional productions accompanying all of these intensives. She has also attended the DC Tap Fest in Washington, DC, where she worked with Chloe Arnold and Jason Samuels Smith, among other talented master teachers. Demi was a Gregory Hines Youth Scholarship recipient for the Preprofessional Program at Tap City in the summer of 2009.  The highlights of Demi’s 2009 regional competition career include the title of ADA’s Teen Dancer of the Year, Can Dance’s Junior Title and Junior Overall High Score winner, IDC Junior Solo Challenge Champion, and Dancer’s Inc. All Star Overall High Score Junior Soloist with Mike Minery’s choreography to Latin Rhythms. She also received the title of Teen Miss Starquest with choreography by Lisa Hopkins. Demi has also won the PTA Reflections Art Program’s Dance Choreography Award for her original tap dance choreography for the state of New Hampshire in 2007 and 2008.  In 2008, Demi’s solo tap choreography earned a National Merit Award. In her spare time, Demi enjoys playing the drum set and the clarinet.  She is also a consistent High Honors student. 

Tevin Smith:   has been dancing since the age of 4.  In 1999, he began lessons in Tap, Jazz, Hip-Hop, African and Ballet, with Roxbury Center for the Performing Arts, under supervision of Ms. Andrea Herbert-Majors, where he took his first tap lessons from Ms. Jennifer Andrews. At the age of 7, he began performing in the Annual Nubian Nativity and 8 Annual Show Stoppers Reviews. Performed in the 2007 Urban Nutcracker, 2008 A Tribute to the late Great Dr. Jimmy Slyde at the Union Methodist Church in Boston. He has taken Master Classes with Sean Fielder, Vincent Bingham, Emmy Award Winner Jason Samuel Smith, Baakari Wilder, Joseph Webb, and Derick Grant all of Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk, Aaron Tolson of River Dance,  Michelle Dorrance of Stomp, Chloe Arnold of Savion Glover’s All Star Tap Revue and much more, and the Legendary Dr. Harold Cromer (whom has choreographed for Sammie Davis Jr., Fred Astair, Gene Kelly and more). Tevin is a member of the Boston Tap Company and has performed at such places as Out of Africa performance at the King School, 2009 Tapestry in the A Celebration of National Tap Dance Day, at the Regent Theater, DC Tap Festival  - Youth Showcase, Washington, DC, 3rd Annual New England’s Urban Music Award, East Coast Hip Hop Throwdown , Boston Medical Center’s 2008 HalloweenTown, Topsfield Fair, Boston Tap Company’s 1st & 2nd production of  “Rhythm in The Night”, MASS MOCA/ Dianne Walker and Friends, Jacob’s Pillow inside/out summer series,  On Tap, Arsenal Center for the Arts, Hyde Park Arts Initiative’s 140 Birthday Celebration, Act Roxbury First Annual Fesitval of Dance, Diane Walker & Friends, Mass Mocha, SCHOOLS & EDUCATION VENUES, Boston University, Dean College, Salem State University, Northeastern University, Ohenburger Elementary School, The Matthers Middle School, The Roger’s Middle School, The Elliott Montesori School, The Curtis Middle School, Hyde Park Library, Jamaica Plain Library, Unity in the Community, Playstead Park (near Franklin Park), Perkins Community Center, Performed with a hip-hop crew out of Boston called The Golden Kidz.