Cast

Sheldon Perry

 SHELDON PERRY (Performer) Sheldon began his tap career at the age of four and was the Sydney Tap Champion by the age of ten. Stage career highlights include member of the original Australian cast of 42^nd Street; participation in Dein Perry’s All Tap Company project funded by the Australian Council; member of the original cast of Hot Shoe Shuffle, touring to London’s West End as Assistant Director and Choreographer, throughout Australia and Japan in the principal role, and as Dance Captain and Choreographer for the UK regional tour.   Sheldon also appeared alongside Dire Straights’ Mark Knopfler for the UK’s Leukemia Foundation at Grosvenor House, and performed with Stevie Wonder in the tribute Quincy Jones’ The First Fifty Years. Sheldon has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe as lead performer and dance director with the award-winning production Tap Dogs and has performed with the company at the 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony in Sydney. Film and video highlights include a performance in the original award-winning video of Tap Dogs and a performance in the 2001 Mumbia film fare awards for Bootmen. Television credits include appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, “MTV”, “The Midday Show”, “Hey Hey It’s Saturday”, “The Logie Awards”, “The Olivier Awards Ceremony” (West End) and “The Big Breakfast”(London).

James Doubtfire

James started dancing at the age of four. At the age of twelve, he created the role of Laughing Boy in the original cast of Bugsy Malone at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London.

James started training at North Hertfordshire College in Hitchin for two years. After leaving he performed extensively across the UK and Europe as a dancer / dance captain. He continued his career in the tour of 42nd Street with Bonnie Langford, Me and My Girl with Garry Wilmot, An Evening with Sondheim and both English and Australian tours of Hot Shoe Shuffle, playing the role of Tip.

James has appeared in many television shows including The Royal Variety Performance, The Clothes Show, Barrymore, The Generation Game, The National Lottery, This Morning with Richard & Judy, Blue Peter and GMTV. Advertisements include Amena mobile phones, T- Mobile, Lego, Le Crunch Bunch, Boots The Chemist and Colgate Toothpaste. Modelling assignments include Dolce and Gabbana, Paul Smith and various magazines.

In 2000 James worked on the opening ceremony of The Sydney 2000 Olympics. Along with his Tap Dogs colleagues, James had the honour of being part of the famous BBC identities that was shown regularly on BBC1. James is choreographer for the England Tap Team (Tap Attack) and has also choreographed pantomime for the past two years in Harrogate.
James has been involved with Dein Perry’s Tap Dogs for the past fourteen years as a performer, dance captain and now Resident Director. He has toured extensively throughout the world including Europe, Asia, Australia and London West End. James was honoured to be chosen to perform in Tap Dogs ten year anniversary tour of Australia. Over this time he was a celebrity guest on a Big Brother series. 

Anthony Russo

Anthony's career began at 15, when he was offered an Equity contract in Anything Goes at The Muny in Forest Park, St. Louis. Before his senior year of high school, Anthony was hired for the 6th National Tour of Tap Dogs and continued with the show for 8 years performing 4 of 6 roles. Russo also danced with the Tap Dogs in Johannesburg, South Africa, the International Festival Danse Encore in Canada, and an NFL half time show (49ers VS Redskins) in 2003. Other performance and choreography credits include the Off-Broadway production of At The Diner, Seven Off-Broadway productions of Break The Floor, and Iron Beats China Tour and Tampa Bay, Busch Gardens. He has donated his talents through performance to many fund-raising events including Dance For It for Breast Cancer, Sidanse for AIDS, and Ghar Sita Mutu for a community center in Nepal. Anthony was recently a part of the creation process for Cirque Du Soleil's vaudeville show Banana Shpeel and continued with the show as a featured tap dancer in Chicago, New York, and Toronto. This show also made an appearance on America's Got Talent in 2009. Anthony has entertained for 25+ corporations including Microsoft, Pfizer, Novartis, HILTI Tools, Chevrolet/GMC, Mitsubishi, MTX Audio, Charles Schwabb, M.O.P.S., Circuit City, Beltone, IBM and Marriott Hotels. Anthony created TAPademics INC., a company dedicated to tap dance education and entertainment, in 2003. As co-founder and director of the in-studio workshop Tap The Map, Anthony continues to spread his knowledge and passion on to the next generation

Matt Papa

Training: Matt trained in all styles of dance and was a finalist in the Australian Dancer of the Year 2005 and 2006.

Dance includes: performing worldwide in Australia, Europe and the USA with Tap Dogs and he has been a cast member since 2007. Matt has performed with the company at events including the finale shows of So You Think You Can Dance Australia andDancing with the Stars, NRL Centenary Ball,Sydney Boat Show, Bacardi B Live and the2008 World Youth Day opening ceremony.

Television includes: All Saints and Home and Away, and advertisements for Suntory Whisky (Japan), jaPOP (Japan) and Capri Sun (USA). Other work includes: Jeans West fashion launch, Hearts 4 Haiti and Doulton House corporate events with The Next Step.

Choreography includes: three-man tap number 213 for the 1st Carnival Choreographers Ball in Sydney and, most recently, creating a touring workshop calledTAPistry that aims to bring tap dancing workshops to regional areas of Australia.

Jason Lewis

Training: Jason began his dance and acting training at seven, at Brent Street Studios, McDonald College and CHPYC in Sydney, Australia.

Dance includes: Jason’s 15 years of experience have seen him travel the globe, performing with such artists as Fergie (MTV Awards), Olivia Newton-John, TV Rock, Caroline O’Connor and Cindy Lauper. Jason’s intense training has allowed him to work with the best choreographers in the business, including Kelly Abbey (Happy Feet), Cameron Mitchell, Matt Lee (Australian Idol) and David Atkins (Hairmedia launch). Jason has been a member of Tap Dogs since 2005 and has been fortunate enough to experience their worldwide tours (South Africa, Korea, Europe and now London).

Choreography includes: At 16, Jason began creating his own show The Next Step and is currently directing, choreographing and managing this all-male phenomenon. (www.thenextsteponline.com).

Jason is very proud to be a Dog and hopes to be for years to come. He would like to thank his family Louise, Colleen and Kris for their ongoing support.

Richie Miller

Training: Performing Arts Center in St Charles, Missouri, where he performed for ten years and also competed for eight. He still teaches and takes classes there.

Dance includes: performances with The Dance Company of St Charles, studying many styles of dance other than tap. He has attended some workshops, including Jump,DMA and Break the Floor on scholarships.

Richie is thrilled to be in his second season of Tap Dogs with which he has already toured the USA and Mexico.

Sam Marks

Training: in all facets of dance at the Conroy Dance Centre in Brisbane, Australia.

Theatre includes: his professional debut at nine when he played Gavroche in Cameron Mackintosh’s Les Misérables. Also, Young Don Lockwood in Singin’ in the Rain (2002) and Mayor Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz(2003). From 2006 to 2009, Sam played Coricopat and Alonzo in the Asian tour and Brisbane Australian season of Cats. Most recently, Sam was cast as an ensemble member in the Sydney season of Wicked.

Other work includes: frequently appearing within the Australian commercial dance industry and as a performer with The Next Step. 

Nathaniel Hancock

 Training: Nathaniel started tap dancing at the age of six at The Ritz Dance Studio in Brisbane and progressed onto all styles of dance from the age of eight.

Experience:  In 2002 Nathaniel played 1 major role and 3 minor roles in the Professional Production of the Wizard of Oz performed at the Lyric Theatre in Brisbane. In 2007, Nathaniel participated in the Global Dance Convention Workshop in Sydney and was one of five finalists and the only tap dancer chosen from 150 students, he also won speed tap champion at the Brisbane Eisteddfod. In 2008 he performed with Red Hot Rhythm at the Melbourne International Tap Festival, as well as performing at many other corporate events with the group. In 2010 he performed in two corporate shows with Tap Dogs and danced for a short stint on the George Miller film Happy Feet 2.

Lyndsay Evans - Musician

Training: BMus (Hons) at Trinity College of Music and singing, acting and dance at Pineapple Performing Arts School, London.

Live performances include: Wyclef Jean, Eros Ramazzotti, Ricky Martin, Amy Winehouse, Nile Rogers, Peter Andre, Moose T, The Black Eyed Peas, Jazzy Jeff, Omar, Kelly Rowland, Luke Slater, Reverend and the Makers, Kid Creole, Billy Bragg, John Dankworth, Cleo Lane and Noise Ensemble.

Tours: Ricky Martin, Eros Ramazzotti, Reverend and the Makers, The Mentalists, Katy Carr and the Aviators and A Girl Called Eddy. Theatre includes: touring the UK, Russia and Europe with Noise Ensemble’sLouder Than Words, a mix of drumming, dance and comedy (in a similar vein toStomp).

Television includes: drummer and presenter for Disney XD Pro Jams, violist for Rihanna on Cheryl Cole’s Big Night In, drummer in the music video for ‘Phantom’ (Great Pretender single, MTV USA and Europe), bassist for Peter Andre on Elvismania, musician for X Factor live shows, featured blonde drummer in Sony Walkman advert Music Pieces, musician for Ricky Martin and Eros Ramazzotti single promotions with many performances on French, Swiss, Spanish, Italian and German television, drummer on eight episodes of MobileAct, drummer with Noise Ensemble, including appearances on Blue Peter and Russian and European television, guitarist on Hit Me Baby One More Time and bassist on Grease Is the Word.

Other work includes: sessions on forthcoming albums Militant by The Mentalists and Imprint by Jack Adaptor, ‘A Girl Called Eddy’ (A Girl Called Eddy), ‘Hadar the Star’ (Hadar Manor) and ‘Something Old, Something New’ (Atila Hussein and NYJO). 
www.myspace.com/lyndsayevans

Catriona Hunter - Musician

Catriona is Australian and is currently at University studying for a business degree. She started learning drumming and percussion when she was 7 years old and, over the years, has performed in numerous bands and ensembles across a wide range of genres. In 2008 Catriona was a member of the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league team drum squad, and has played on national television with Tap Dogs in the final of So You Think You Can Dance Australia. She is now the drummer with Sydney-based indie outfit Beaufields.
 

Nathan Sheens

NATHAN SHEENS (Performer) Nathan is an original cast member of Tap Dogs and has toured around the world with the show including London's West End and New York City. He became Dance Director and took over the lead role for the 1997 North American Tour. In 1998 he played the lead role in Dein Perry's Steel City, which took him back to NYC for a season at Radio City Music Hall. He appeared with the Dogs at Quincy Jones 25 Years in Music performing with the phenomenal Stevie Wonder. In 2000 Nathan assisted Dein Perry to choreograph the Sydney Olympics Games Opening Ceremony. Other theatre appearances include original cast of the Australian musical Shout and the role of Eddie for hit musical MAMMA MIA! at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre. Most recently Nathan has been appearing as part of the original Australian cast of Billy Elliot in both Sydney and Melbourne. 

Dean Magri 

DEAN MAGRI (Performer) is from London, England and has worked professionally from a young age. At age 17 he joined the cast of Hot Shoe Shuffle and at age 19, he joined the original British company of Tap Dogs and has toured all over the world with the show. Dean has also been featured in well over 100 corporate events and TV commercials worldwide and worked on many TV sitcoms and Films. He created the corporate tap dance company, Extreme Tap and co-founded tapattack.co.uk.

Adam Garcia

Theatre includes: On the Town (Théâtre du Châtelet and ENO), Wicked (Apollo Victoria),Salsa (workshop), Where Do We Live?(Royal Court), Cadillac Ranch (Soho Theatre), Saturday Night Fever (London Palladium), An Introduction to Their Picture(Royal Court), Grease (Dominion) and Hot Shoe Shuffle (Queen’s).

Film includes: A Woman Called Job,Standing Still, Fascination, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Love’s Brother, The First 20 Million Is Always the Hardest, Riding in Cars with Boys, Coyote Ugly, Bootmenand Wilde.

Television includes: House, Britannia High, Hawthorn, The Flight of the Conchords, Mr Eleven, Doctor Who, Riot at the Rite, Miss Marple, Dream Team and Wild House. Adam is currently a judge on Sky’s hit television show Got to Dance.

Doug Mills

Training: Douglas started dancing at 3 and at 16 chose to pursue dance as a career, embarking on a three-year course at Performers College, Essex. He represented the college in the ISTD Gold Star Tap Awards, winning the Victor Leopold Cup two years running. Whilst at college, Douglas began his professional career performing in two summer seasons, two pantomimes and on live television, including a solo on The Big Big Talent Show in which he devised his own choreography, and The 1995 Royal Command Performance.

Dance includes: at 19, after completing college, joining the original West End cast of Tap Dogs, as the first ever British member of the troupe. Subsequently he toured with Tap Dogs all over the world, including North America, Europe, Asia, Japan and the UK, eventually performing in Australia, where the show originated. Also, recently, featured tap dancer in Take That’s Circus Tour.

Television includes: BBC1 red campaign show idents and he has filmed and choreographed commercials for a wide range of products across Europe.

Choreography includes: assistant choreographer on The Prince’s Trust Gala (Buckingham Palace 2007) and tap choreographer for Viva La Diva starring Darcey Bussell and Katherine Jenkins, coaching the ‘Divas’ on their tap (2008 tour). He was seen putting both through their paces on a recent South Bank Show special. Douglas has worked extensively with top choreographer Kim Gavin on corporate shows for Toyota in Bologna, Paris and London. Also, performer and co-choreographer of the tap routines in Strictly Gershwin (2008 world premiere, Royal Albert Hall).

Douglas is delighted to be back working on Tap Dogs.

Jesse Rasmussen

Training: on the Gold Coast, Australia, with Peta Norton and Robert Sturrock.

Dance includes: professional credits in live entertainment, commercial dance, corporate work and in the film and television industry. Jesse wowed Las Vegas in 1998 when he won the Showcase Dance Championships, and went on to win in Australia. Since then Jesse has toured the country for David Atkins, playing Tip in Hot Shoe Shuffle.

Musical theatre includes: Oh What a Night,Grease – The Musical and Candy Man – The Musical.

Film includes: George Miller’s Happy Feet. He is currently working on Happy Feet 2.

Choreography includes: Jesse runs two hip hop companies, J Town and Aussie Hip Hop Tour, working with the likes of Guy Sebastion, Natalie Bassingthwaite, Marcia and Denny Hines and Savion Glover. He has performed and choreographed for Jessica Mauboy as a support act during the Beyoncé tour as well as Channel 9’s Hey Hey It’s Saturday 2009 reunion show. In 2009, Jesse was a Top 20 finalist for Australia’s So You Think You Can Dance and has since returned as a choreographer for the show.

Film includes: Peter Jackson’s King Kong.

Jesse is delighted to be working with Dein Perry’s Tap Dogs and would like to thank his family and friends for their constant support.

Donovan Helma

Training: Donovan began dancing at three under the direction of his mother’s dance studio, Miller’s Dance Studio, in Denver, CO. He currently continues his education in New York City.

Dance includes: recently, corporate performances for General Motors, Charles Schwab and a Monday Night Football halftime performance with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Donovan performed for Montreal’sDanse Encore International Festival in a production with the group Tap’d Out. In 2009 and 2010, he toured with the new Gregory Hines tribute show, Thank You Gregory, starring Jason Samuels Smith and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards. Since 2004, he has performed on numerous tours and industrials with the international cast of Tap Dogs, including North America, Europe and South Africa.

Other work includes: teaching at studios and national conventions across the USA.

Donovan looks forward to continuing his performing career and inspiring audiences and students worldwide. 

Genevieve Wilkins - Musician

Genevieve is an Australian-born freelance percussionist who is based in London. She is a member of ensemblebash, UK’s premiere percussion ensemble, as well as a founding member of The G Project, an exciting new collaboration with cellist Gabriella Swallow. Genevieve also performs regularly with composer Andrew Poppy’s Sustaining Ensemble, Dekata Project and has recently joined the band of jazz/world bassist Nathan Riki Thomson. As a session musician, she has performed with and/or recorded with Lionel Richie, Akon, Joanna MacGregor, Nash Ensemble, Karen David, DJ Panko (Ojos de Brujo), DJ Pathaan, Alex Wilson, Gavin Bryars, Steve Schick and was a founding member of renowned flamenco fusion group Alcazaba. Genevieve’s West End credits include Thriller Live (Lyric (deputy) and stadium world tour) and Never Forget: The Musical (Savoy). She also performs regularly as principal percussionist at London’s Shakespeare’s Globe, where productions include Macbeth: Playing Shakespeare (musical director), Troilus and Cressida, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet: Playing Shakespeare andThe Frontline (deputy musical director). 

www.genevievewilkins.com

Travis Knight

TRAVIS KNIGHTS (Performer) Theatre credits: Wonderland: A Tap Tribute To Stevie Wonder (2008-2009). Conceived and Choreographed by Ayodele Casel and Sarah Savelli, Wonderland features a cast of 12 of Tap Dancers in a theatrical celebration of Stevie Wonder’s music. Vancouver Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony (2010): Tap Dancer. Along with 26 of Canada’s most raucous Tap Dancers, Travis delivered an explosive performance aired around the world that marked the beginning of the Winter Olympic Games. Midway Games Happy Feet (2006): Principle Tap Dancer. Travis was tapped to be the principle motion capture subject for the video game adaptation of the Warner Brothers movie Happy Feet. Film and Television credits include: Showtime movie Bojangles (2001): Principle Tap Dancer. Working alongside Gregory Hines and Savion Glover, Travis was a feature dancer in the biopic of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson.

Dominic Mortezadeh

DOMINIC MORTEZADEH (Performer) Having started dancing when he was 6 years old, including 11 years of tap dancing, Dominic could not be more thrilled to make his theatre debut with this amazing cast in Tap Dogs.  He also just made his film debut in the soon to be released Disney film, Harriet The Spy: Blog Wars. Dominic is also a budding choreographer. He would like to send a huge thank you to all his teachers, family, and friends for contributing to the success that he has been awarded so far.

MacKenzie Greenwell

 MACKENZIE GREENWELL (Performer) MacKenzie Greenwell has been dancing since the age of two. He has had the privilege to work extensively with Danny Nielsen and Heather Cornell. He is a regular face in and around Calgary performing and instructing. Recent credits: the Grand Opening Show for CrossIron Mills Mall – Lead Role working alongside So You Think You Can Dance star Miles Faber, Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics where he shared the stage with 25 of Canada’s most talented performers and was a featured solo artist in West Coast Tap Dance Collective’s 2010 Tap Day show.