Emmy winner and Tony nominee Debbie Allen (Fame, Sweet Charity) will be part of Chloé and Maud Productions' Tap Into Empowerment experience, presented online August 7–9.
Hosted by Syncopated Ladies Founder Chloé Arnold and her sister, tap dancer Maud Arnold, the virtual event will feature 45 master classes for all ages and levels, with courses on tap, Hip Hop, House, Afro-Funk, Syncopated Ladies repertory, and more. The experience will also include interactive empowerment workshops, filmmaking discussions, student showcases, and a screening of the recently released short film In a Beat, directed by Natasha Mynhier.
Faculty members include the Arnold sisters, Anissa Lee, Assata Madison, Pam Yasutake (Shuffle Along), Melinda Sullivan (Flying Over Sunset), and Gisele Silva along with Syncopated Sista-Friends MacArthur "Genius" Award recipient Michelle Dorrance, Karida Griffith, and Star Dixon. Dancers will have the opportunity to explore dance styles with Nina Flagg (House), Ava Bernstine Mitchell (Hip Hop), and Maud Arnold (Afro-Funk).
The event will also feature “Sisterhood Conversations” with leaders in their fields, including Allen, author and philanthropist Gael-Sylvia Pullen, filmmaker Natasha Mynhier and Dr. Gabrina Dixon, pediatrician at Children’s Hospital DC.
“During these trying times it is especially important to focus on mental health and well-being, especially of girls and young women,” said Chloé Arnold in a statement. “This is a time where loneliness can create a susceptibility to low self-esteem, and the Syncopated Ladies Tap Into Empowerment program is designed to help them find the tools to live empowered lives on and off the dance floor. It’s more than dance steps, it’s more than moves, it’s an opportunity for girls and young women to redefine themselves and amplify their voices and self-esteem.”
For more information and to register, visit OnlineTapfest.com.
