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Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards (born January 16, 1976 in Englewood, California) is an American tap dancer, choreographer, and instructor who has been called "the mastress of her generation." In 1998, she married fellow dancer Omar Edwards and opened a studio with him in Harlem; they have three children.
Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards (born January 16, 1976 in Englewood, California) is an American tap dancer, choreographer, and instructor who has been called "the mastress of her generation." In 1998, she married fellow dancer Omar Edwards and opened a studio with him in Harlem; they have three children.
Early life and education
Sumbry-Edwards began tap dancing at the age of 3 under the instruction of Paul and Arlene Kennedy at Universal Dance Theatre. At 8, she performed at the Tip Tap Festival in Rome. At 12, she made her Broadway debut inBlack and Blue
''Black and Blue'' is the 13th British and 15th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 23 April 1976 by Rolling Stones Records.
This album was the first recorded after former guitarist Mick Taylor quit ...
, alongside Gregory Hines
Gregory Oliver Hines (February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was an American dancer, actor, choreographer, and singer. He is one of the most celebrated tap dancers of all time. As an actor, he is best known for '' Wolfen'' (1981), '' The Cotton C ...
, Jimmy Slyde
James Titus Godbolt (October 2, 1927 – May 16, 2008), known professionally as Jimmy Slyde and also as the "King of Slides", was an American tap dancer known for his innovative tap style mixed with jazz.
Slyde was a popular rhythm tap dancer i ...
, Buster Brown
Buster Brown is a comic-strip character created in 1902 by Richard F. Outcault. Adopted as the mascot of the Brown Shoe Company in 1904, Buster Brown, along with Mary Jane, and with his dog Tige, became well known to the United States of America ...
and Savion Glover
Savion Glover (born November 19, 1973) is an American tap dancer, actor, and choreographer.
Early life
The youngest of three sons, Glover was born to a white father, who left the family before he was born, and a black mother. Glover's great grand ...
. In 1989, the ''New York Times'' described her as part of a young generation who "have the certain something." After graduating from high school, Sumbry-Edwards joined Lynn Dally's Jazz Tap Ensemble as a soloist.
Career
Sumbry-Edwards also appeared on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning Bring In Da’Noise, Bring In Da’Funk as the only female tap dancer, initially appearing dressed as a man. She has toured extensively in the United States and abroad. As an instructor, Sumbry-Edwards has taught on the International Tap Festival circuit including the New York City Tap Festival, the Los Angeles Tap Festival, the Campinas Tap Festival, for K-Broadway in Tokyo, and at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. She is currently on faculty in the dance department at Barnard College. After her experience hearing responses to her role in Bring In Da’Noise, Bring In Da’Funk alongside male dancers, Sumbry-Edwards decided to think about new ways of teaching techniques of rhythm-tap for women, culminating in a Harlem Tap Studio course for Women in Heels described as "countering the downward-driving, piston-driven attack of traditional (male) rhythm-tapping styles with steps that were structured along more circuitous paths of attack." Sumbry-Edwards was also a featured performer in Broadway's After Midnight for which she also won an Astaire Award for Best Performance.Awards
Sumbry-Edwards won a Bessie in 2012 for Outstanding Performer in Jason Samuels Smith's work "Chasing The Bird" performed at The Joyce Theater. She also was the recipient of a dance fellowship in 1994 as well as the prestigious Princess Grace Statue Award in 2017.https://www.pgfusa.org/award-winners/view/Dormeshia-Sumbry-Edwards/Film and Music Video Work
* Tap withGregory Hines
Gregory Oliver Hines (February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was an American dancer, actor, choreographer, and singer. He is one of the most celebrated tap dancers of all time. As an actor, he is best known for '' Wolfen'' (1981), '' The Cotton C ...
* Bamboozled
''Bamboozled'' is a 2000 American satirical dark comedy-drama film written and directed by Spike Lee about a modern televised minstrel show featuring black actors donning blackface makeup and the resulting violent fallout from the show's success. ...
, as "Pickaninny Topsy" and Assistant Choreographer
* The Rodgers and Hart Story: Thou Swell, Thou Witty
* Michael Jackson's music video “Rock Your World
Rock Your World (foaled February 28, 2018) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2021 Santa Anita Derby.
Background
Rock Your World is a dark bay colt who was bred in Kentucky by Ron and Deborah McAnally. He was sired by Candy Ride ...
”
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumbry-Edwards, Dormeshia 1976 births Living people African-American actresses African-American choreographers African-American educators African-American female dancers American choreographers American female dancers American film actresses American musical theatre actresses American stage actresses American tap dancers American women choreographers American women educators Dance teachers Educators from California Educators from New York City Musicians from Inglewood, California Musicians from New York City People from Harlem