Guest Artists

Time Brickey portrait

Time Brickey

Time Brickey (he/him/his) is a tap dancer, musician, and performing artist from Chicago. He was a company member of M.A.D.D. Rhythms, a collaborator with the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, and with Cabinet of Curiosity.

Mark Yonally Portrait

Mark Yonally

Mark is a noted educator and has taught at festivals throughout the U.S. and has served on the faculty at Oklahoma City University and Hope College. He is sought after for his multidisciplinary approach to tap teaching, which includes history, basic music theory and an emphasis on jazz music, and has taught in France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and the United States. Mark is also a published author, with pieces appearing in Dance Spirit, Dance Teacher and Dance Magazine.

Nico Rubio portrait

Nico Rubio

Nico Rubio, Chicago Native Tap Dancer, Choreographer and Instructor, is universally recognized as one of the leading Tap Dancers of his generation. Founder and Director of 333. Nico has been Professionally Entertaining and Educating around much of Illinois and throughout the United States for over a decade.

Jeannie Hill Portrait

Jeannie Hill

Arriving in New York in the late 80s Jeannie discovered Bob Audy at Broadway Dance Center and in those precious classes met Billy Siegenfeld. Attendance at her first tap festival in 1990 provided inspiration for her to audition for Manhattan Tap. During the seven years of rehearsals and touring that followed, guided by artistic director Heather Cornell, she was introduced to the ever-expanding international community of rhythm tap dancers and jazz musicians.
Nicholas Van Young tap dancer

Nicholas Van Young

Nicholas Van Young is an artist, choreographer, dancer, musician and 2014 Bessie Award recipient. He joined the NYC cast of STOMP in 2003 and spent 2003-2013 with the production moving on to play the lead role and act as rehearsal director for the American Tour. He was the Associate Artistic Director of Dorrance Dance for nearly a decade. His choreographic and conceptual collaborations with DD have premiered at the Guggenheim, The Joyce, Jacob’s Pillow, and internationally in London (Sadlers Wells), Spain (Fira Tarrega) and Hong Kong. He is the Director and Founder of SoundMovement Dance Co. and Institute for the Rhythmic Arts, a multi-disciplinary training program for percussive education in tap dance and movement.

Star Dixon Portrait

Starinah “Star” Dixon

Starinah “Star” Dixon is an assistant director, choreographer, and original principal dancer of world renowned tap company, M.A.D.D. Rhythms. She has taught and performed at the most distinguished tap festivals in the country including The L.A. Tap Fest, DC Tap Fest, RIFF Dallas, Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s Rhythm World, and MADD Rhythms own Chicago Tap Summit. She’s performed internationally in Poland, Japan, and Brazil to name a few. Performance venues include Jacob’s Pillow, Kennedy Center, and the Lincoln Center. Outside of M.A.D.D. Rhythms, she’s performed as a guest with such companies as Michelle Dorrance’s Dorrance Dance and Savion Glover’s All Funk’d Up. Star is currently on staff at numerous dance studios in and around Chicago.

Acia Gray tap dancer and educator

Acia Gray

As a musician, soloist, choreographer and master teacher of the indigenous American art form of jazz tap dance, Ms. Gray has toured extensively across the U.S. and abroad as a tap dancer and in 1989 co-founded Tapestry Dance Company in Austin, TX with Deirdre Strand and currently serves as Producing Artistic Director of Tapestry Dance & Artistic Director of The Soul 2 Sole Tap Festival.