TAPapalooza 2022 Instructors

2022 Guest Instructor

Sean Kaminski

Sean Kaminski grew up in Lombard, IL, where he trained primarily under Donna Johnson, Ashley Goletz, and Jay Fagan. He was able to study with and share the stage with masters Jimmy Slyde, Jason Samuels Smith, Derick Grant, and Sam Weber as a Chicago Human Rhythm Project scholarship recipient from 2004-2010. In the Chicago area, Sean has performed at legendary venues such as the Jazz Showcase, Navy Pier, the Studebaker Theater, and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park, where he was joined by the Grant Park Orchestra. 

At the age of 16, Sean started choreographing and teaching for Steppin’ Out Dance Company. Quickly, he knew exactly what he would commit his life to. In 2011, Sean moved to Iowa to finish his Bachelors in Finance while taking on the role of Tap Director at Nolte Academy, Iowa’s largest dance studio. He taught students aged 6-75, in addition to being the Co-Director of AFFECT Dance Company. Outside of Iowa, Sean has taught or performed at Chicago Human Rhythm ProjectMotor City Tap Fest in Detroit, Tap University in Atlanta and Raleigh, Rhythmic Souls in Dallas, Nick Young’s Tap10 in Los Angeles, American Tap Festival of Long Beach, Phoenix Tap Festival, and Little Rock Tap Festival. For the last couple of years, he has been a primary performing member of Nico Rubio’s 333 and currently teaches around the country as a part of Adrenaline Dance and Immerse Artist Experience. Kaminiski is a 2017 graduate of The School at Jacob’s Pillow under the direction of Michelle Dorrance and Dormeshia.

Founder, Director & Producer of Tap 24.7

Suzy Guarino-Hall

With over 30 years in the entertainment business, along with an extensive on-camera and voiceover resume, Suzy is the director of Tap 24.7. Currently she is the show director for Amp Dance Competitions, judges for Spotlight Dance Cup and In10sity Dance; teaches for Motor City Tap FestWing It Tap IntensivePhoenix Tap Fest and Commercial Dance Intensive. Other teaching credits include Tap UnpluggedTap University, Tap Into the Network and Spotlight Dance Cup. She is on the dance faculty as the tap teacher at Grand Canyon University and teaches at Bender Performing ArtsThe Dance Project, and Take Five in Phoenix. She is thrilled where the future of Tap 24.7 is headed since its creation in 2004, and is excited to take on this new year of shows and all of the tap dancers it will inspire!

Choreographer, Dancer

Jeffrey Bird, Jr.

Jeffrey Bird, Jr. grew up dancing in Muncie, Indiana where he trained in tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, musical theatre, contemporary, and musical theatre, but now focuses his energies primarily on tap. Growing up he trained with Gregg Russell, Ryan Lohoff, Mark Goodman, Cory Finn, and Julie Sizemore and has since benefitted from instruction and mentorship from Jenefer Miller, Cindy Hsu, Suzy Guarino-Hall, Sarah Reich, and many others. He serves as the Artistic Director and Pre-Professional Company Director of the Circle City Tap Company in Indianapolis and has performed in various concerts with the company. He now directs all their full-scale productions. In addition to his work with CCTC, Jeffrey is also a professional member of Tap24.7 out of Phoenix, Arizona. He has toured the country performing with the company in their shows “TAPspeak” and “Murder at the TAP’ocho,” and has choreographed for two additional shows “The Lyrics MixTAPe” and “TAP X.” His choreography has been featured across the nation both competitively and in professional settings such as with the Circle City Tap Company, Tap24.7, and at Motor City Soles in Detroit. Jeffrey was on faculty at the Circle City Tap Festival in 2017 and taught at TAPapalooza in 2018 (Detroit) and 2019 (Phoenix & Seattle). Jeffrey holds a BA in Theatre and a BA in History from Butler University as well as a MA in US History from IUPUI.

Choreographer, Dancer

Brendan Kellam

Brendan is an up and coming tap phenom from Tucson, Arizona. He most recently performed at the Kennedy Center in New York City as the featured tap dancer with the Tucson Jazz Institute in a tribute to Bill Robinson. Brendan has been on faculty for the past two years at Wing it Tap IntensivePhoenix Tap Fest, and Motor City Tap Fest.  He has also been seen performing with Phoenix-based tap company, Tap 24.7 since 2012.  His work has been selected to perform in the Big Apple Tap Festival and the Motor City Tap Festival.  Most recently, Brendan was seen competing at the World Tap Championships in Riesa, Germany; where his choreography placed 4th in the world.

Choreographer, Dancer

Chrissy Jones

Raised in the Chicagoland area, Chrissy Jones is a performer, teacher and choreographer currently residing in Tucson, AZ. Prior to moving to Arizona, Chrissy was a rehearsal director for Footprints Tap Ensemble for five years. During that time, her choreography appeared in National Tap Dance Day Windy City Rhythms 2008, Sounds of the Souls of the Southwest 2010, and at Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s Great American Youth Tap Ensembles concerts at Northwestern University and Loyola University. She also appeared live on the WTTW (PBS) television production called “Center Stage: Arts Across Illinois,” as well as a Warner Brothers’ “Happy Feet” movie promotional, Savion Glover’s “Bare Sounds” promotional, “Juba!” at the Jay Pritzker Pavillion and Museum of Contemporary Art, and numerous other professional venues. In 2007, the Peoples Republic of China funded her performances at the Beijing Exhibition Center in Beijing. 

After graduating with a degree in Astrophysics from the University of Arizona, Chrissy continued to perform and teach tap dance while working as an engineer. She has been on faculty for Phoenix Tap Festival, TAPapalooza Phoenix, TAPapalooza Detroit, AZ Tap Club, along with teaching locally. She is currently a member of Tap 24.7, performing as a main character in their annual show which tours three cities across the United States. Her choreography has continued to appear onstage in Chicago, Phoenix, Tucson, Seattle, and Detroit. 

Choreographer, Dancer

Sarah Boice

Sarah Boice was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. She grew up dancing at Danswest Dance, where she fell in love with tap dancing at an early age; she was always known as the “Tap dance kid” at her studio. When she was 17, she began working with Tap 24.7 in their very first tap dance show, Tapabilities Are Endless. Since that show, Sarah has performed in every other Tap 24.7 annual tap dance show. In 2016, she became an official member of the Tap 24.7 company, and began performing with the company across the country. In 2018, Sarah became an official choreographer for the Tap 24.7 show and has choreographed various dances for a wide range of levels.

Outside of her work with Tap 24.7, she also has a degree in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the University of Arizona, and works full-time at Vanguard, a large financial services company. She is also a tap dance teacher at The Dance Project out in Peoria, Arizona.

Choreographer, Dancer

Kelsey Rose

Kelsey is on faculty with Showstopper conventions, Fuzion dance camp, and Motor City Tap Fest. She is the director and lead choreographer for the pre-professional tap company – Detroit Tap Repertory, as well as director of Wing It Tap Intensive. She is a member of Shelby Kaufman’s tap company, G.L.Y.D.E.. Kelsey recently performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as part of the DSO Educational Series and was a guest speaker at the Moving With Detroit seminar for dance educators. In 2015, she was a contestant on the FOX Network’s So You Think You Can Dance – Season 12, advancing to the Vegas round.

Choreographer, Dancer

Charlie DuHadway

Charlie DuHadway is a dancer, teacher, & choreographer from Michigan. He is a full time dance teacher at his home studio, a stage manager for Spotlight Dance Cup and is a member and choreographer for Tap24.7. Charlie has been a proud member of Tap 24.7 for three years under the direction of Suzy Hall and has participated as a main character in the touring show TapSpeak and current running show Murder at The Tap’Ocho.  In August 2018, Charlie won the young choreographers challenge at Motor City Tap Fest. Teaching, growing, and sharing his love for tap dance via Tap24.7 is incredible and he couldn’t be more thankful for the wonderful people and amazing opportunities. 

Choreographer

Jenefer Miller

Jenefer is a tap dancer, choreographer, director, and producer. Faculty credits include Motor City Tap FestPhoenix Tap FestSt Louis Tap FestCircle City Tap FestPortland Tap FestNexus Dance Conventions, and Tap Into the Network. She is the producer of Phoenix Tap Fest, and Just West of Broadway. She founded and was director for the Kyrene Community Theater, was the director of Thunder Theater Company, and now is the resident director for Studio 111 Theater Company. She was also the proud recipient of the Oakland University Matilda Award for Alumni Achievement in Dance. She currently teaches at Dancers Domain in Scottsdale.