FACULTY

JW Murray

Director

JW Murray, started tap from a very young age and as the years progressed, his passion for Tap has grown. JW has been taught by a large number of quality Tap teachers/choreographers/dancers such as Nathan Sheens, Lee McDonald and Glen Wood, just to name a few. After spending some time in L.A. in 2015 JW set out to create, what was just an idea years ago, to now an Annual Tap Festival based in Sydney.

JW Murray is happy to introduce the Enthusiastic, Vibrant and Exciting teachers for the Inaugural Sydney Tap Festival 2017!

Sally Hare

Level 1 Residency Teacher

Sally has had an exciting and versatile career as one of Australia's most sought after performers. Career highlights include performing in Mack and Mabel at Hayes Theatre Co, Untapped! on Broadway with Raw Dance Company, Carmen on Sydney Harbour, Fame the Musical, assistant to creative directors The Squared Division on The X Factor, Candy Man, Happy Feet 2 and being a top 20 competitor in season 4 of SYTYCD. Sally is mentor of Thomas J Egan's The Forge Tap Project and director of Girls On Tap.

Jack Egan

Level 2 Residency Teacher

Jack has been an influential member of the Melbourne tap community for the past 10 years. His work with the Australian Tap Team has brought his choreography across Europe, Asia and South Africa for competitions and further training annually since 2012. Recently his passion for tap dance has extended into The Forge Tap Project, an initiative promoting youth tap dance and furthermore recent performances such as Alpha - a Forge Tap Company event.He is also the first Australian to become an accredited Judge for the International Dance Organization (IDO), judging at the prestigious 2014 & 2016 IDO World Tap Championships in Riesa, Germany. He has been a part of tap groups such as Three Feet of Beat, The Tap Pack and One Big Blur before establishing himself as a choreographer and teacher based out of Melbourne.

Nathaniel Hancock

Level 3 Residency Teacher

Nathaniel is a current member of the touring cast of Tap Dogs and has toured Europe, Asia, Bahrain, UAE, Australia and South Africa over the past 4 and a half years. He has also worked with Village Roadshow Mumble 2 Productions Pty. Ltd. as a tap dancer in the movie Happy Feet 2.

Nathaniel is a founding member of Street Feet Entertainment and The Australian Tap Company. Nathaniel has been teaching Tap Dance both nationally and internationally, in the form of classes, workshops and rhythm and counting tutorials for the past 7 years and has a great passion for sharing his love and knowledge of Tap Dance.

Richie Miller

Richie Miller was born in Titusville, FL and moved to St. Charles, MO at the age of 6. On a bribe, Richie began his training at Performing Arts Centre with Debbie & Tracy Davenport & Anthony Russo where he became a tap sensation! Upon graduation, he immediately was hired by Tap Dogs and has toured with them Internationally since 2009. He now is residing in and currently working in Australia. Since Richie has been in Australia he has appeared on Naomi Campbells "The Face", performed with the The Next Step, was Featured in Commonwealth Banks " Tap & Pay" TVC along with TVCs for Holden and Commonwealth bank. Richie is still currently with Tap Dogs and working as a master teacher, guest choreographer and Videographer.

Brianna Taylor

Brianna Taylor is one of Australia’s leading female professional tap dance artists on the scene. Brianna's expansive dance career has seen her tour globally with the production UNTAPPED. Her most recent achievements include ‘Mickey’s Big Band’ tap production with Disneyland Paris, France. Brianna is also the only Australian performer in the American based professional tap company in New York, Apartment 33, directed and produced by Chloe and Maud Arnold. A force to be reckoned with, Brianna has made a prominent mark on the Australian tap scene, working with some of Australia’s leading tap production companies, including Rhythm Tap Melbourne (Director Grant Swift), appearing on popular international television show Good Morning Britain, Channel 7 News, The Morning Show, The Today Show and performing for luxury brands including Mercedes Benz and Crown Casino.

Oded Prior

Oded Prior born and raised in Israel developed a passion for rhythm and as he grew Oded started to develop an interest for making music with almost anything.

Oded is now the founder and director of an Exciting entertainment group called Junk Yard Beats. Junk Yard Beats is always on the road travelling around Australia performing in multiple sell out venues entertaining people with energetic moves and awesome beats!

Oded is really excited to show the Tap Dancers how to make noise with their feet and much much more!

Zan Kermond

Alexander “Zan” Kermond - is a fifth generation Performer.

In 2011, Zan commenced a 2 year full time Performing Arts Diploma at Sydney’s prestigious ED5 International Performing Arts School and appeared in the worldwide blockbuster feature film, Happy Feet 2 (Director George Miller). Before the completion of his studies at ED5, Zan received the opportunity of a lifetime, to play one of the seven brothers in the feel good hit musical Hot Shoe Shuffle and to once again perform with the legendary David Atkins.More recently Zan has produced and directed his own show called Les Vaudevilliens.
Which made its world premier at the 2017 Adelaide Fringe Festival. Here it has received multiple 5 star reviews, with the Adelaide Advertiser giving it 4 and a half stars, saying “Alexander kermond is the star, not only because he’s multi talented, but his ability to tell a story. His tribute to Charlie Chaplin sends goose bumps, in the best way”.