The Coach Aaron Tolson A native of Manchester, New Hampshire Aaron Tolson has been tapping for 24 years. He is one of two national spokespersons for SoDanca, a consultant and writer for Dance Spirit Magazine, a Professor of Dance at Plymouth State University and the Boston Conservatory as well as the assistant choreographer, co-creator and assistant producer of Imagine Tap! - a show created with Derick Grant Aaron started dancing at the age of ten in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Four years into his dance career he was performing in the Great Tap Reunion at the Apollo Theatre. Soon Aaron found Julia Boynton in Boston and she guided him in the direction of tap as a lifestyle. He went to St. John's University obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications all the while honing his tap technique in Manhattan. His senior year of college landed him in the New York Shakespeare Festival tap program, also known as Funk U! Soon Aaron became a company member of Manhattan Tap and worked with the show Tap Dogs. Jumping feet first into choreography, he landed a job with Absolut with a tour called Absolut Tap! He choreographed a piece for their second tour and was a dance captain for all of the teams for two years. In 2005, Aaron completed a six-year run with Riverdance the show where he was a featured soloist. It brought him to Broadway and Radio City Music Hall and was also the captain of the Tap Dancers. He still scouts and trains in new tap dancers for the show. Since then, Aaron has performed and taught at the Beantown Tap Festival, LA Tap Festival, Brazil Tap Festival in addition to performing with Brookline Chorus’ Duke Ellington Sacred Concert, The Late Show with Liam O’Conner in Dublin, Ireland. Most recently, Aaron choreographed, produced and directed Something to Tap About, featuring New England Tap Ensemble. Aaron formed New England Tap Ensemble in May of 2007 to promote the art of tap in the community while fostering a sense of individuality in a professional artist. .

Dance Captain Megan Lyman Megan is a 17-year-old senior at Gilford High School who has been dancing since the age of 3. She has competed on the national level for many years winning numerous solo and group awards. She has been a student of Aaron's for many years and has been lucky enough to perform with him in Halftime in NYC, Tappy Holidays in NYC, the Union Leader Santa Fund Holiday Show and many local venues. Recently won the talent portion of the Miss NH Outstanding Teen competition and was crowned Miss NH Outstanding Teen 2008. This has given her many opportunities to tap around the state in a wide variety of venues, most recently in Orlando for the Nationals of Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant. Megan hopes to continue to dance for many years and someday open her own dance studio.

Jessica Vetrano Jessica is from the Lakes Region of New Hampshire and has been dancing since the age of 2. She started to dance competitively in the New England area in 2001 and has won many top awards for her performances. She has learned her love for tap from Aaron Tolson over the past seven years. She also had the honor to be the first Aaron Tolson Sr. Scholarship award winner in 2004 to perform a solo in memory of Mr. Tolson Sr. Jess has also studied tap with many master tap dancers including, Derek Grant, Michelle Dorrance, Jason Samual-Smith and many others around the U.S. She has performed in such venues as The Union Leader Santa Fund in Manchester, NH for the past two years, several community events in the New England area, Beantown Tap Festival, Tapestry, Tappy Holidays in New York City and also had the special honor of dancing for Dr. Jimmy Slyde this past January along side many professional tap dancers from around the country. Jessica’s goal is to one day follow in Aarons footsteps and teach her love for tap to others.

Emily Tolson Emily has been dancing since the age of eight with instruction in several disciplines, with an emphasis on tap. In 2006, her talent won her the title of Miss New Hampshire, where she then went on to compete in Las Vegas for the title of Miss America 2007. She is proud to say that the $65,0000 of scholarships earned has paid for her Bachelor’s Degree as well as her Master’s in Elementary Education from the University of NH. Emily currently teaches second grade in Bedford, NH.

Deborah Opar Deb began dancing at the Dance Inn in Lexington, Massachusetts at the age of 5 where she studied tap, jazz and ballet. With the Legacy Dance Company she performed choreography by Brenda Buffalino, Josh Hilberman, Julia Boynton, and Thelma Goldberg during events such as Tap City, National Tap Dance Day, and the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. Deb attended Bates College in Maine where she studied Sociology and Education. While there was not much of a tap 'scene' in Maine, she danced with Julia Boynton during her summers in Boston and continues to dance with Julia today. She also teaches Social Studies at a Middle School in Somerville, Massachusetts. Deb is very excited and honored to be dancing with New England Tap!

Carolyn Glicklich Carolyn grew up and danced outside of Boston since the age of 3. She danced competitively in tap, jazz, and lyric until she was 15. She returned to dance senior year of high school and that is when she began extensively studying tap. She attended Boston University and received a BA in elementary education and special education. She also received a minor in dance. During college, Carolyn was a member of BU on Tap, the university’s only tap ensemble. She was the president both her junior and senior year. She also taught tap to college students and adults at BU. During these years, she began taking tap from Julia Boynton. Carolyn is currently a middle school special education teacher at Prospect Hill Academy in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Apprentice Company Captain Brienna Tomlinson Brienna Tomlinson is 16-years-old and has been dancing since the age of 3. At 9-years-old, she started dancing competitively and has won numerous awards. Brienna competes in Tap, Jazz and Ballet with Creative Steps School of Dance. She has studied Tap under Aaron Tolson since she was 10 and Tap continues to be her favorite form of dance. Brienna has performed at the Union Leader Santa Fund Holiday Musical in Manchester, Tappy Holidays in New York City, and Beantown Tap Festival in Boston with New England Tap. Brienna’s goal is to keep tapping and performing her entire life.

Apprentice Company Assistant Dance Captain Courtney Drouin Courtney lives in Belmont, N.H. and has been dancing since the age of 2. She is a member of Creative Steps Competition Team where she competes in tap, jazz, and lyrical. She has been dancing competitively for the past 6 years. Courtney has performed with New England Tap at the Union Leader Santa Fund in Manchester, Tappy Holidays in New York City, Beantown Tap Festival in Boston and also in a tribute to the late Dr. Jimmy Slyde. Courtney’s goal is to continue to do what she loves most and that is tap dancing.

Rachel Lemay Rachel Lemay is 12-years-old and has been dancing since the age of three. When she was seven years old she started dancing competitively and throughout the years has won many top awards at competitions. She has learned tap dancing from Aaron Tolson for the last five years and performed in Manchester at the Union Leader Santa Fund Holiday Musical in the November of 2006. She has also danced at many community performances in the lakes region area along with dancing in local pageants. In the future She hopes to continue tap dancing and to one day accomplish her goal to have tap dancing her career.

Ayan Imai-Hall Ayan has been taping since he was 6 years old. He has won many awards in solo and group competitions with Brixham Danceworks Repertory Company of South Berwick, Maine. He is a frequenter of the Boston area tap jams where he has gleaned techniques and steps from all the dancers who perform and give workshops there. Ayan presently studies with Aaron Tolson. He has had the privilege of performing with the company for the late, great Jimmy Slyde in a Boston tribute, in the 1st and 2nd annual Beantown TapFest, and various other events throughout New England. As a soloist, Ayan tapped with the Hot Jazz Five New Year’s Eve concert, with T.J Wheeler and the Mind, Body and Soul Blues Band and danced the role of “Little Blue” in the premiere or Polly’s Christmas Penguin. He spent a week at the TapKids tap camp in Tarrytown New York, studying with Lisa Hopkins, Max Pollack, Barbara Duffy, Ayodele Casel, Mark Goodman, Olivia Rosenkrantz and Jimmy Tate. Weekends, you can find Ayan with his boom box, tap board and hat, tapping on the sidewalk in historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire’s market square where he practices – and gets a tip or two. Nickname: Chairman of the Board.

Haley Marcoux Haley is a sophomore at Concord High School and is 15-years-old. She has been dancing for 10 years at Creative Steps in Tilton, NH. She has been dancing competitively for 8 years. Haley does tap, jazz, ballet, and lyrical. Tap is, by far, her favorite, although she does enjoy doing all of the disciplines. Haley has received many awards throughout her years of competition for her tap and is very proud of her accomplishments as a dancer and as a person. Her teacher, Sue Harrington has contributed a great deal to her love of tap and continues to support her and give her all the opportunities to learn and grow as a dancer. Introducing her to Aaron and being part of New England Tap is one of those great opportunities. Tap will always be a part of Haley’s life!

Sarah Michelson Sarah is 15-years-old and has been dancing since she was three. She has studied tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, ballet, and Pointe. Now in her fourth year with the Legacy Dance Company, Sarah attributes her continued love of tap to the many master teachers who have worked with her, including Thelma Goldberg, Dianne Walker, Kelly Kaleta, Josh Hilberman, Michele Dorrance, Barbara Duffy, Derek Grant, Aaron Tolson, and more. Sarah has performed with The Dance Inn at studio recitals, Tap City (NYC), Tapestry / National Tap Day, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, Disney World and many other events. Sarah is thrilled to have the opportunity to dance with New England Tap.

Melissa Broughton Melissa lives in Northfield, New Hampshire and is a Freshman at Winnisquam Regional High School. She has danced at Creative Steps for ten years and was a recipient of the CSTEP Award of Excellence. Melissa began dancing at the age of four, and takes tap, jazz, lyrical, and ballet. She is a member of the Creative Steps Dance Company competition team. Melissa entered a tap trio as a “Young Choreographer” entry at the ADA Regional & National competitions. She has performed at Disney World, and performed with NE Tap in a tribute to Dr. Jimmy Slyde. Melissa has taken classes from Michelle Dorrance, Tyce Diorio, Derick Grant, Mia Michaels, Pam Rath, Mandy Moore, and Aaron Tolson. Besides dance, she likes music and art. She enjoys tap the most, and hopes to continue dancing for as long as she can.

Cassidy A. Joyce Cassidy is 11-years-old and lives in Northfield, NH and studies dance at Creative Steps in Tilton, NH. She has been dancing since the age of two and competing in dance since the age of five. She started competing as a soloist at the age of eight. Since then she has won many high score and overall awards. In 2007 at the age of nine, she won the regional title winner for American Dance Awards where she was able to perform in their National Title competition with 37 other regional winners and placed in the Top Ten. Cassidy enjoys performing and competing in all forms of dance but tap dancing is her greatest love. Since the spring of 2008, Cassidy has enjoyed the exciting privilege of being part of the N. E. Tap Ensemble where she is fondly known as "Queso Dip". This has given her new light to the opportunities of dance, some great teammates, and the ability to receive the joy of performing something she loves to do. Cassidy looks forward to many years with N.E. Tap Ensemble.

Chyanne A. Joyce Chyanne is 9-years-old and lives in Northfield, NH and studies dance at Creative Steps in Tilton, NH. She has been dancing since the age of two and competing in dance since the age of four. She started competing as a soloist at the age of seven. She has won many high score and overall awards both as a soloist and as a trio and group performer. At the age of eight, she placed third overall in the nine and under solo's at the national level of the American Dance Awards. Chyanne loves dancing, she both performs and competes in all types of dance but tap is definitely her passion. Like her sister, a day without tap dancing is almost a form of punishment. Since the spring of 2008, Chyanne has enjoyed the awesome privilege of being part of the N.E. Tap Ensemble where she is currently the youngest member, or the "Sherbert" of the group. This opportunity has already in a short time opened her eyes up to the enjoyment you can receive when being able to do something you love. Chyanne also looks forward to many exciting years with N.E. Tap Ensemble.

Karina Tomlinson Karina is from the Lakes region and is ten years old. Although she enjoys jazz and ballet, her favorite form of dance is TAP! Karina is also a member of the Creative Steps Dance Team. She has been competing for three years and performed her first Tap solo choreographed by Aaron Tolson when she was nine. Karina is honored to be a part of New England Tap and to be working with Aaron Tolson. Karina has earned the nickname Hurricane while dancing with NE Tap. She recently performed with the apprentice company in Manchester at the Union Leader Holiday Musical, and in New York City at Tappy Holidays. She also performed in the NE Tap show called Something to Tap About in Manchester, NH.

Jasmine Huffman Jasmine has been dancing with Creative Steps School of Dance since the age of 5, and has been a member of the Creative Steps Dance Company competition team since the age of 6. She studies tap, jazz, lyrical and ballet. Her greatest love is tap! Jasmine has competed all over New England and has won multiple special judges awards for her stage presence. Jasmine has performed solo's in tap since the age of 8 and won many top awards. Jasmine was a nominee of the CSTEPS Award of Excellence in 2008. Jasmine is also a straight A Honor Roll student at Rundlett Middle School. Jasmine has admired the New England Tap Ensemble since being introduced to the group in 2008, and is now thrilled to be part of the team! She is very honored to become part of the group at such a young age, and looks forward to many years of dancing with New England Tap!

Ryan Casey A graduate of Lexington High School, Ryan has been dancing for over twelve years under the direction of Thelma Goldberg, seven of them as a member of the Legacy Dance Company of the Dance Inn in Lexington , MA. He has performed at such venues as Tappy Holidays, Tap City , Deval Patrick's 2007 Artist's Ball in Boston, and with the cast of the touring show Tap Kids. In 2002 he received the Youth Aluminum Award at Tap City for outstanding dedication and commitment to the art of tap dancing. He has also written several children's plays for Marblehead Little Theatre in Marblehead , MA. He is 6'8" and, contrary to popular belief, does not play basketball.

Suzanne Boufard Suzanne Bouffard is a Boston-based tap dance performer, teacher, and choreographer, who has been called a "standout…for her effervescent pizzazz" by The Boston Globe. She currently performs with the New England Tap Ensemble and The Rhythm Section, and has been a member of the Footnotes Tap Ensemble and the Terpsichore Dance Troupe. Among her numerous credits are appearances in Clara's Dream: A Jazz Nutcracker, Tapestry, and the Beantown Tap Festival, and she has been a featured soloist with the Yoko Miwa Trio and the Wesleyan University Jazz Orchestra. Suzanne has taught at Boston University, Emerson College, Wesleyan University, and throughout the Boston area and hosts live tap and music jams at the Lily Pad in Cambridge. Previously, she had a successful acting career on Broadway. She holds a Ph.D. from Duke University and a B.A. from Wesleyan University.

Kelly Kaleeta Kelly grew up and trained in western Massachusetts, beginning her dance career at the age of six. She began teaching at her studio while still in high school. Heading east to attend Boston University, she received her BA in Environmental Policy in 2003. While attending Boston University, she began teaching in the Boston area and throughout Massachusetts. Kelly now teaches up and down the east coast and Canada doing master classes, conventions, and workshops, and performs whenever possible. Her students have won many regional and national awards, and a group of students have just returned from the World Dance Championships held in Reese, Germany this past fall. She is also a choreographer for the youth tap company, the Legacy Dancers, from Lexington, MA, who have performed at numerous festivals and shows across the United States.

Khalid Hill Khalid Hill is the founder and CEO of Kingdom Perspective Incorporated. As a professional tap dancer and actor, he has performed in a variety of theater productions. As a dance instructor and educator, he has taught master classes in tap dancing, lectured at colleges, choreographed for major productions, and led workshops and programs in the arts. His mission is to use the arts as a tool in drawing people to Christianity, and to empower other Christian artists to do the same. Khalid received his training from the Roxbury Center for the Performing Arts in Boston, and the New York Shakespeare Tap Institute (also known as Funk University) in New York. He has performed alongside Diane Walker, Jimmy Slyde, Derrick Grant, Wyatt Jackson and Savion Glover. His credits include Bounce (in Disney World), the first national tour of Bring in Da’ Noise, Bring in Da’ Funk, The Jerry Lewis Telethon, and recently he just finished performing in Invitations To A Dancer with Savion Glover. Khalid holds a bachelors degree in Management from UMass Boston. He has just entered his second year of graduate study at NYU as a candidate for the MA in Performing Arts Administration. Today Khalid is the proud husband of Janille Donna Hill, the proud father of his daughter Jayda Love Kaydance Hill (born July 29, 2007).

Sean Fielder Sean began dancing at the age of three at the Roxbury Center for the Performing Arts. At ten, he did his first performance with Savion Glover, Aaron Tolson, and Derick Grant. He was in FUNK U, Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk National Touring Company where he started as an understudy and then shared the lead role. Other credits include Missy Elliot’s video Rain, Jay Leno on New Years Eve, The Vibe with Sinbad, CNN World News and Debbie Allen and Dick Clark’s American Heart Association fundraiser. He is currently back in Boston dancing at Roxbury Center and Stagez.

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