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LEE HOW
Lee Howard, better known by his stage name Lee How, is a Chicago native Tap Dancer, Rapper, Songwriter, and Music Producer. He began his professional career over ten years ago as a tap dancer and is internationally known as one of world’s best of his generation. In the Fall of 2010, Lee bridged tap to rap with the release of his debut mixtape, Art Project and remains committed to sharing the art form globally.
The “Tap Whiz Kid” as declared by Dance Spirit Magazine recently shared his talents on national television as a guest performer alongside Emmy-Award Winner Jason Samuels Smith’s A.C.G.I. (Anybody Can Get It) on FOX’s hit series, So You Think You Can Dance. Other notable tap performance credits include: FOCUS Dance at The Joyce Theater, The Roxy Theatre, White Bird Dance, Fall for Dance – New York City Center, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, COCA Center of Creative Artists, Jacob’s Pillow Dance, Tap Reloaded Tour, CBS’s Secret Talents of the Stars, 2008 Jerry Lewis MDA National Telethon, Dance Chicago, Chicago’s African Festival, Chicago Tap All-Stars, DC Tap Festival, The St Louis Tap Festival, New York’s Tap City, Bradley Tap Festival, LA Tap Fest, Chicago Human Rhythm Project and Vancouver Tap Festival.
To stay connected with Lee How and to get exclusive music and videos, check out his official website LeeHowfasho.com.
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Kim Mattice Wanat - Voice Instructor
Kim Mattice Wanat has been a private voice instructor for over 25 years –specializing in the training of young singers between the ages of 8 and 18 yrs. She also specializes in training actors, having worked at the University of Alberta for the past 23 years teaching singing in the Bachelor of Fine Arts professional acting program.
In congruence with her love of teaching the vocal arts, Ms Mattice Wanat founded “Discovery Playhouse” a musical theatre training forum for young singers to develop their performing skills and then in 1999, she founded Opera NUOVA, a national operatic training program dedicated to the advanced training of emerging Canadian artists, bridging the gap between academia and the professional operatic world.
Her extensive study and first hand experience with “Radiant Performer” guru Wesley Balk and the world renowned systematic technique pedagogue Richard Millar inspired her to find a new methodology that would interface her technical vocal pedagogy knowledge with the expressive singer/actor techniques of Balk. Allowing these two opposing worlds to collide and compliment one another has spawned a completely inspired approach, which will be shared through her publication of a book entitled “Unleashing the Expressive Vocal Spirit”.
Her commitment to sharing her expertise with young vocal artists, actors, teachers and choral directors has earned her extensive recognition including Global Television’s Woman of Vision Award, The City of Edmonton’s Salute to Excellence in the Arts award, The YWCA’s Woman of Distinction in Arts and Culture Award and most recently as a chosen recipient by the Alberta Centennial Celebrations committee as 1 of 100 Albertans recognized for her significant achievement and contribution as a vocal educator and artistic director.
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Scott McAdam - Actor
Scott McAdam began his professional acting career over twenty-three years ago and is very pleased to bring that experience to the “Get that feeling Tap festival”. Scott will use his experience in storytelling and performance to help students discover the physical and emotional core of their performance, and offer tools to effectively translate that intention to an audience. Scott’s formal training was completed at the University of Alberta in their nationally renowned BFA acting program.
Select acting credits include.
Film and Television: Supernatural (CW), Heartland (CBC) Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee (HBO films) Confessions of a Go-Go Girl (Nomadic Pictures)
Theatre: Sherlock Holmes, The Wars (Theatre Calgary) Arsenic and Old Lace (Vertigo Mystery Theatre) Grease, Oliver (Stage West), The Barber of Seville (Edmonton Opera) Every Christmas Story Ever Told (Lunchbox Theatre) Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night, Taming of the Shrew, Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare in the Park Calgary)
 | Barbara Vargas – Tap Dancer Barbara’s love for dance was discovered at the age of three, which has evolved into a passion that has allowed her to travel thorough out North America and Europe. Some of her credits include: Edmonton’s International Jazz Fest, Crazy for You, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, White Christmas, Edmonton International Fringe Festival, and The Vancouver Tap Dance Festival. She has also had the opportunity to work on projects with featured artists: Tommy Lee, Brett Kissel, William Joseph, The David Foster Band,Raul Gomez, Niles Landgren’s Funk Unit, and Will Campa. Over the years she has had the chance to learn from world-renowned choreographers and teachers, many of them through interning. Her internships including: Tony Waag’s New York City Tap Festival, Jason Samuel’s Smith LA Tap Festival, and Bril Barrett’s Chicago Tap Summit. In 2006, she co-founded the “Tap Into A Cure Festival”, in Sherwood Park, Alberta, and is now co-founder of Breaking Barres
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 | Jamie Ausmus – Tap DancerGrowing up in Edmonton Alberta, Jamie has developed a well-rounded vocabulary in multiple disciplines, including tap, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop. She is one of the interns for the Chicago Tap Summit under MADD Rhythms’ director Bril Barrett and has been working with him annually for the past five years. She has choreographed a piece for Hip Hop Saved My Life, which toured China 2010. Recently she choreographed a flash mob for International Dance Day through the City of Edmonton. Jamie has performed in numerous events including Soaring with Song, featuring Brett Kissel, William Joseph and the David Foster Band. She was a featured tap dancer in Feats Festival’s Vistas in a piece choreographed by Bril Barrett, Made in Alberta in a piece choreographed by Lisa La Touche and was seen tap dancing at the Edmonton Jazz Festival’s Dance Party featuring Wil Campa and Nils Langdren Funk Unit and a pre-show performance for Trombone Shorty. She was part of the winning quartet of Virtual Rhythms for the Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s 20th Anniversary and a tap dancer in the musical production of White Christmas. Currently, Jamie and dance partner Barbara Vargas produce events through their company Breaking Barres; a dance production company educating dancers through workshops and creating unique projects and opportunities for artists in Edmonton. Through Breaking Barres, she is most proud of producing two full-length shows under the Prelude to a Kiss umbrella. Jamie continues to build her career as a dancer and works towards building a prevalent spot for tap dance in the Canadian dance scene |
