JAM CHRISTMAS FOLLIES

CHAELI ASHBY

A happy tapper with great aspirations…

How long have you been tap dancing?

6 years

How long have you been performing with Rhythm Nation Tap Company?

3 years

Who/where have your received most of your tap dance training from?

Wendi Isaacson

What is your favorite thing about tap dance?

I love the musicality of it all and the fact that we can be an instrument and a dancer at the same time! I love making funky rhythms; everything about it pushes me to be better and makes me stronger, so that’s why I love it!

Who is your favorite tap dancer and why?

My favorite departed tap dancer is Bunny Briggs because he’s so smooth, and I feel that he put humor behind his movement! He’s just a joy to watch and everything is so intricate and fast which I love! My favorite living tap dancer is Brendan Kellam because his rhythms hit so perfectly! He’s also the nicest person I’ve ever met! I aspire to be like him every day because he cares for you, but also pushes you to be the best person you can be!

What are your favorite hobbies, other than dance?

I love to read—especially historical fiction—I watch a lot of TV, and I love talking about psychology while eating Dino nuggets!

Do you have a favorite tap dance step? What is it/why?

My favorite tap step is a paradiddle because you can manipulate it in so many different ways, and because it’s just a feel-good step!

What is your favorite performance you have ever been a part of?
I loved being a part of “A Very Jazzy Christmas” in 2022 because I got to originate the role of Snow Queen and help choreograph her dance. Friendships deepened during that show and my knowledge of tap grew so much! It was a much-needed push that showed me how a show should run and it was a joy to be a part of it!

What is your favorite thing about being a member of a tap dance company?

All the friendships that I’ve made. I don’t easily open-up to people, but I can tell these people anything. I can count on any member of the company to come through for me! They truly are my tap family and I’m so grateful to have them in my life!

What things influence your tap dance style?

The tap dancers I learn from at tap festivals influence my dancing and the grooves of the music! I love to just flow with what comes out!

What future goals do you have for yourself?

I want to own my own tap company that puts of full length tap shows based on ballets as well as write my own shows! I also want to create a tap dance major course for university dance programs that incorporate learning about jazz and other fundamentals! Finally, I want to teach at tap festivals around the country and spread the love of tap through my chaotic energy!