The Skylark Tappers

Happy National Tap Dance Day!

Let's celebrate Bill Robinson and his contributions to this amazing dance form! If you haven't seen his Stair Dance, do yourself a favor and check it out today.

📷Annika Abel Photography

That's a wrap for Skylarks on Tap 2024! We had such a great time performing for some amazing audiences! We cannot thank , our Skylark Band, , and our volunteers enough for all of their support. We love working with all of you. Thank you!

Did you make it to our show!? What was your favorite number?

📷Annika Abel Photography

We can't wait to open our doors for you to see us perform Skylarks on Tap! Online ticket sales are closed but we will have tickets available for purchase at the door. Head to The Ball Black Box theater downstairs at The Judy. Showtimes are Saturday at 2pm and 7pm, and Sunday at 2pm.

Our show is almost here! Make your way downtown to The Judy at Northwest Children's Theater and enter through the glass doors on Broadway St. Take the stairs or the elevator down 3 floors to The Ball Black Box and grab your seats through the green doors. We can't wait to see you!

Come see Rachael perform at Skylarks on Tap! this weekend, April 20th and 21st at the Judy!

Rachael Singer-Brown is a director, choreographer, dancer, teaching artist, and movement coach. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Rachael started dancing at the age of three studying ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and modern. She graduated from American University with a degree in theatre, business, and education and a minor in dance. While in Washington, DC she performed and choreographed with Tappening and the Eldbrooke Artist Series (Joseph...Dreamcoat, Die Fledermaus). She also had the opportunity to study with tap legend Savion Glover while in DC. Rachael was the co-founder of the contemporary dance group PDX Dance Collective, which had a ten year run of sold out performances. Her most recent work includes co-directing Crave Theatre’s production of Bad World (June 2022) and choreography for Theatre Berk's From the Ruby Lounge and Crave Theatre's Red. She has also directed and choreographed dozens of children’s musicals including Multnomah Arts Center's Fiddler on the Roof, JR and Singin' in the Rain, JR. By day, she is the Marketing and Communications Director at Northwest Children's Theater.
📷Annika Abel Photography

Meet another one of our dancers!

Missy began tap dancing when her mom decided to sign her up for classes in addition to Missy’s preferred ballet and jazz classes. She could not be more grateful for her mother’s decision. After bouncing around a few studios, Missy called Dance Concepts in Connecticut her home studio, studying under Debbie Fratta and Amy Fratta. She has danced competively and taken master classes at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Missy was a member of the University of Connecticut Tap Team and led the team as president for a year and a half. She moved to Portland with her now husband in 2015 and began dancing with the Skylarks in 2016. Missy enjoys spending time with her husband, Joe, her daughter, Raewyn, and pup Mable Jean when she's not tapping! Come see her dance at our show next weekend, the 20th and 21st at the Judy!
📷Annika Abel Photography

What a treat we are all in for! Marilyn Keller is returning as our vocalist for our upcoming show next weekend, April 20th and 21st at The Judy Black Box Theater! Get your tickets today!

Marilyn Keller has been Music Director for the Gospel Jazz Worship at Augustana since 1991. She has been the Interim Youth Advisor since September of 2020. Marilyn's roots in Gospel, R&B, Soul, Jazz and Blues music are deep. Her formative training in the Performing Arts at MHCC and on the International stage helped build a career that spans 40 years. Marilyn is serving on the Board of Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble and The Portland Symphonic Choir to lend contemporary ideas and a voice of diversity and equity to both organizations. She is an Adjunct Professor of Vocal Jazz Improvisation at PSU and teaches Vocal Technique privately.

Come see our newest member's debut as a Skylark in Skylarks on Tap! April 20th and 21st at the Judy!

Dominique started tapping when she was 3, thanks to her mom who is a dance instructor! Dominique’s mother was eager to start sharing her love of dance with Dominique and she’s so glad she did because tapping is one of Dominique’s lifelong passions.

Growing up in Hillsboro, OR Dominique danced at the Portland Dance Academy and the Northwest Conservatory of Dance where she performed in annual recitals, local fairs, and community events and competed in state level tap competitions. SheI moved to Corvallis, OR to pursue her education to become a psychologist, and knew she needed to find a studio and was thankful to find the Pacific Tap Dance Company and performed with them for a year. Her last big move was to Hampton, VA to complete her pre-doctoral internship. Despite the grueling work of the internship, tapping needed to be a part of her life so she found Dance Works, a small studio in the Hampton Roads area. Upon returning to the Portland Metro area Dominique briefly danced at Moonstar Dance Studio before her mom encouraged her to reach out to the Skylarks. She had been looking for a group of adults who were also passionate about their craft and who would challenge her to improve her skills.

Dominique is so excited to be a part of the Skylarks! It feels like home to be surrounded by others who are truly passionate about tapping! She is looking forward to continuing to learn new styles of tapping and continuing to pursue her love for tapping.

When not dancing Dominique can be found at work providing clinical supervision for counselors to help them hone their counseling skills, running around with her almost 2-year-old daughter, and sneaking in a few minutes of reading while eating a Dove dark chocolate piece dipped in peanut butter.

Liz O’Donnell is a local performer and has been seen on stage in notable tap roles such as Daphne in Holiday Inn (Lakewood Theatre), Charity in Anything Goes (Sherwood Foundation for the Arts), Ensemble in Thoroughly Modern Millie (Broadway Rose), and Ungulata in the world premiere of Gruff (Echo Theater). As the resident choreographer for Newberg High School, Liz has had the pleasure of working on productions such as Matilda, Mamma Mia, The Spongebob Musical, Mary Poppins Jr, and Hello Dolly- adding in tap dance numbers wherever possible. Liz is the creator of bit.ly/pdxtapdance, a website resource devoted to helping adults find a tap dance class. She also works as a librarian for Washington County. You can follow her on instagram .dnce and watch her groove at our show coming up soon on April 20th and 21st! Get your tickets today!📷Annika Abel

Flash sale! A limited amount of tickets are available for our 7pm April 20th show for a reduced rate of $10.00! See the link in our bio to purchase your tickets today! This rate is available until April 17th or while supply lasts! 📷Annika Abel

Introducing our Director Judy!

Judy Tibbles (Artistic Director/Choreographer) is the recipient of the 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Dance Coalition of Oregon. She is also the Artistic Director/Choreographer for The Portland Tap Connection. Her tap dance history includes serving on the Board of Directors for Rhapsody in Taps in Los Angeles, volunteer work for the Portland International Tap Festival, helping to plan local National Tap Dance Day celebrations, the creation of two tap dance story plays with Dede Priest, dance studies with many renowned tap artists, and enjoyment of a special group of people in the world who share the urge to stomp the floor. Grandma Tibbles loves the Skylarks and invites you to enjoy the show. She would like to thank drummer Ron Steen for his encouragement for her to participate in the local jazz scene with tap dance improvisation.

📷Annika Abel Photography

Sheri began tapping with Eleanor Borg at a young age. She picked her shoes up again when she met Stacey Brown, and has been tapping ever since. She has been a member of the Skylark Tappers since 2015 and is also a member of the Portland Tap Connection. Additionally, she has attended various tap clinics and festivals, including Vancouver BC and Maui Hawaii. You can see Sheri do her thing at our show in April! See the link in our bio for tickets! 📷Annika Abel Photography

We are so excited to have our Skylark Band back for our show April 20th and 21st at the Judy! Joining us will be our musical director on keyboard, Jack Buddeke, Jeff Homan on saxophone, Rivkah Ross on drums, and Ben Medler on bass. Get your tickets today to Skylarks on Tap!

Meet another Skylark, Briana! Briana has been tap dancing since the age of 9 and is excited to perform in her sixth production with the Skylark Tappers since joining in 2013. Her ‘early years’ were spent studying and performing under the direction of Jillian Bateman on Bainbridge Island, Washington. She feels fortunate to have taken classes from tap masters such as Jimmy Slyde, Arthur Duncan, Brenda Bufalino, Dianne Walker, and Jason Samuels Smith by attending tap festivals across the US and Canada. Their teaching, wisdom, and stories continue to inspire and influence her style to this day. In addition to tap, Briana enjoys being outdoors and hiking with her partner, Ben, and pup Milo. Come see Briana at our Skylarks on Tap in April at the Judy! 📷Annika Abel Photography

Meet another one of our tappers! Becky started dancing when she was three years old at Duane Dance Academy in the San Francisco Bay Area. She studied tap, jazz, ballet, and hip hop and performed in many local and statewide performances and competitions, including the Miss California pageant, the California State Fair, and the San Francisco Olympic Club. She'd like to thank her parents for supporting her passion and a packed schedule for many years. While completing her bachelor’s degree at UCLA, she continued to take tap classes at the nearby EDGE Performing Arts Center. She has had the privilege of calling Portland home for the last eleven years, and calling herself a Skylark for the last eight. When not tapping, she runs The Impact Collective as a social impact strategist and coach. She loves plants, reading, great television, and simply being with her husband, Brian, and dog, Bailey. She is beyond grateful to Brian for supporting her love of tap and being her biggest fan! Becky will be shuffling those feet at our show in April, Skylarks on Tap! Be sure to get your tickets today! 📷Annika Abel Photography

Meet Alyssa! Alyssa has been with the Skylark Tappers since 2022. Alyssa started dancing in 2002 with The British Dancing Academy in Kent, WA. After starting in ballet (through 2008), Alyssa added tap in 2005 and has continued tapping to this day. Alyssa graduated from BDA in 2014 after 12 instructive, formative, and wonderful years. Since then, Alyssa tapped with multiple smaller studios before joining the Skylarks in 2022: Spectrum II Art & Dance in Moscow, ID; Dance With Joy in Sellwood, OR; and Multnomah Arts Center in Portland, OR.

Alyssa is beyond grateful to their parents, teachers, and peers who have continuously encouraged and enabled a love of dance through all these years. Dance, especially tap, is a core part of Alyssa's life experience and identity. Alyssa enjoys bouldering, karaoke, reading, embroidery, and video games during time not spent dancing – with spouse Brenden whenever possible. Come see Alyssa show off her moves at Skylarks on Tap in April!

📷 Annika Abel Photography

The Skylarks are busy rehearsing twice a week these days in preparation for our show. Tickets are available now for Skylarks on Tap 2024, April 20th and 21st at the Judy Black Box Theater downtown!

Tickets are officially available for Skylarks on Tap 2024! Performances feature live music and dance and will be held at The Judy downtown. Join us Saturday April 20th at 2pm and 7pm, or Sunday April 21st at 2pm for a can't miss show! Get your tickets now at https://skylark-tappers.square.site/

Happy New Year! We have survived the snowstorm and are busy rehearsing and planning for Skylarks on Tap 2024. Save the date for our shows April 20th and 21st. Tickets will be available soon!

We've got a show in the works for Spring 2024! Keep an eye out for more information in the coming months!

This past weekend the Skylarks had the opportunity to work with Addam Stell! We worked on technique and learned some upbeat choreo. We hope to work with Addam again soon!

Have you ever been interested in becoming a Skylark? Wondering if the group might be for you? Try apprenticing with us! Email us for more information - [email protected] 📷Annika Abel Photography

The past Sunday we got to jam out with Jack, our musical director, and work on our improv skills! We love jammin' with our musicians! It was also our last Open Rehearsal. We've had a great time getting to know our guest dancers and hope to see them in the future!

Another Open Rehearsal is on Sunday, 10/22. We'll be working on some improvisational skills as we love rocking out with our band!

Our second Open Rehearsal is this Sunday, 10/8! We're excited to work with our Musical Director, Jack Buddeke, and practice accessing our inner musicians!

What a great first Open Rehearsal! We loved meeting all the dancers that came out and are looking forward to dancing together in the coming weeks! We worked on some new choreagraphy from artistic director, Judy Tibbles!