Danny Nielsen
Danny Nielsen is one of Canada’s brightest rising young tap talents. Originally from Calgary, AB, he began his rhythm tap career as a founding member of MADD Rhythms Canada under the direction of Lisa La Touche, with influences from Bril Barrett, Martin ‘Tre’ Dumas III, and Jumaane Taylor. At the ripe age of 20, Danny was hired as the Company tap trainer for the highly-regarded Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, which evolved into featured short choreographies for their productions of Tinge and Tone and 25. Proud to be contributing to the next generation of Canadian tap dancers, he is the inaugural ‘Artist In Residence’ with the Vancouver Tap Dancer Society, acting as the new Artistic Director for the youth company Tap Co. He has also taught and performed at Canadian Tap Festivals such as the Calgary Tap Summit, Tap Into A Cure, and The Vancouver International Tap Festival. Television credits include the worldwide broadcast of the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies and the opening number for the 2008 Jerry Lewis Telethon choreographed by Chloe Arnold in Las Vegas, NV. His most recent project is a collaborative improv-based show with tap dancer Jesse Sawyers and pianist Josh Rawlings entitled Stark Pulse.