Heather Cornell
Buster Brown called her “one of the best tap teachers in the world.”A living example of rhythm and style, Heather Cornell has apprenticed with many of the first generation of American Tap masters, toured the world performing, teaching, and choreographing, and forged a new style of tap.
And she had her beginnings here in Canada.
Trained in tap, ballet, and jazz, Ms. Cornell started her training at the age of four in Ontario with renowned teacher Dot Blakely. She then continued her training at Grant McEwan College in Edmonton and at Yale University in Toronto. Three months before graduating she moved to New York City, at first to study Cunningham contemporary dance, but was soon introduced to her first mentor – tap legend Charles “Cookie” Cook.
Since that fateful moment, Cornell has developed her style training and performing with tap masters Buster Brown, Eddie Brown, the Copasetics, the Silver Bells, Steve Condos, and Chuck Green. She has also appeared throughout the world with the likes of Honi Coles, Jimmy Slyde, the Nicolas Brothers, Gregory Hines, and Savion Glover.
Now you may not recognize all of these names, but let me assure you to a tapper this is a virtual who’s who list of the masters.
Heather Cornell is also known internationally for her collaborations with musicians such as Ray Brown, Leon Parker, Keith Terry, Bob Telson, and Keith Saunders on original jazz and world music compositions for tap. In her desire to further the connection between tap and music she became one of the pioneers of concert tap.
In 1986, she co-founded Manhattan Tap, a New York based ensemble of tap dancers and live musicians. As artistic director, principal choreographer, and principle dancer she was able to develop concert tap on the international stage.
Ms. Cornell is one of the leading tap teachers on the scene today. The blend of original material from her mentors, the development of her own style of concert tap, and her extensive work in collaborating with top musicians, results in a teaching style that is rich with tradition, experience, musicality, and inspiration. She established the Manhattan Tap Apprentice Program, which is responsible for training todayÕs generation of tap artists as well as cast members from Stomp, Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk, Tap Dogs, and Riverdance. She still travels extensively teaching residencies and master classes throughout the world.
A few other impressive details:
One of the only tap dancers to receive the coveted long-term choreographic “B” Grants from the Canada Council, Ms. Cornell was also the only dancer chosen for a joint NEA/Canada Council artists exchange program in 1995. She spent three months in Canada spreading the work of rhythm tap and its historical connection with dancers and musicians. Ms, Cornell also choreographed the Tony nominated Broadway comedy The Play I Wrote.
Currently, Heather Cornell is focusing primarily on solo projects, working with the Lewis Nash trio out of New York and with the Jeanne Federricci trio out of Aix en Provence, France. As well as an extensive schedule teaching, choreographing, and mentoring new tap communities around the world, she is also the mother to a 3 year old boy and a 5 year old girl. She is also setting up enrichment programs in the local public schools on New York, “just because,” in her words, “there aren’t any already and there just isn’t enough of the arts happening!”
Presentation given by Keri Minty at Tap Dance Day 2006