Jason Samuels Smith
Jason Samuels Smith (born October 4, 1980, New York City) is an American tap dance performer, choreographer, and director.[1]
Early life and career
Samuels Smith was born to professional performing arts parents Sue Samuels and JoJo Smith. He began his professional performing career at an early age through Frank Hatchett's Professional Children's Program at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. At a young age he had appearances on the television show Sesame Street and at the age of 15 was understudy to the leading role in the Tony Award winning Broadway show Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk.
Awards and recognition
He won both an Emmy[2] and American Choreography Award for "Outstanding Choreography" for the Opening number of the 2003 Jerry Lewis/MDA Telethon in a tribute to the late Gregory Hines. Samuels Smith was also awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the City of Los Angeles for creating the First Annual Los Angeles Tap Festival in 2003; a proclamation declaring April 23 "Jason Samuels Day" from the City of Shreveport, Louisiana; the "Ivy of Education" from Brainerd Institute; and the "President Kenny Award" from Stony Brook University. He was also the recipient of an Arts International Grant, an Alpert McDowell Residency Award, and the 2007 Gregory Hines Humanitarian Award among others.
Credits
In 2004, Samuels Smith co-starred in Dean Hargrove's award-winning short film Tap Heat. He was also a featured dancer in HBO/Universal Pictures release of Outkast's feature film Idlewild. Debbie Allen has featured his dancing in several productions including the AMC television series Cool Women, Sammy (a tribute to the life of Sammy Davis Jr.), and in a leading role of Soul Possessed with Patti LaBelle, Arturo Sandoval, and Carmen DeLavallade. He also founded the tap dance program at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Culver City, California, which is also the location of the annual Los Angeles Tap Festival.
Other performance credits include:
- Fox Television's series So You Think You Can Dance (special guest performer)
- The New York City Center Fall For Dance Festival
- Sadler's Wells Sampled at Sadler's Wells in London
- Savion Glover's NYOTs (Not Your Ordinary Tappers)
- Cross Currents: Turned on Tap at the Queen Elizabeth Hall - South Bank in London
- The 2002-2003 Harlem Jazz Dance Festivals' TAAP: The Art and Appreciation of Percussion
- The NY Tap Committee/Town Hall's 21Below! with Jennifer Holliday
- Thank You Gregory: A Tribute to the Legends of Tap
- The Cotton Club Returns: A Tribute to Great Jazz Legends
- The American Institute of Vernacular Jazz Dance Darktown Strutters Ball Gala
- The Career Transition for Dancers 20th Anniversary Jubilee
Samuels Smith performed in India Jazz Suites, a collaboration with Kathak Master Pandit Chitresh Das, and starred in the debut of Imagine Tap! at the Harris Theater in Chicago.
He founded the tap company A.C.G.I. (Anybody Can Get It) as well as JaJa Productions band featuring original jazz-influenced hip hop music, with appearances throughout the United States.
References
External links
- Archival footage of Jason Samuels Smith performing in Midnight Sun in 2009 at Jacob's Pillow
- Debbie Allen Dance Academy
- Los Angeles Tap Festival