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Your monthly dose of tap dance.

Celebrating Women’s Impact on Tap, Jazz, and Movement & Honoring a Year of Growth

Dear Mindful Movers,

Spring is a season of tribute, evolution, and affirmation. As we honor Women’s History Month past, we recognize the brilliance of the trailblazers who have redefined the artistry of tap and jazz. Women whose innovations have left indelible imprints on the rhythmic and cultural landscapes we inhabit today. Their work has not only carved new artistic pathways but have reinforced dance and music as living, breathing expressions of history, identity, and resistance.

This month also holds personal significance! Mindful Movement with Shanzell marks its first anniversary. One year ago, we stepped fully into creating a space that champions heritage while embracing the ever-expanding possibilities of movement. This journey has demanded faith, ingenuity, and courage, and it has been nothing short of transformative.

As we continue forward, I invite you to not only celebrate these pioneers but to actively engage with their legacies.

Let’s honor not only where we have been but also where we are boldly going.

With deep appreciation and rhythm,
Shanzell Q. Page

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Visionary Women in Jazz & Experimental Music

From the earliest pioneers to today’s innovators, these women have redefined jazz, expanded rhythmic possibilities, and deepened the connection between music and movement. Pianists like Geri Allen, Mary Lou Williams, Terry Pollard, Dorothy Donegan, Nina Simone, Valerie Capers, and Zenobia Powell Perry revolutionized the harmonic and percussive dimensions of jazz, while Hazel Scott and Eileen Orr infused classical precision into improvisational mastery. Melba Liston, Cynthia Robinson, Helen Jones Woods, Clora Bryant, and Carline Ray shattered gender barriers as instrumentalists and arrangers, shaping the backbone of jazz orchestration. The brilliance of Terri Lyne Carrington, Gayelynn McKinney, and Ragan Whiteside on drums and flute further illustrates how Black women have pushed jazz into new sonic territories.

Contemporary artists continue this legacy, blending genres and pushing boundaries. esperanza spalding, Endea Owens, and Marion Hayden redefine the role of the bass in modern jazz, while harpists Dorothy Ashby, Brandee Younger, Ayha Simone, and Myrtle Hart elevate the instrument beyond classical confines. Jazzmeia Horn, Samara Joy, Betty Carter, and Sarah Vaughan have carried vocal improvisation to new heights, while Moor Mother, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Melanie Charles challenge conventions with avant-garde soundscapes. Anessa Strings, Laura Simone Martin, Regina Carter, Nubya Garcia, and Bobbi Humphrey embody the future of jazz, merging tradition with innovation.

Each of these women has not only shaped the trajectory of jazz but has also influenced movement-based artists, reinforcing the profound relationship between rhythm, sound, and storytelling.

🎥 Historic & Modern Jazz Women in Action:

• Geri Allen, Esperanza Spalding, Terri Lyne Carrington (ACS Trio) - "Unconditional Love"

• Mary Lou Williams, Milton Suggs, Sy Oliver, Walter Perkins - "Meditation II"

• Brandee Younger, Rashaan Carter, Marcus Gilmore - Alice Coltrane’s - “Rama Rama”

1. 📖 Further Reading on Jazz & Black Women in Music:

   • Regina Carter - NEA Jazz Masters

   • Black Women Working Together: Jazz, Gender, and the Politics of Validation, Tammy L. Kernodle

   • The International Sweethearts of Rhythm by D. Antionette Handy

   • “Playing Like a Man”: The Struggle of Black Women in Jazz and the Feminist Movement

     Katherine Soules, Cedarville University

Tap Dancer Birthdays

🎉 Celebrating Tap Masters Born in March 🎉

• Ja’Bowen Dixon (March 15)

• Marion Coles of The Silver Belles (March 15)

• Karen Callaway Williams (March 17)

• Dianne Walker (March 8)

• Aaron Tolson (March 12)

• Ardie Bryant (March 20)

• Harold Nicholas (March 27)

Exciting News! 2025 Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant Recipient

I am deeply honored to share that Mindful Movement with Shanzell has been awarded the 2025 Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program grant, an affirmation of our commitment to preserving, celebrating, and passing on the traditions of Black American vernacular and tap dance.

This apprenticeship will be carried out alongside one of my dedicated students, Justin Strozier, whose growth, curiosity, and talent represent everything this work is about. Together, we will explore tap dance not just as an art form, but as a living archive rooted in community, innovation, and care.

This is a promise: to keep the rhythm alive, and raise up the next generation of artists, and to honor the legacy we’ve inherited with excellence, joy, and intention.

Stay tuned for more as this journey unfolds through mentorship, performance, and community-based offerings that carry tradition forward.

Pioneers & Legends (Early 20th Century - Mid-Century Masters)

Dr. Jeni LeGon, Mable Lee, Tina Pratt, Edith ‘Baby’ Edwards, Cora LaRedd, Flossie Burke, Lois Bright, Jewel “Pepper” Welch, Josephine Premise, Edwina ‘Salt’ Evelyn, The Whitman Sisters (Mabel, Alberta, Essie, and Alice), Eleanor Powell, Mercedes Ellington, Ann Miller, Ginger Rogers, Harriet “Quicksand” Browne, Jane Goldberg, Pearl Primus, Katherine Dunham, Frances Nealy.

Modern Visionaries (1980s - Now)

Dianne Walker, Dormeshia, Brenda Bufalino, Barbara Duffy, Michelle Dorrance, Michela Marino Lerman, Chloe Arnold, Ayodele Casel, Quynn Johnson, Karen Callaway Williams, Germaine Goodson, Heather Cornell, Acia Gray, Kandee Hogan, Robyn Watson, Lynn Dally, Roxane Butterfly, Starinah “Star” Dixon, Josette Wiggan-Freund, Liberty Styles, Idella Davis, Alyse Jones, Sharon Rushing, Lisa La Touche, Asha Griffith, Deborah Mitchell, Sara Savelli, Sarah Petronio, Leelah Petronio, Karissa Royster, Pamela Yasutake, Donetta Jackson, Claudia Gomez, Roxy King, Gisele Silva, Bianca Revels, Naomi Funaki, LaTasha Barnes, Camille A. Brown, Maud Arnold, Sarah Reich, Tasheena Thompson, Emani Davis, Sa’Rah Hamilton, LaCresia Brown, Julia Thacker-Mann, Aryonna Grier, Cecily Herchek, and Kyleigh Vickers.

Black women have shaped tap dance in immeasurable ways, from Jeni LeGon breaking racial barriers in Hollywood to Mable Lee dazzling audiences as one of the first major Black female soloists. The Whitman Sisters revolutionized Black vaudeville, launching the careers of many legendary tap dancers. Dianne Walker, Dormeshia, and Brenda Bufalino carried tap into the modern age, ensuring its traditions were passed down with integrity. Michelle Dorrance, Camille A. Brown, and Michaela Marino Lerman continue innovating, blending history with contemporary movement, while Chloe Arnold and Ayodele Casel amplify tap’s presence in television and activism.

Beyond these legends, women continue to shape tap dance’ future. Their work stands in the lineage of vernacular movement, ensuring that tap dance remains alive in performance, preservation, and innovation.

Many of the women listed above have had a meaningful impact on my growth. Both directly & indirectly. Whether through mentorship, artistic influence, or the example they set in their work and dedication to the craft. Most especially through the power of elevating others in their stories. Their artistry, integrity, and leadership continue to shape my approach, performance, and education.

This list is not exhaustive, and I recognize that there are many others whose contributions to the art form are invaluable. To celebrate these women is to recognize not just their individual achievements but their collective impact on the art form. Their rhythm lives in every step I take, and for that, I am forever grateful.

Tap Dancing America, Constance Vallis Hill

🎥 Archival Footage of Tap Dancers

Dr. Jeni LeGon

📌 One of the first Black women to star as a solo tap dancer in Hollywood films.

• 🎥 Jeni LeGon – Rare Interview & Performance with Fayard Nicholas
  🔗 Watch Here

Mable Lee

📌 Queen of the Sounds, and Broadway star, known for her high-energy tap style.

• 🎥 Mable Lee excerpt in '“By Word of Foot” by Jane Goldberg
  🔗 Watch Here

• “The Cat Can’t Dance” (1945) with Deryck Sampson and his Orchestra

Tina Pratt

📌 A tap dancer known for her jazz-infused footwork and storytelling through movement.

• 🎥 Tina Pratt – The Harlem Blues & Jazz Band January 1983 Tour in Germany, Kenny Dorham’s “Blue Bossa”
  🔗 Watch Here

Brenda Bufalino

📌 A protege of Honi Coles and major force in tap revival movements.

• 🎥 Brenda Bufalino & The Paul Arslanian Quartet
  🔗 Watch Here

Donnetta "LilBit" Jackson

📌 Chicago-born tap dancer, and actress moves with fire, finesse, and an unapologetic connection to footwork and stage traditions.

• 🎥 Watch Donnetta "LilBit" Jackson: Live Performance of Tap + Footwork
  🔗Watch here

Michelle Dorrance

📌 A rhythm tap dancer known for her incredible rhythmic style and visual and sonically modern concert tap shows.

• 🎥 Michelle Dorrance - Teacher's Solo live on stage at the Pumpwerk in Wilhelmshaven during the 5th Taptastic! Tapdance Festival.
  🔗 Watch Here

Pamela Yasutake

📌 A Seattle-raised tap dancer whose artistry flows from Broadway stages to grassroots classrooms bridging rhythm and responsibility in everything she does.

• 🎥 Pamela Yasutake Comes to the Black Media Matters Studio to Teach Besa Gordon How to Tap Dance
  🔗 Watch Here

Dormeshia

📌 A quintessential leader in tap dance bridging historical traditions with the current generation, constantly breaking ceilings and making innovative works.

• 🎥 Dormeshia at the 4th annual Jersey Tap Fest's main stage event, TAP 'N TIME! August 24th, 2013 via Jersey Tap Fast, Youtube

• 🔗 Watch Here

Michela Marino Lerman

📌 A tap artist giant of my generation continuing with the composition of original music, using tap dance as a percussive instrument into the contemporary jazz world.

• 🎥 Red Clay, Shim Sham Jam at The Kitchen in NYC
  🔗 Watch Here

Josette Wiggan-Freund

📌 A brilliant tap dancer, and Los Angeles native - Josette’s work fuses Black vernacular dance, live jazz, and spiritual connection. She continues to lead as a cultural educator and performer across the globe.

• 🎥 Josette Wiggan at the Swing Time Ball Beijing (2019)
  🔗 Watch Here

Naomi Funaki

📌 A powerhouse tap dancer from Japan who brings elegance, fire, and absolute clarity to every phrase. A student of the masters and a voice of the future.

• 🎥 Naomi Funaki – "Voices Rising: What's Next for Asian Americans in the Arts?"
  🔗 Watch Here

Quynn Johnson

📌 Hailing from Flint, MI, Quynn Johnson is an award-winning performing artist, author, and teaching powerhouse. With roots in D.C. her work spans tap, poetry, and arts integration. She is a force in shaping the next generation of arts leaders through education and rhythm.

• 🎥 Quynn Johnson – Shine your light
  🔗 Watch Here

Chloe Arnold

📌 Emmy-nominated choreographer, tap dancer, and director, she is the founder of the all-female tap collective Syncopated Ladies, whose viral performances have redefined what’s possible in tap dance and mainstream media amplifying the power and presence of women in rhythm.

• 🎥 Chloe Arnold Hernando's Hideaway performed at Jacob's Pillow October 6, 2009
  🔗 Watch Here

Dianne Walker

📌 Known as our beloved “Lady Di of Tap,” a master of musicality, tradition, and storytelling through rhythm.

• 🎥 Dianne Walker “Lady Di’ Walker in documentary “JUBA!” 2000
  🔗 Watch Here

📚 Further Reading & Historical Archives

• Tap Legacy Foundation – Official Archive of Tap Dance History
  🔗 Visit Here

• National Museum of African American History & Culture – Black Tap Dancers
  🔗 Explore Here

A Year in Reflection.

One year ago, I said yes.

Yes to the vision I had been carrying for years.
Yes to a space rooted in legacy, love, and liberation.
Yes to creating something that feels like truth.

Mindful Movement with Shanzell was born from a calling and a need to create something that reflects the fullness of my values. To reimagine what dance, education, and community can look like when it is first of all fun, but rooted in care and divine integrity.

While we launched September 1st.. the past SEVEN months have been abundant with growth, gratitude, and clarity. It has shown me that when you move from alignment, everything you need starts rising to meet you.

To every student, supporter, and collaborator, who has shown up in any way, THANK YOU! You’ve made this first year feel like more than a beginning. You’ve made it feel like arrival.

📅 Join me on Instagram Live this Sunday (@mindfulmovementwithshanzell) on April 6th for a special anniversary celebration + Q&A. Let’s reflect, laugh, and speak life into this next chapter.

Upcoming Events & Classes

📅 Virtual & In-Person Offerings

• Mindful Movement Wake-Up Stretch – 6 AM, twice a week ☀️ sign-up

• Tap Fundamentals & Rhythmic Exploration – Tuesdays at 6 PM

• The Art of Tap (Adult Class) – Mondays at 5 PM

• Stay posted on socials for upcoming pop-up & performances!

📝 Booking is open! Sign up at Mindful Movement with Shanzell.

📅 April 6th – One-Year Anniversary Live Event
Join us on Instagram Live (@mindfulmovementwithshanzell)!

Closing Notes

I feel very fortunate to live this life, and to be in tune with the tradition of my ancestors. The spirituality of the dance is something that is always evolving for me, and I am always reaching for where it is taking me.

This mark of one year is a celebration of time passed, and a reclamation of truth and vision.

Mindful Movement with Shanzell was born from a need to create something that reflects the fullness of my values, my heritage, and the legacy I walk in. It is a space that holds space. A place that centers what so often goes unnamed.

But silence does not erase spirit, and omission will never cancel legacy.

I carry the stories of many, the known and the unsung. And I move forward with reverence, knowing that this work isn’t just mine. It belongs to those who came before, those beside me, and those still on their way.

While my personal journey drives everything I do, it was important to create an organization that could serve the wider community in meaningful ways. My approach [to dance education] is about joy, and encouraging others to embrace their individuality and explore their creativity without rigid constraints.

I envision a space where marginalized communities dismantle harmful narratives and build authentic autonomy around their wellness. I wanted to create a program that uplifts those often left on the margins, providing an inclusive environment where individuals can explore their authentic selves.

I believe innovation requires permission, and I aim to provide a place where creatives feel empowered to push boundaries, express themselves freely, and grow both as dancers and as people.

Let’s keep dancing toward something whole.

With gratitude, rhythm, and a heart full of honor,
Shanzell Q. Page
Founder & Artistic Director, Mindful Movement with Shanzell