Lane Alexander
Lane Alexander is an internationally acclaimed tap dancer, choreographer and master teacher. Mr. Alexander co-founded and directs the world’s largest and oldest annual festival of tap and percussive dance - the Chicago Human Rhythm Project.
Alexander co-produced the Emmy nominated PBS documentary, “JUBA! Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance”, was just awarded Chicago’s 2000 Ruth Page Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Field, was named one of ten Chicagoans of the Year in 1999 by the Chicago Tribune and was awarded the first ever Choreographic Fellowship for tap dance by the Illinois Arts Council.
In 1999, Lane completed a CD recording of Morton Gould’s Tap Dance Concerto with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra in Prague under the direction of Paul Freeman - the first recording of the Concerto in 50 years. He has performed the Concerto at Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Symphony Center with the Chicago Sinfonietta and with the Czech National, Colorado, Long Beach, Bratislava, and Chautauqua Symphony Orchestras among others.
Most recently, Lane completed a three-month tour of Europe, which included concerts and workshops in Paris, Helsinki, Prague, Milan, Heidelberg, Brussels, Zurich, Holland, Cologne, and Stuttgart. He will return to Europe in the fall of 2002 for a five-month tour and is creating a one-man show with the Bailiwick Theatre of Chicago.
Lane was on the adjunct faculty of Northwestern University and has taught for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, the Gus Giordano Dance Center, Columbia College, Northeastern Illinois University, Stephen’s College and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Lane has made dances for companies and soloists throughout the United States and Europe including Especially Tap Chicago, Tap Unlimited (Zurich), Macadam (Paris), Keane Sense of Rhythm (Minneapolis), Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble, Tappers with Attitude (Washington D.C.) as well as several other youth tap ensembles. He designs new tap shoes for Leo’s Dancewear.
Lane has served on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Dance Coalition, as a grant panelist for the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, as an International Tap Association Illinois State representative and is currently working on the International Tap Association’s Tap Interim/Historical Project as a moderator.
Lane has appeared with such greats as Donald O’Connor, Gregory Hines, the Nicholas Brothers, Buster Brown, Prince Spencer, Peg Leg Bates, Jimmy Slyde, Savion Glover and Luke Cresswell among others.
He studied with Laine Johns, Susan Beil Connally, Steve Condos, LaVaughn Robinson, Fred Strickler, William Orlowski, Dianne Walker and Sam Weber.