Danny Nielsen
On Foot
Photo credits: Jeremy Fokkens
Danny Nielsen
Danny has been producing and presenting work since 2013 and also has toured globally as a soloist. Danny has two main mantra’s in his work. To use live musicians in his work and to make his work accessible to audiences. His full length first project Love.Be.Best.Free was created with the aid of the Santa Aloi Award for the Scotiabank Dance Centre and premiered at the DC in 2013. The show later toured on the Made in BC circuit in 2017 with the aid of Canada Council for the Arts. His most recent creation On Foot was molded in Calgary with the aid of Decidedly Jazz Danceworks Creative Residency program and premiered at DJD in October 2019. With the aid of Canada Council, the show also premiered in Vancouver as a part of Dance In Vancouver’s off programming.
On Foot
Created in 2019, On Foot presents tap dance in a traditional concert setting yet pushes the boundaries of the art form. Traditionally in a concert setting, tap dance is done to jazz music with each dancer calling a jazz standard and improvising to it.. Wanting to expand past the confinements of working to jazz standards, Danny Nielsen and Noah Franche-Nolan collaborated to create original music and new takes on old standards. Featuring choreography by Danny Nielsen and NYC’s Lisa La Touche, five of Western Canada’s finest tap dancers introduce audiences to the beauty of tap dance visually while engaging their auditory senses through the rawness of cutting edge improvisation, captivating rhythms and memorable melodies. Backed by a trio of some of Vancouver’s best musicians and lighting design/direction by one of Vancouver’s most brilliant dance minds Shay Kuebler, this high energy and fast paced show will leave audiences wanting more.
Photo credits: Dayna Szyndrowski
Performance History of On Foot
On Foot October 6th, 2019 Self Presented Decidedly Jazz Danceworks Calgary, AB
On Foot November 24th, 2019 Self Presented Roundhouse Vancouver, BC
Project Details
Project created by: Danny Nielsen- Choreography, Producer
Key Collaborators:
Danny Nielsen- Choreography, Producer
Lisa La Touche - Choreography
Shay Kuebler - Co Direction/Outside Eye/Lighting Design/Costuming
Vicky Adams Willis (DJD) - Outside Eye
Noah Franche-Nolan (pianist) - Musical Collaborator/Charts/Music Direction
Improvisation from participating dancers and musicians
Audience: Available to all audience members
Length in minutes: 60 minutes - Full-length piece
Space required: Company travels with 20ft x 8ft tap floor that breaks down into five 4x8ft pieces
This work is built for the theatre, although it is adaptable for the outdoors or alternate venues. It could also be an online show done from a theatre.
Preparation required: 1-day residency prior to performance day is needed, approx. 10-12 hours. There is a possibility set up/performance on same day if pre hang is done.
General technical requirements: The company travels with 20ft x 8ft tap floor that breaks down into five 4x8ft pieces. An in house, tuned piano would be a plus, if not, the company can travel with a keyboard. Lighting-wise, things have been kept fairly basic. The lighting in this show is adaptable to smaller venues with limited tech as well as larger venues
Availabilities: FALL 2021, WINTER 2022, SUMMER 2022, FALL 2022, WINTER 2023, SPRING 2023, SUMMER 2023
Number of performers on tour: 8 (5 dancers (including choreographer), 3 musicians)
Number of support staff on tour: 1 Tour Manager/TD
Community Engagement Activities
A community workshop for local dancers at studios in the area with experience and no experience supported by live music (ages 10-20 years old). An adult class could be provided if there’s interest. Any level could be taught from absolute beginner to advanced. Also, a lecture demo at local schools with a basic tap lesson (Grade 1-12). I also want to take the time in these classes to show footage and teach some tap history. It is important for us to acknowledge the dancers that came before us and their contributions to the art form.
Fun fact, did anyone know the moonwalk was first done by a tap dancer named Bill Bailey in 1955?
Cost/scheduling:
1. Community Workshop $200 for 1-1.5 hours. This would be best on a travel day (arrive in the afternoon and teach at night) or the tech day prior to performance, NOT on performance day.
2. Lecture Demo at Schools $1,000 for 1 hour (class, history, performance) This would be best on a travel day (if company arrives early enough in the day) or the tech day prior to performance, NOT on performance day.
Contact: Danny Nielsen, Dano.Nielsen@gmail.com
Website: danonielsen.wordpress.com
Facebook: Danny Nielsen
Instagram: dano.nielsen