Musings on Mastery with Andrew Nemr, Master Tap Dancer, Ted Fellow, Millennial

 Master Tapper Andrew Nemr

The New York Times described Andrew Nemr as a “masterly tapper”. Today, he is considered one of the most diverse tap dance artists. An international performer, choreographer, educator and speaker, Andrew:

• mentored with Savion Glover and Gregory Hines
• has played with Grammy Award-winning musicians across multiple genres
• danced at the
  • opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival
  • the Jerry Lewis Telethon
  • Winter Olympics Arts Festival
  • Nijinsky Awards in Monaco

To name only a few of his awards. On Inspired Wisdom, I’ve added show notes, links to Andrew's bio and several videos of Andrew tapping.

Tap emerged about 150 years ago. It’s an American melding of African and European percussive dance traditions. 

I didn’t know this history when I was a kid watching musicals from the 40’s with Sammy Davis Jr., Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Eleanor Powell, James Cagney and Ginger Rogers. In the movies, the characters experienced personal challenges. But, their love of dance and song helped them put life into perspective. Finding solace in music and dance during troubling times is a common theme for the artists on the Voice, So You Think You Can Dance and World of Dance.

Artists of all kinds inspire me to think about life from different perspectives and in a more holistic way. In business, we tend to spend a lot of our workday - heck years - in left brain activities. Meetings have agendas, we have roles and responsibilities, and processes and protocols.

Like dance and music, these rules of engagement serve a purpose. Yet, many of us also have a yearning to discover our creative voice and develop it during our workday.

Andrew says that “dance is not about technique, it’s about life and how dancing is a part of it.”

Andrew will share with us his personal journey 

• of self-expression and self-discovery
• from taking his first dance class at 3 years old and how that inspired his life-long love and commitment to tap
• his experience mentoring with Gregory Hines and Savion Glover

Finally, Andrew shares with us how trust, play, and fun impact his relationships and his performances with others. He also gives us advice on values, decision-making, and leading others.

If you want to engage your creative side at work and play, I know you will enjoy my conversation with Master Tapper, Andrew Nemr.

Please let me comments at Inspired Wisdom.

 

Cynder Niemela

Host of the Inspired Wisdom Podcast