KP Black(Krystyna Parafinczuk Black)
Producer, Artistic Director Dancinc., Inc.
Krystyna was born and raised in Chicago and has danced all her life with lessons starting at the age of five with Evelyn Lare. Convinced that dancing makes us and keeps us healthy and happy, she moved to Tucson in 2002 to investigate her ideas on dance training/education at the University of Arizona and to promote dancing and its many benefits to the community. When inspired to explore the infectious nature of boogie-woogie music and tap dancing, Krystyna had no idea that Tucson was a boogie-woogie MECCA! She is truly grateful to everyone who has been generous and shared their talent, knowledge and time to make this performance a success. There has been nothing more stimulating than to see the audiences that come out and support the dance and music events in Tucson. It's a great town to get down and BOOGIE.
Krystyna is married to Scott Black, jazz bassist, computer technician and web designer. When she has her tap shoes on, and Scott has his bass, they are their own "rhythm section!"

Frank Trent (Guest Choreographer) started in vaudeville at the age of four appearing with his parents in theatres, dance marathons, variety and road shows. In 1948, at the age of 13, he began his solo career with the Horace Heidt show. He learned the most from his father, but has worked with many other outstanding teachers and choreographers such as Nick Castle, Jimmy Payne, Tommy Sutton and Hermes Pan to name a few. Trent was the opening act for his first nightclub show at Chicago's "Casino of Tomorrow" at the age of 14. He went on to appear at all the major hotels, nightclubs and theatres in Chicago and the Midwest.

The Army called in 1954 and Trent was immediately drafted into the Special Service Entertainment Division. Together with Ken Berry (an old pupil of his dad), they were teamed up in many shows for the 3rd Army Special Services. While stationed in Nashville, he was also the performer and director of WSIX television.

After being discharged, Elvis Presley invited Trent to be a part of his tour for almost ten years. He also appeared on television with Arthur Godfrey and was in the road companies of "Up In Central Park" and "Oklahoma."

Upon retiring from his professional dancing career, Trent opened up a dance studio in Tucson, Danswest All Star Dance Academy, and has been teaching for more than 28 years. His students have been so successful at learning their craft that trophies, plaques, ribbons, medals and photos fill each of his three dance studios. Trent has also taught workshops internationally and nationally for the Professional Dance Teacher Association, Dance Caravan, Gotta Dance, and Stardust Dance Productions.

Professor Paul (Piano, Vocals) has been playing blues gigs since 1971. In the early '80s he played with most of the headliners in Chicago and was Big Walter Horton's regular piano player during the great harp player's last year. He is an author, filmmaker and plays occasional blues gigs in Tucson.

Michael Allen (Tap Dancer) is a nationally recognized performer, choreographer and author appearing at festivals and shows in all corners of the globe. He has choreographed many musicals including Annie, The Wizard of Oz and 42nd Street. He has appeared with such stars as Rip Taylor, Tommy Tune, Milton Berle, Robert Wagner, Jerry Lewis, Dick Shawn, Buddy Ebsen, George Kirby, and Sammy Davis Jr. Michael has performed with the Cleveland Pops and the National Repertory Orchestra. As protégée of Maceo Anderson, one of the original Four Step Brothers, he appeared in Tap Extravaganza honoring Maceo, Gene Kelly and Ann Miller in New York City. He has also appeared with Donald O'Connor and the vaudeville act of Ford and Hines last October in a PBS special.
Michael is the author of How to Make it in Musicals: The Insider's Guide to a Career as a Singer/Dancer.

Joe Bourne (Vocalist) was greatly inspired by Nat King Cole & Lou Rawls. He has shared the stage with such music greats as Natalie Cole, Ray Charles, Nina Simone, and Dianne Warwick. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Bourne had performed in Europe for 25 years where he received the Silver Orpheus in Bulgaria and the Jimmy Kennedy Award in Ireland for his exciting rendition of Gershwin's Summertime. We are now very fortunate to have him here in Tucson performing at concerts, dinner shows, and private parties. To learn more, log onto his website: www.joebourne.com. To purchase his CDs, log onto: www.cdbaby.com/joebourne

The HOT FLASHES are Tucson's internationally famous, award-winning senior women's tap performing company. They were formed in 1991 when Jean Johnson's dream became a reality. Together with friends and neighbors, they have perfected their skill and have entertained all over the world for conventions, fund raisers, national senior Olympics, cruises and commercials!!! To learn more about the company, log onto their website: www.thehotflashes.ws

Audrey Roberts (Soloist)
DANSWEST DANCE COMPANY

Audrey has been studying dance with Frank Trent for four years and is an advanced member of the Danswest Dance Company. She excels at tap dancing, and at 11 years old, has won several "over-all winner" competition awards on a national level competing against all styles of dance and achieving perfect scores.

Dance Magnificat (Boogie-woogie challenge with Michael Allen)

Lauren Baquet, Emily Baquet and Becka Martin are tap dance students of Michael Allen at Creative Dance Arts and perform with Dance Magnificat, a non-profit dance company dedicated to promoting dance arts within the Tucson community. Creative Dance Arts is owned and directed by Kandis Meinel.

Gotta Dance! Mini Tap Company (tap dance students ranging in ages 8-12)

Meghan Lloyd, Company Rehearsal Assistant, Kelsey Black, Kirsten Gaskell, Samantha Kariolich, Madison Kime, Josie Kishi, Kaitlin Lloyd, Sierra Sutton, Marisa Taylor, Jenna White and Hannah Zuern are students of Gotta Dance! Dance Academy. Tanya Fisher, owner and artistic director, is a recent graduate of U of A and founded the school in July 2002.

University of Arizona Tap Dancers

Sierra "Clickety-Clack" Abowitt grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, and came to the U of A in 2001 to study business. She aspires to become the first tap-dancing accountant on Broadway and will be signing autographs after the show.

Elen "Esti" Marsh is from Estonia (a beautiful country by the Baltic sea) and has moved to Tucson to pursue her interest in jazz and tap as a graduate student in the U of A Dance program. In Estonia, Elen founded and directed her own performing company and most recently has worked professionally as a dancer in Japan (where she met her husband, James).

Marie "Maxi" Miller grew up in Tucson, Arizona, and has been dancing for more than 17 years and is a former student of Frank Trent. As a member of his company, Marie has participated in many prestigious dance competitions throughout the U.S. and has performed in Europe and the Bahamas. Marie is a U of A student working on her BFA and teaches jazz and tap at Kids Unlimited.

Jennifer "Blue Eyes" Parrott grew up in San Jose, California, and received her dance training from Marie Stinnett. She is a junior at the U of A majoring in Speech and Hearing Sciences with a minor in Linguistics. Jennifer can also be found on the UA football field twirling her baton!

Nick "Taped Tap" Sarando is a senior BFA musical theatre student at the U of A. He has spent several years in California performing in professional theatre and here in Tucson with the Arizona Repertory Theatre and the Gaslight Theatre. Nick has also worked as a singer and dancer on the Holland America Cruise Line.

Casie "Stompin'" Squires graduated from Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts as a dance major and is pursuing dance as a minor at the U of A. She has trained and performed in all styles of dance - ballet, tap, jazz, modern and swing - throughout Houston with Dew Ann Cotton Dance Academy for 12 years.

Jenna "Jivin'" Tavares was born in California and has just arrived at the U of A after spending seven years in Bangkok, Thailand. In Bangkok she started her own tap dance program and taught for four years. Jenna has studied jazz, ballet, lyrical and acrobatics and her goal is to share her love of dance with others.