Mr. Samuels Smith continues to tour the world with his own tap company formerly known as A.C.G.I (Anybody Can Get It); JaJa Productions Band; Chasing The Bird - A Charlie Parker inspired work; “Transformation: Rhythm’s Roots , a collaboration with critically acclaimed musician Owen “Fiidla” Brown (commissioned by the Charles & Joan Gross Family Foundation). He was commissioned by Harlem Stage to create Going The Miles in celebration of Miles Davis’ anniversary, and collaborated on NY Times Best of Dance touring work with Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Derick K. Grant and Camille A. Brown known as And Still You Must Swing. After 10 years of touring worldwide to sold-out audiences and critical acclaim, India Jazz Suites also billed as Fastest Feet In Rhythm has come to an end due to the untimely passing of great friend and co-star Kathak Master Pandit Chitresh Das (2015). The historic collaboration was memorialized in the critically acclaimed documentary Upaj:Improvise.
Solo and company Performances have included some of the world’s most prestigious venues including an exclusive 2-week sold-out engagement at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, The Joyce, Danse Encore, Royal Carre Theater in Amsterdam, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, The Apollo, Carnagie Hall, Lincoln Center, the New York City Center Fall for Dance Festival, The Kennedy Center, and at Sadlers Wells, Teatro Municipal in Brazil, Beizhan Theater in China.
Jason’s extensive work as an instructor/mentor has had an immense impact on opening the doors to many careers of successful working tap dancers in the industry today. In addition to ongoing classes on faculty at Broadway Dance Center (NYC) and special guest workshops at Steps On Broadway (NYC), he founded and developed the Tap program and Monday Night Tap Jam at Debbie Allen Dance Academy (LA) and has consulted on several founding Tap festivals, projects and events in order to help garner success in supporting venues that highlight rhythmic arts. Jason has also privately trained numerous artists in the industry as well as coached dancers to prepare for Broadway and beyond.
As a humanitarian, Jason has supported organizations such as Dancers Responding to Aids, Tied to Greatness, Career Transitions for Dancers, Groove With Me and Tap Into A Cure, and Witness, to name a few. As the first official Tap representative for BLOCH, he successfully designed, tested and developed his own professional tap shoe. Jason aims to promote lasting respect for the art form and to create opportunities for tap dancers, as he continues to provide leadership and open doors for Tap dancers around the world.
MUSIC FROM JAJA PRODUCTIONS:
JAJA Productions on MYSPACE
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