Live in Rhythm
featuring Shawn Byfield's national tap dance ensemble Funk Factory
Thursday May 24 and 25, 2007 shows at 2pm and 8pm, Toronto Centre for the Arts
There are many small dance companies around the world that rarely get coverage for their amazing work. Around this time of the year - April/May - is when these dance companies open their art to the world by presenting feature works of in-house resident artists and showcasing their year's work.
One of these dance companies is Funk Factory out in Toronto Ontario. Formed by Shawn Byfield and comprised by amazing dancers from around Canada, Funk Factory has come to be a prestigious group to be a part of for training, performance, experience and for audiences to enjoy their performances. Their dynamic style of dance is accredited to Mr Shawn Byfield when in 2006 he had a visionary dream to bring together these young, talented tap dancers to show Canada and the world how tap dancing can be brought into the 21st century. Early in their formation, Funk Factory had already danced at numerous events such as oronto's National Tap Dance Day celebration, the Parker Lee Fundraiser, the Feats Festival of Dance in Edmonton, St. Christopher House Music School and the fundraiser to end gun violence hosted by the Yonge Street Mission in Toronto. This small company features Kyle Brown, Rebecca Lewis, Carlos Bustamante, Juliana Kelly, Allison Bradley, Lindsay Kramer and Shawn Byfield from all feats of dance training from all around Canada.
Being the entrepreneur that he is, Shawn Byfield had formed the group to not only be performers and entertainers, but also to bring tap dancing to the community via teaching and education. With over 22 years of the industry's experience under his belt, Shawn Byfield can bring out the performer in you with his adult and teen hip hop, tap and numerous other styles of dance workshops and classes. Having tap danced with some of the style's best dancers and choreographers, such as Barry Lather, Henry LeTang, Danny DeVito, Heather Cornell, Marguerite Derricks and the late Gregory Hines, there is no doubt that the fusion of dance styles has brought Byfield into a hybrid style of funk and classic tap sounds.
On May 24 and 25, 2007 Toronto Ontario will be the location to be for this amazingly hip and edgy event as the Funk Factory performs in Shawn Byfield's original Live in Rhythm. Show times at 2pm and 8pm, there is every an available opportunity to catch the show. Please visit www.ticketmaster.ca for tickets to this limited event. And if you miss the Funk Factory this time around, please visit their website for future workshops and other events. Their unique and funked-up style is hard to miss - so don't miss out!
