Tap Artistry Project is a rhythm driven performance company dedicated to the art and evolution of tap dance. Founded by Heidi Glynias, a dance educator with over 40 years of experience, our adult ensemble unites to honor tap dance tradition while exploring its contemporary voice, blending history and innovation in performances rooted in rhythm, storytelling, and shared passion. Our dancers are former students who span 30 years of my teaching, coming together to embody Tradition, Artistry, and Purpose in motion.

This year, Tap Artistry Project is raising funds to support an exciting performance opportunity at Playhouse Square’s Dance Showcase, featuring Northeast Ohio artists and companies. Last year, we made history as the first ever tap dance group selected for this showcase, and it was an honor to share our work on one of Cleveland’s most iconic stages. We’ve submitted a new piece for consideration for the September showcase and will hear back in July. Our choreography, 'Ride Like the Wind,' was created during an intensive rehearsal process, inspired by my personal journey caring for my dad this past spring. The urgency of the music and the experience of loss shaped the narrative, transforming the dance into a reflection on life’s fleeting nature and the unstoppable current of time.

The piece moves with forward driving momentum, embodying the feeling of always being in motion like wind that cannot be held or slowed. Layered within this momentum are counter rhythms that reflect the imperfect nature of human relationships, moments of alignment, tension, miscommunication, and reconnection. At its core, the work explores life’s transience and the urgency embedded within it, reminding us to fully inhabit our relationships and experiences before they slip beyond reach.

We are raising funds to help cover essential production costs that bring this work to life, including white tap shoes for nine dancers (performance footwear essential to the visual and rhythmic design), costuming for the full ensemble, and design and seamstress work to create a cohesive stage look. The white tap shoes are a key part of the artistic vision, creating a striking visual contrast against the black stage floor and highlighting the precision, rhythm, and energy of tap dance. All dancers are volunteering their time and talent to bring this project to life.

Your support directly helps make this performance possible. Every contribution, no matter the amount, goes toward supporting local adult artists and ensuring this work can be presented at a professional level. If we exceed our goal, additional funds will go toward continued rehearsal, production costs, and future Tap Artistry Project performance opportunities. Thank you for supporting our dancers and helping us continue creating and sharing tap dance in Northeast Ohio and beyond.