You use the story of your journey and the craft of tap dance to speak on ideas of identity, community, faith, and love. How does that help in evolving your stagecraft and taking it to the next level?
I believe that as artists we engage in a cycle of learning that begins with knowing a little about ourselves and a little about our craft. As awareness in one area increases, awareness in the other does as well. For me, the understanding of my own journey and the ideas of identity, community, faith, and love, relate directly to my understanding of how I relate to my own body as a dancer, how rhythm and tone relate to music and the emotions we feel when we listen to music, and how the arts relate to life. My stagecraft, is currently focused on using tap dance to bring stories to life and people together. Understanding my craft has given me the tools to attempt this current pursuit. Understanding stories and people have helped bring my craftwork to its current level, and hopefully to wherever it may lead next.
If you were to describe yourself, how what would that be?
I would describe myself as a hopeful romantic with deeply planted roots.
What have been milestones in your life? What could be your next milestone?
Some of the major milestones in my tap dance life include the first time I met Gregory Hines and Savion Glover (both would go on to become my mentors), my first solo performance in New York City, the founding of my tap dance company (Cats Paying Dues) and the Tap Legacy Foundation, and the receiving of the TED Fellowship in recognition of my work. My life is continuing to change. I have most recently been drawn to the use of my craft specifically for the service of people. I’m still exploring what that looks like exactly. That said, I don’t know what the next milestones could be, but I’m sure that it will be as surprising to me as the past ones have been.
Who has influenced you most in your life? Why?
Both my father, Joseph Nemr, and my mentor, Gregory Hines, have been great influences in my life. They exude the kind of love that I wish to see in the world, and hope to share over the course of my life. It is the kind of love that brings people together, that forges strong relationships, that desires to see good in the world and protect that which you love. They are also both very human, acknowledging their imperfections, while pursuing their respective interests with focus and intention.
Are you ambitious? If yes, have you chalked out your life? Does planning help?
I don’t consider myself ambitious in a career oriented sense. I have been blessed to accomplish a great deal at a very young age – achieving all of my childhood dreams and more. My ambition now is to be a part of other’s experiencing the joy of life, to help them fulfill their dreams, and to be someone who helps change the way we look at life. Because so much in my life has changed over time, I have not ventured to chalk out my life. Instead I have found that the best way to work is to set a general marker and then do the little work that is set before me daily. There is a lot of listening and a lot of responding in this way, and potentially a lot of change, as long term markers might change. That is good for me, as I always want to be open to rethinking the answer to the question “Am I in the right place? Doing the right thing?” and so whatever plans I might have are pursued with great focus and intent, but never strictly.
How have you tackled setbacks in life? What keeps you going? Have you ever wanted to give it all up and do something else?
Yes, I have experienced setbacks in life, and there was a time when I contemplated giving up on tap dancing all together. In those moments I was often reminded of and continue to rely on a sense of purpose, that my life – the opportunities and setbacks I have been granted – were because of something greater than myself. I believed then that there was a reason I was a tap dancer and I continue to believe that in and outside of tap dance there is a purpose to the work that is set before me.
