TAP DOGS continues to take the world by storm with their unprecedented tap show that combines strength and power with precision and talent. DEIN PERRY, creator and choreographer of TAP DOGS, won his first Olivier Award for co-choreographing the successful West End Musical, HOT SHOE SHUFFLE. Dein returned to Sydney to a subsequent offer from the Sydney Theatre Company to create a new dance show. Dein and the eclectic designer/director Nigel Triffitt teamed up and the result was TAP DOGS.
TAP DOGS was an instant hit at the Sydney Festival where it had its world premiere in January 1995 – it caused an equal sensation at the Edinburgh Festival later that year. TAP DOGS went on to play to packed houses at Sadler’s Wells in London; return tours of Australia; a West End engagement in 1996, for which Dein won a second consecutive Olivier Award for his innovative choreography; and an off-Broadway, New York season in 1997. TAP DOGS has won numerous International Awards, including a Pegasus Award at the Spoleto Festival in Italy and an Obie in New York.
Between 1996 and 2002 TAP DOGS toured the world with up to four companies at a time reaching audiences throughout the far-flung corners of Europe, Asia, America and Australia. The Australian dance sensation returned home in 2000 to take part in the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games. 1000 TAP DOGS from companies around the world performed to a record television audience of over 3.4 billion.
The TAP DOGS story has been immortalised in the feature film BOOTMEN, directed by Dein Perry. The film was financed by the Australian Film Finance Corporation and Fox Searchlight and distributed by Twentieth Century Fox. BOOTMEN was released in October 2000 and received 5 AFI awards.
In August 2003 Dein reworked the TAP DOGS concept by adding 2 female dancers and opened the new show TAP DOGS RE-BOOTED at Sadler’s Wells in London, RE-BOOTED went on to tour North America.
In 2005, TAP DOGS celebrated their 10th anniversary, delivering a national sell out tour of Australia. In the same year Dein was awarded the Australian Dance Award for Most Outstanding Performance for a Male Dancer.
2009 – 2012 TAP DOGS toured North America and Canada. 2010 saw the re-branded TAP DOGS with new costumes, new staging and unstoppable energy return to the West End of London for a sell-out season at the Novella Theatre. Following the West End, TAP DOGS returned home in early 2011 for an exclusive Sydney season at the Capitol Theatre to celebrate 16 years of uninterrupted touring.
In 2012 TAP DOGS toured France, Italy, Bahrain, Taiwan returning to Australia for a successful regional tour. 2013 kicked off with a residency at Jupiter’s Casino on Australia’s Gold Coast followed by a return season in South Africa. In the same year TAP DOGS was awarded the Outstanding Achievement in Commercial Dance or Musical Theatre by the Australian Dance Awards.
Plans are underway to celebrate TAP DOGS 20th anniversary by revisiting old stomping grounds across the globe.
