Artist Detail

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Deborah Robertson

Choreographer - Dancer

About the artist:

Debby Robertson moved to Utah several years ago from NYC, where she was deeply involved in the rhythm tap scene beginning in 1979. After receiving her Master’s degree in dance education from Columbia University, she began intensive training in the jazz-tap style (now known as rhythm tap), studying with masters such as Brenda Bufalino, Charles “Cookie” Cook, Honi Coles, and Gregory Hines. She performed for many years with Bufalino in and around NYC, and was an original member of her company, The American Tap Dance Orchestra. Debby also performed for several years in the experimental tap works of Anita Feldman, and was a founding member of the company “NYCTapworks”. In addition, she has shared the stage and collaborated with tap artists such as Bill Evans, Joshua Hilberman, Heather Cornell, and Sara Petronio, among others. Though her childhood dance studies were centered in tap, she holds a BFA degree in modern dance from the University of Utah, and has spent many years teaching modern, jazz, dance history, etc on the college level. She is a part-time faculty member at Salt Lake Community College, and currently teaches a rhythm tap class for community members at Studio 600 in downtown SLC. In 2003 she was the first local tap dancer to be awarded an individual artist grant from the Utah Arts Council for a tap choreography project. In 2004 she produced the first “Percussive Dance” concert in SLC; a collaboration between tap dancers and Flamenco Company Tablado. In 2008 she was guest artist in Bill Evans' tap concert at the Rose Wagner Theatre, and in early '09 she produced and directed a percussive dance concert also at the Rose, etitled "Footwork". Debby participates in tap festivals and workshops nationwide,and studies with the greats of today. She is also the Utah representative for the International Tap Association, a service/professional organization dedicated to the needs of tap dancers.