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About

Jenai Cutcher

Jenai Cutcher
Tap dancer. Choreographer. Teacher. Journalist. Archivist.

Jenai Cutcher’s creative practice spans the page, the stage, and the screen and includes dancing, choreographing, teaching, movie making, writing, and researching histories of dance. In 2015, she became the founding artistic and executive director of Chicago Dance History Project, for which she received the 2019 Ruth Page Award. Jenai has performed with tap dance artists such as Brenda Bufalino, Michelle Dorrance, Barbara Duffy, John Giffin, Savion Glover, Derick Grant, Katherine Kramer, Max Pollak, and Lynn Schwab and her own choreography has been presented throughout the country. She has written articles for several dance publications including Dance magazine and the Village Voice, three dance books for children, and Columbus Moves: A Brief History of Contemporary Dance. Her first feature-length documentary, Thinking On Their Feet: Women of the Tap Renaissance, explores the work of the women who resurrected and revolutionized the art of American tap dance and continue to pioneer the field. Jenai has a BA in English and MFA in Dance, both from The Ohio State University. In addition to directing CDHP, she teaches tap dance and dance history and is an artist-in-residence with Chicago Park District.

Education 

BA, English

The Ohio State University

MFA, Dance

The Ohio State University

Executive & Artistic Director

A 501(c)(3) community-based digital archive of original and collected materials

Books, Documentaries, and  Other Publications

Columbus Moves: A Brief History of Contemporary Dance

Bob Fosse, Rosen Publishing

Gotta Dance: The Rhythms of Jazz and Tap, Rosen Publishing

Chicago Dance History Project - Producer, Director, Interviewer, Videographer

Thinking On Their Feet: Women of the Tap Renaissance - Director, Editor, DVD Author

CultuCuba - Director, Editor, DVD Author

Defining Standards: Documenting the Jazz Tap Legacy

Chicago Dance History Project: Local History/Digital History

Heard Before Seen: The Renaissance Women of American Tap Dance

Dance Heritage Coalition, Dance Teacher, Dance magazine, Dance Spirit, The Village Voice, Ballet-Dance, Columbus Alive

Choreography, Performance & Video works

Solo

Out of the Woodwork; Chicago, IL

International Festival of Arts & Ideas; New Haven, CT

Rebound Dance Festival; New Haven, CT

Summerstage; New York, NY

Symphony Space; New York, NY

Drums Downtown; Columbus, OH

Collaborative

Company works: Tap City, Rumba Tap, Barbara Duffy & Company, Ritmico

Independent works: Brenda Bufalino, Emily Coates, Michelle Dorrance, John Giffin, Savion Glover, Derick Grant, Kristina Isabelle, Katherine Kramer, Lynn Schwab, Ann Yee, Mark Yonally

Teaching

Northwestern University, Salve Regina University, Educational Center for the Arts, The Ohio State University, United Nations International School, Berger Park, Steps On Broadway, Peridance Center, Neighborhood Music School

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