PRODUCTIONS

2003 GROOVIN' HIGH

Latest show from tap dancer extraordinaire/vocalist Tobias Tak and acclaimed jazz pianist/composer Marc Forde. By combining the raw energy of the Cotton Club (from the days when coffee cups held no coffee!), some Blue Note cool and a liberal sprinkling of Hollywood's Golden Age, they've got a recipe that has the audience swinging in the aisles. Over the years their show has evolved and now embraces all kinds of contemporary music. This is reflected in their large repertoire of sophisticated songs and dazzling routines. With Tobias' unique rhythmic vocal phrasing, dazzling tap routines described as 'poetry in rhythm', and Marc's groovy piano playing, they've long been recognised for their sophisticated performances.

The Rosemary Branch Theatre, London

1998/99 OUT OF THE BLUES

New show produced by Dance City Newcastle. Toured through UK. Dancers included Junior Laniyan, Johan Regnell, Tine Schröder, Donna Berlin and Stacey Dore. Musicians included John Crawford, Marc Forde, Davide Giovannini, Nico Gomez and Gareth Huw Davies.

Important venues: 1998 Queen Elizabeth Hall, London. Ross-on-Wye International Festival. Excerpts of show also danced by Tobias in 'Juba - the Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance', Athenaeum Theatre, Chicago. Cast included Savion Glover, Luke Cresswell, Diane Walker, Cholly Atkins and Prince Spencer. 1999 Tyne Opera House, Newcastle. Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry. Dance Caravan Festival, Holland. Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch. back to top

1996/98 TAPPING THE BLUES AWAY

Tours in Europe and UK. Dancers included Tine Schröder, Junior Laniyan, Benji Reid, Donna Berlin. Musicians included pianists Harry Paul Harris, John Crawford, Michael Weiss and Götz Allsman, bassists Martin Sheer and Nico Gomez, and drummers Jan Rolfing and Davide Giovannini.

Important venues: 1996 The Purcell Room, South Bank Centre, London. Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Main Theatre Dortmund. Percussive Feet Festival, Cochrane Theatre, London. 1997 Royal Festival Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Rhythm Sticks Festival, Royal Festival Hall, London. Senftöpfchen Theatre, Cologne. Tränenpalast, Berlin. back to top

1995 THE JAZZ HOTEL

This show toured Europe and UK. Dancers included Tine Schröder, Donna Berlin, Sandra Bossy and Maria Bossy. Musicians included pianist, Harry Paul Harris.

Important venues: Main Theatre, Dortmund. Purcell Room, South Bank Centre, London. Sadler's Wells, London. Theatre Museum in Covent Garden, London. Gala with London City Ballet at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London. Gala at Wimbledon Theatre. back to top

1994 TAKIN' A CHANCE ON TAP

Guest dancers included Jeanefer Jean-Charles and Dollie Henry. Guest musicians included acclaimed jazz saxophonist Alan Barnes, bassist Simon Woolf, and drummer Chris Fletcher.

Important venues: Purcell Room, South Bank Centre, London. Jersey Arts Festival. Gala with London City Ballet at Sadler's Wells, London. back to top

1989/93 SWING STREET

In 1989 Tobias created his first full-length show together with musical director/pianist Marc Forde. Guest dancers for this production included Jeanefer Jean-Charles, Philomena Papirnik and Marijke de Braal.

Important venues: 1989 German Tour accompanied by Marc Forde (piano), Tim Wells (bass) and Ernst Bier (drums). Dates included Senftöpfchen Theatre, Cologne. 1990 Edinburgh Fringe Festival accompanied by Maurice Horhut. 1991 Opera House, Dortmund. German Film Awards, Metropol Theatre, Bonn. Dance Umbrella Gala, Sadler's Wells, London. Ballroom Blitz, Royal Festival Hall, London. 1992 German Tour accompanied by Michael Weiss (piano), Martin Scheer (bass) and Thomas Gross (drums). Transatlantic Tap Festival, organised by Dance Umbrella. Excerpts from Swing Street performed at Riverside Studios, London, and at The Playhouse, Newcastle, accompanied by the Keith Saunders Trio from New York. Co-starred with Buster Brown, Manhattan Tap and Steps Ahead. Theatre Museum in Covent Garden, London. 1993 German Tour. (Musicians same as 1992) Exeter Theatre Festival. back to top

1987/88 ZOOTS AND SPANGLES

Tobias co-founded Lindy Hop Jive and Tap Dance company Zoots and Spangles with Ryan Francois. He choreographed various numbers for the company in which they were accompanied by various bands, including Humphrey Lyttelton's Big Band.

Important venues: 'A Night at the Cotton Club' at the Empire, Leicester Square, London (sharing the bill with Duke Ellington band singer, Adelaide Hall, and Harold Nicholas, of the famous Nicholas Brothers). Show in Leeds for John Ashford, director of The Place - Centre for contemporary dance in London. Kings Head, London with jazz tap dancer, Will Gaines. back to top