The epitome of the Chicago tap tradition is that of Jumaane Taylor. Supreme Lovea tour de force that pushes the best of the best to their limits. When Andrew Carr was part of the original 2015 cast, he was just 11 years old. Always ahead of the curve, Carr has been choreographing since the age of 15 and went viral earlier this year with his video. Universe 4 Twofeaturing members of the MADD Rhythms company. Carr’s insatiable attention to detail and instinctive musicality pushed his seasoned and unrivaled excellence beyond the limits.
Business: MADD Rhythms
Age: 19
Hometown: Chicago
Training: Mayfair Art Academy, MADD Rhythms Tap Academy, After School Matters, The School at Jacob’s Pillow
A quick study: Carr started dancing at the age of 4. He credits training in tennis and piano as contributing to his rapid progression through MADD Rhythms’ programs. He was a senior member of the company before graduating from high school. “One thing I learned was how to identify fire,” says artistic director Bril Barrett. “I knew Andrew had it.”
Student life: Currently a student at DePaul University, Carr manages his schedule meticulously. Everything from her choice of school to course load and major is in service of dance. “With a marketing degree, I felt like it would allow me to advocate for myself professionally and access different spaces that I might not have unlocked yet in my career,” Carr says. “Even with my minor in sociology, it’s understanding and navigating these spaces that I infiltrate with my tap dancing and artistry.”
A musician above all: Carr is choreographing his first full concert for the 2024 Chicago Tap Summit in October. To love you in every way will explore tap as a language of love, with infatuation, family love, love of dance and self-love as some of the dialects. If the theme is his barometer, the music, a mix of live jazz, R&B and a cappella rhythms, is his guide. “Whatever the music says, I try to create choreography that preserves what the author meant. Choreography and improvisation assert themselves. To choreograph, you have to improvise yourself.
Out of office: Carr loves action movies and comic books, intentionally scheduling time away from school and dancing to spend time with her friends. “There’s this shed that my friends and I have – it’s like a garage with a sofa and a bunch of tap boards,” he says. “We’re going to go out and dance, play cards and spend time together. Quality time is something I value.
