Today we’d like to introduce you to Nora Clark.
Nora, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Originally from Vermont, I started tap dancing when I was six. I competed and performed nationally in various styles but always gravitated towards the tap. In 2006, I moved to Chicago for college and began dancing with M.A.D.D. Rhythms, where I was a principal dancer and choreographer.
In May of 2010, I graduated with honors from Columbia College Chicago, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Writing and Producing for Television. A series of life circumstances brought me to Savannah. I started teaching right away but was also relentless about wanting to use my degree and pursue a career in film and television.
Ironically, I met the Producer that kickstarted my career WHILE I was teaching a class (he was using the dance studio to shoot a commercial). The balance of these two sides of my life has been a work in progress literally since that day.
The next chapter was spent working freelance in the film industry in Savannah, New Orleans, and Atlanta. I always came back to Savannah in between projects and continued to work with the Gretchen Green School of Dance- sometimes monthly and sometimes just once a year during the summer.
I had put some roots down in New Orleans though and was developing friendships with musicians and dance studios there – while still training and working in the industry. I was so impressed at how generous and willing New Orleans musicians were to share their knowledge of music and the city’s traditions, not to mention excited they to invite me to participate in various performances.
My friend Adam (Arrendondo) was one of those musicians. He immediately was interested in collaborating with tap dancers and created original compositions that included tap dance as part of the musical arrangement. He also wanted to learn from tap dancers about their process and approach. That introduction led them to their co-creation of Tap That Brass.
Tap That Brass, Inc. has now morphed from that idea to a 501(c)3 educational non-profit committed to preserving and promoting the art of tap dance. It is my contribution back to the art form- most recently in the form of live performance and hopefully eventually – documentary film.
I now live in Savannah, GA with my husband and daughter, where I still teach and choreograph for the competitive ensemble at the Gretchen Greene School of Dance, in addition to working as a Production Supervisor in film and television.
Let’s jump! was the inaugural fundraiser for Tap That Brass featuring Adam’s current band, The Jump Hounds, swing dancers Breonna Jordan and Ian Monroe, and the TTB Company. We paired live music and dance for a unique event, unlike anything Savannah had ever seen before.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have always had to work really hard to balance my professional career and my passion for tap dance. I was never fully invested in merging the two so it’s been especially challenging to find a way to excel at both and properly manage my time and energy. Sometimes, it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
The idea of a non-profit is so great until you realize how expensive everything is, haha. I’ve had to work really hard on managing my expectations and setting goals that are achievable.
That being said, I started working on a documentary in 2018 that I still haven’t finished. That feels like a challenge because it’s not finished yet and my standard for the project is so high. It’ll happen – it’s just still on the list!
I care very deeply about the art and history of tap dance and I want to see Tap That Brass give back to the tap community with this particular contribution.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a tap dancer in love with tap dance so I’m the proudest when I see that same love surface in students and audience members.
I love teaching and choreographing. I often feel like I’m offering something new and different than what they’re used to. Watching them take hold of that new interest is the most rewarding.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I LOVE Kara Loewentheil’s Podcast “Unf*ck Your Brain!” She is a Certified Master Confidence Coach and teaches thought work, productivity tools, etc. Especially great tools for high-achieving women. It’s the best!
I use the project-based organizational app OmniFocus, which has helped me store my to-do lists externally and not try to keep (and ultimately forget) tasks in my brain.
Currently reading Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown, which offers a lot of insight into the power of words and their actual meaning vs. common intended meaning.
Contact Info:
- Email: tapthatbrassproductions@gmail.com
- Website: www.tapthatbrass.org
- Instagram: @tapthatbrassinc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tapthatbrassinc
Image Credits
Seth F. Johnson, Mark Nguyen, and Mary Clare Kolbush
