Encore 2026
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ENCORE 2026: Tap Dance Karaoke
Six world-class tap dancers. One impossible question. Zero idea what happens next — this is Tap Dance Karaoke, live
Max Pollak, Joel Hanna, Jessie Sawyers, Riley Skworoda, Bryn Kinders, and Matisse Quaglia are stepping on stage together and we're asking them the one question everyone dreams of answering: "What song was your anthem?"
You know that feeling when a song hits and it takes you right back to a place, a person, a moment you swore you'd never forget? For these six, the answers aren't nostalgic. They're strange, hilarious, and bring them back to the days when they dreamt of the big stages in far off countries, and conquering them all!
Then things get hilariously dangerous: Tap Dance Karaoke is back. Bigger. Wilder. Same brutal rules nobody knows who's calling the tune, and nobody knows what the tune will be. These are world-class performers thrown into total uncertainty, live, in front of you. That's the whole show.
This isn't choreography. This is six virtuoso dancers and dear friends improvising in real time, sharing stories you won't hear anywhere else, and proving that tap is the loudest language they know.
Backed live by The Dean Thiessen Trio. Hosted by Joel Hanna. One night only.
This show doesn't repeat. Get your tickets before they're gone.
The Players:
Max Pollak
Creator of RumbaTap. He fused Afro-Cuban rhythm with American rhythm tap, and the world took notice — Bessie Award nominee, U.S. Postal Service stamp honoree, the only non-Cuban member of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.
Joel Hanna
Most artists stay in their lane. Joel built a new road — through Riverdance, Broadway, Lincoln Center, and (literally) everywhere else, and now VanTap.
Jessie Sawyers
Seattle tap dancer turned global connector. She built a career on bridging idea and action — she once traveled five months with nothing but a tap board strapped to her back, teaching strangers to dance in eleven countries. Five original shows, and a company built to unlock people. Turns out rhythm needs no translation.
Riley Skworoda
Edmonton-born, Vancouver-made. Her global heart chased her passion for tap across Greece, Spain, and Chicago, and now leads VanTap's Competitive Choreography Program.
Bryn Kinders
Dancing since age two, tap won, by choice. Mentored by New York legends Barbara Duffy and Heather Cornell, she now spends her days making sure the next generation falls just as hard.
Matisse Quaglia
Tap dancer, emcee, entertainer. As VanTap's TapCo Director, he brings the same energy whether he's on his feet or on the mic and makes sure the room is having as much fun as he is.
The Band:
The Dean Thiessen Trio
Led by pianist and composer Dean Thiessen, whose training runs from Red Deer College to Berklee to Capilano University. A fixture of Vancouver's jazz and improvised music scene, he brings that same easy swing to every stage he plays — from theatre and dance productions to international tours across the US, UK, and India.
Six world-class tap dancers. One impossible question. Zero idea what happens next — this is Tap Dance Karaoke, live
Max Pollak, Joel Hanna, Jessie Sawyers, Riley Skworoda, Bryn Kinders, and Matisse Quaglia are stepping on stage together and we're asking them the one question everyone dreams of answering: "What song was your anthem?"
You know that feeling when a song hits and it takes you right back to a place, a person, a moment you swore you'd never forget? For these six, the answers aren't nostalgic. They're strange, hilarious, and bring them back to the days when they dreamt of the big stages in far off countries, and conquering them all!
Then things get hilariously dangerous: Tap Dance Karaoke is back. Bigger. Wilder. Same brutal rules nobody knows who's calling the tune, and nobody knows what the tune will be. These are world-class performers thrown into total uncertainty, live, in front of you. That's the whole show.
This isn't choreography. This is six virtuoso dancers and dear friends improvising in real time, sharing stories you won't hear anywhere else, and proving that tap is the loudest language they know.
Backed live by The Dean Thiessen Trio. Hosted by Joel Hanna. One night only.
This show doesn't repeat. Get your tickets before they're gone.
The Players:
Max Pollak
Creator of RumbaTap. He fused Afro-Cuban rhythm with American rhythm tap, and the world took notice — Bessie Award nominee, U.S. Postal Service stamp honoree, the only non-Cuban member of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.
Joel Hanna
Most artists stay in their lane. Joel built a new road — through Riverdance, Broadway, Lincoln Center, and (literally) everywhere else, and now VanTap.
Jessie Sawyers
Seattle tap dancer turned global connector. She built a career on bridging idea and action — she once traveled five months with nothing but a tap board strapped to her back, teaching strangers to dance in eleven countries. Five original shows, and a company built to unlock people. Turns out rhythm needs no translation.
Riley Skworoda
Edmonton-born, Vancouver-made. Her global heart chased her passion for tap across Greece, Spain, and Chicago, and now leads VanTap's Competitive Choreography Program.
Bryn Kinders
Dancing since age two, tap won, by choice. Mentored by New York legends Barbara Duffy and Heather Cornell, she now spends her days making sure the next generation falls just as hard.
Matisse Quaglia
Tap dancer, emcee, entertainer. As VanTap's TapCo Director, he brings the same energy whether he's on his feet or on the mic and makes sure the room is having as much fun as he is.
The Band:
The Dean Thiessen Trio
Led by pianist and composer Dean Thiessen, whose training runs from Red Deer College to Berklee to Capilano University. A fixture of Vancouver's jazz and improvised music scene, he brings that same easy swing to every stage he plays — from theatre and dance productions to international tours across the US, UK, and India.
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Where is it happening?
Orpheum Annex, 823 Seymour St, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherVancouver Tap Dance Society
