Dein Perry
If you are not familiar with the phrase ‘percussive dance’, just take a look at how Dein Perry has transformed what is more commonly known as ‘tap dancing’. Perry grew up in the industrial steel town of Newcastle, Australia. He studied tap from an early age, but earned his certification as a fitter and turner in anticipation of a life as an industrial machinist. Perry left Newcastle for Sydney to become a dancer, and spent several years performing small chorus parts in musicals. His first break came when he was cast in the Sydney production of 42nd Street. In 1991, he was awarded a grant from the Australian Council Development to develop a dance piece that was the genesis of the Tap Brothers in Hot Shoe Shuffle. Perry continued to develop a unique style of tap that incorporated aspects of his childhood in an industrial town: dancers wore boots instead of conventional tap shoes, and the choreography was extremely athletic. He went on to become the youngest recipient of an Olivier Award for Best Choreography in 1995 (Hot Shoe Shuffle) and 1996 (Tap Dogs). Tap Dogs went on to play London’s West End, and has toured all over the world. Steel City, directed, choreographed and performed by Perry premiered in 1998, and in 2000 he created his first feature film, Bootmen. That same year Perry was selected to choreograph a segment of the Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremonies.
