Founded in 1993, Urban Tap was the creation of Tamango (also spelled Tamangoh), who was born in Cayenne, French Guiana, in 1961. He moved to Paris at age nine and began his formal education in art. It was there that he was formally adopted by a French baron and given the name Herbin Van Cayseele. He began tap dancing in his early 20s at the American Center in Paris, later relocating to New York City. After performing in clubs throughout the metropolitan area, Urban Tap made its theatrical debut at The Kitchen in 1999 and has since toured widely. Tamango has shared the stage with legendary tappers including Jimmy Slyde, Gregory Hines, Chuck, Green, Buster Brown, and Lon Chaney. Describing Urban Tap, he wrote, “Like tap dance, the Lindy hop, break dance, and rap, it’s improvised and it’s real.”
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