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ABOUT US

"The premier youth tap ensemble in the world."

- Michael Horowitz

President, Board of Directors, Chicago Human Rhythm Project

Founded in 1983 by award–winning Artistic Director Gene Medler, the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble (NCYTE) captivates audiences with a dynamic blend of cutting-edge contemporary choreography and traditional rhythm tap.

OUR HISTORY

Founded in 1983 by award–winning Artistic Director Gene Medler, the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble (NCYTE) captivates audiences with a dynamic blend of cutting-edge contemporary choreography and traditional rhythm tap.

Over the past four decades, NCYTE has toured extensively across the United States and around the world — performing in Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, and Mexico. The company has also toured and collaborated with renowned ensembles such as the Greensboro Symphony, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Mallarmé Chamber Players, and the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra.

NCYTE alumni — including tap virtuosos Michelle Dorrance and Jason Janas — have gone on to perform on Broadway and international stages, carrying forward the ensemble’s legacy of excellence. The list of choreographers who have contributed to NCYTE’s repertory reads like a who’s who of the tap world, featuring legends such as Savion Glover.

Our founder, Gene Medler, has received numerous honors for his contributions to dance and his achievements as a dance artist through NCYTE. He received the JUBA Award from the Chicago Human Rhythm Project — often called the Academy Award of the tap dance world, and in 2024, he was honored with the prestigious Hoofer Award. May 25th — National Tap Dance Day — has been officially recognized as Gene Medler Day in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

NOTABLE ALUMNI INCLUDE:

Elizabeth Burke & Luke Hickey

Award-winning duo.

Michelle
Dorrance

MacArthur Fellowship "Genius Grant" recipient; founder Dorrance Dance.

Jason
Janas

Multi-award-winning dancer and choreographer; global campaign choreography includes Gucci, Gap, Apple, and Sony.

Jared Grimes

Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominee;
Chita Rivera Award and Astaire Award winner.

OUR STAFF

Click on a headshot to read the epic bios & background of each team member.

Emily Shoemaker

Artistic Director
.
Emily is a proud Alumna of NCYTE (2001), performing and traveling with the company for seven years. Highlights of her tenure with NCYTE include performing at tap festivals in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil; Vienna, Austria; Helsinki, Finland; Chicago, St. Louis, and New York, and being featured in the PBS documentary “Juba! Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance.” Emily has a passion for tap dance and has continued to study tap dance and music theory throughout her career. She has taught at many tap intensives and festivals, including the Little Rock and Syncopate Tap Festivals, and has served as a faculty member at the West Coast Dance Explosion and Streetz Dance Convention. Emily has been the Tap Director at CC & Co Dance Complex in Raleigh, NC, for 20 years. She has proudly watched her students go on to win Academy Awards and Tony awards, break boundaries in the world of dance, and, most importantly, become well-rounded and confident human beings.

Emily Jane Acree

Managing Director
.
Emily grew up dancing in eastern Pennsylvania and was fortunate enough to train with Gene Medler as a young adult. Her performance and choreography work has taken her to many regional and professional theatres throughout the East Coast. She has had the opportunity to teach and perform in NYC, as well as tour internationally with urban contemporary company, Vissi Dance Theatre. Driven by a passion for storytelling through movement, Emily shares her love of tap through teaching at the NC Dance Institute and the FuquayVarina Arts Center. She also freelances as a teaching artist, educator, and is actively researching the historical and cultural connections between jazz music and tap dance through her ongoing project, Relative Rhythms. She is honored to work with NCYTE and help support its mission to inspire and connect audiences around the world through tap dance.

Caroline Vance

Assistant Director / Volunteer & Costume Coordinator
.
Originally from Durham, NC, Caroline began as a student of Gene Medler in 1999 at the Ballet School of Chapel Hill. In 2008, she joined NCYTE as a dancer and graduated from the company in 2012 before attending UNC Chapel Hill. After graduating, Caroline returned to NCYTE as assistant director, working alongside Gene Medler. Since 2016, Caroline has taught students of all ages throughout North Carolina. She currently teaches preschool dance, tap, and musical theatre at Barriskill Dance Theatre School in Durham. She has traveled with NCYTE to various festivals and events across the country, and has had the privilege of teaching at the North Carolina Rhythm Tap Festival. Caroline is extremely grateful for the opportunities NCYTE has provided, and is proud to work among such talented young dancers. Perhaps the greatest gift, however, has been her friendship with the person who taught her to love tap dance, Gene Medler.

Zoe Foote

Legacy Director & Rehearsal Assistant
.
Zoe is from Raleigh, NC and began tap dancing in 2005. She was fortunate to study with Gene Medler in Raleigh, later following him to the Ballet School of Chapel Hill. Zoe was a member of NCYTE from 2009 to her graduation in 2017. She attended George Washington University and graduated with a B.S. in Public Health. She returned to NCYTE as a volunteer in 2021, and is currently serving the company as Legacy Director and Rehearsal Assistant. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with Gene, Emily, and Caroline, and especially grateful to work with the current company members.

Gene Medler

Founder Director Emeritus
.
Gene Medler founded the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble in 1983. His previous teaching credits include Elon University, Duke University and Meredith College. He is on the faculty at The Ballet School of Chapel Hill and has taught master classes at the St. Louis Tap Festival, the American Dance Festival, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Tap City in New York City, the Saratov Music Conservatory (Russia), Tap Encontro (Rio de Janeiro), The Hot Shoe Show (Vienna), Feet Beet (Helsinki), the Internationales Steptanz-Festival (Berlin) and the Heidelberger Steptanz Festival (Heidelberg). Gene has also taught at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Selected performances include solos in Duke Ellington’s “Nutcracker,” Ellington’s “David Danced,” “Rising Stars of Tap” (Colorado Dance Festival), and “The Great Tap Reunion” (Boston) as well as an appearance with the Squirrel Nut Zippers. He has been seen nationwide in the PBS special, “Juba! Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance.”

Gene has received grants from the Durham Arts Council, the North Carolina Arts Council, and the Orange County Arts Commission. He has been featured in such publications as Dance Teacher Now, Carolina Alumni Review, Southern Living, and Our State.

Gene Medler has received numerous honors for his contributions to dance and his achievements as a dance artist. His accolades include being named “Tar Heel of the Week” by The News & Observer; receiving an Indy Arts Award from The Independent; the North Carolina Dance Alliance Annual Award; and the JUBA Award from the Chicago Human Rhythm Project — often called the Academy Award of the tap dance world. In 2024, Gene was honored with the prestigious Hoofer Award, and May 25th — National Tap Dance Day — has been officially recognized as Gene Medler Day in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Gene started dancing at the age of 28 and was quickly bitten by the tap dance bug. He was entranced by the combination of movement, rhythm, and sound. He started the ensemble because he wanted to offer his students more opportunities to perform and wanted to expand his own teaching and choreography. After nearly 40 years, he still loves mentoring young dancers and is thrilled with the journey NCYTE has taken him on.

OUR BOARD

Robert Perera
President of the Board

Robert Perera serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble (NCYTE). He brings extensive experience in leadership, education, and research administration, along with a passion for supporting young artists and fostering community through the arts. As Board President, he is committed to advancing NCYTE’s mission of preserving and promoting percussive dance forms while nurturing the next generation of dancers and leaders. In addition to his work with NCYTE, Robert serves as Interim Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Biostatistics at the VCU School of Public Health, where he leads faculty, students, and staff in innovative research and educational initiatives. He resides in Richmond, VA.

Heather Justus
Vice President of the Board

Heather serves as the Vice President of the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble (NCYTE). She has a wealth of marketing and communications experience and a deep commitment to fostering the next generation of tap dancers and leaders. As an NCYTE alumni, she is dedicated to NCYTE's mission of preserving and promoting percussive dance forms. In addition to her role at NCYTE, she is the Marketing Director for Skanska USA Building, where she loves building things that matter. She lives in Raleigh, NC with her family and dogs.

Board Members

Kelly Carter

Michelle Dorrance

Josh Hilberman

Kara La Fleur
Alexander McLachlan

Aftan Freeman Winters

OUR COMPANY

NCYTE COMPANY 2026

ABOUT US

"The premier youth tap ensemble in the world."

- Michael Horowitz

President, Board of Directors, Chicago Human Rhythm Project

Founded in 1983 by award–winning Artistic Director Gene Medler, the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble (NCYTE) captivates audiences with a dynamic blend of cutting-edge contemporary choreography and traditional rhythm tap.

Read more >

OUR HISTORY

Founded in 1983 by award–winning Artistic Director Gene Medler, the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble (NCYTE) captivates audiences with a dynamic blend of cutting-edge contemporary choreography and traditional rhythm tap.

NOTABLE ALUMNI INCLUDE:

Elizabeth Burke & Luke Hickey

Award-winning duo.

Michelle Dorrance

MacArthur Fellowship "Genius Grant" recipient; founder Dorrance Dance.

Jason Janas

Multi-award-winning dancer and choreographer; global campaign choreography includes Gucci, Gap, Apple, and Sony.

Jared Grimes

Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominee; Chita Rivera Award and Astaire Award winner.

OUR STAFF

Click on a headshot to read the epic bios & background of each team member.

OUR BOARD

Robert Perera President of the Board

Heather Justus Vice President of the Board

Board Members

OUR COMPANY

Michelle
Dorrance

Jason
Janas

Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominee;
Chita Rivera Award and Astaire Award winner.

Robert Perera
President of the Board

Heather Justus
Vice President of the Board