biography

Ellie Sciarra conceived and co-choreographed Taps Are Talking:Women In Tap, which she has produced three times in the Denver metro area. Sciarra originally trained with Brenda Bufalino, Danny Daniels, Henry LeTang, and Paul Draper and has worked nationally and internationally as a professional tap dancer on television and stage. She has toured the United States and Europe with NYC TAPworks, performed on Dutch television, in Draper on Tap for PBS, in Stephen Sondheim’s Follies at Lincoln Center in New York, and in Brenda Bufalino’s “The Buffalo Suite” at The Duke Theater in New York City. She performed Duke Ellington’s Sacred Music “Praise God and Dance” with the Monarch High Jazz Orchestra.

Most recently, Sciarra returned to the University of Central Michigan to teach Inside the Rhythms workshop. In 2011 she taught a week-long tap intensive in Manila, Philippines. She has been a guest teacher and choreographer at the University of Wyoming, Snowy Range Summer Dance Festival, American College Dance Festival, University of Northern Colorado, Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, and Black Hills Dance Theater. Sciarra has been an instructor for the Boulder Jazz Dance Workshop, Colorado Dance Festival, and New Orleans Jazz Project. In 2005, Sciarra received a Boulder County Arts Alliance Fellowship for her work.

Sciarra is the president of Taps Are Talking, Inc., whose mission is to promote, market and produce tap dance. Her passion and advocacy for tap and love of writing led to the creation of Sole Stories, a celebration of female tap dancers.

Sciarra’s most recent project Myths in Motion was created in collaboration with her colleague Danielle Heller to support and inspire tap teachers through workshops, teaching resources and private consulting. Sciarra continues to work nationally and internationally as a performer, guest teacher and choreographer.  She lives in Boulder, Colorado.