Dein Perry is an Australian tap dancer. He is founder of the recurrent tap dance production 'Tap Dogs'. His film credits include work done on the Australian movie Bootmen, as well as choreographic work on Happy Feet 2.

Early life and career

Perry grew up in Newcastle. He received dance lessons from the age of four. He left school at the age of sixteen to work as a Fitter and Turner, before moving to Sydney a year later to pursue dance[1]

Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony

Perry choreographed the tap dance segment "Eternity" for the Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony. The dance troupe was performed by the Tap Dogs and 1300 Tap Dancers led by Bootmen star Adam Garcia.[2]

Shows

  • West Side Story (1980) Dancer
  • Paint Your Wagon (1986) Dancer
  • Rasputin (1987) Dancer
  • My Fair Lady (1989) Dancer
  • Man of La Mancha (1990) Dancer
  • 42nd St (1991) Actor, Dancer
  • Hot Shoe Shuffle (1993) Choreographer, Dancer
  • Tap Dogs (1995 - Current) Owner, Creator, Director, Choreographer
  • Steel City (1998) Creator, Director, Choreographer

Films

  • Bootmen (2000) Executive Producer, Director, Choreographer, Actor
  • Happy Feet 2 (2011) Tap Choreographer
  • Dhoom 3 (2013) Tap Choreographer

Award

Perry won the Laurence Olivier Award for two consecutive years (in 1995 and 1996). At the time he was the youngest person to do so.[3]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1994 Best Short Program (Tap Dogs) Video Dance Festival of Strasbourg Prize Won
1995 Best Theatre Choreographer (with David Atkins for Hot Shoe Shuffle) Laurence Olivier Theatre Award[4] Won
Best Supporting Role (Hot Shoe Shuffle) Green Room Awards (Melbourne) Nominated
Best Original Choreography (Hot Shoe Shuffle) Green Room Awards Won
Outstanding Production at the Edinburgh Festival (Tap Dogs) Glasgow Herald Angel Award Won
Dance Performer of the Year Australian Green Room Award Nominated
Best Performance by an Ensemble Cast (Tap Dogs) Australian Green Room Award Won
Excellence in Live Performance (Tap Dogs) Australian Green Room Award Nominated
1996 Best Choreographer (Tap Dogs) Laurence Olivier Theatre Award[5] Won
Best New Production Off Broadway Theatre 1996 (Tap Dogs) NY Obie Award Won
Dance Performer of the Year[6] Mo Awards Won
Best Original Choreography (Tap Dogs) Green Room Awards Won
Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre (Tap Dogs) Mo Awards Nominated
1997 Outstanding Choreography (Tap Dogs) Drama Desk Awards Nominated
Dance Performer of the Year[7] Mo Awards Won
Most Popular Production at The Spoleto Festival (Tap Dogs) Pegasus Award Nominated
Entertainer of the Year Variety Heart Award Won
Australian Show Business Ambassador of the Year 1997 Mo Awards Nominated
Australian Performer of the Year Mo Awards Nominated
1998 Best Choreography (Tap Dogs) Australian Dance Awards Won
Dance Performer of the Year[8] Mo Awards Won
Show Business Ambassador of the Year (Tap Dogs) Mo Awards Won
2000 Best Film (Bootmen) AFI Awards Nominated
2005 Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer Australian Dance Awards Won
Best Male Dancer in a Dance Work Helpman Awards Nominated
Best Special Event Tap Dogs 10 Year Anniversary Helpman Awards Nominated
2013 Outstanding Performance in Commercial Dance or Musical Theatre (Tap Dogs) Australian Dance Awards (Tap Dogs) Won
Best Original Choreography (Hot Shoe Shuffle) Green Room Awards Won

References

  1. ^ "Celebrity Pets". ABC. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  2. ^ "'Bootmen' Kick-Start Opening Ceremony of 2000 Sydney Olympics". Fox Searchlight Pictures. 10 August 2000. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  3. ^ "Tap Dogs: Creative Team". Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  4. ^ "Olivier Winners 1995". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  5. ^ "Olivier Winners 1996". Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Mo Awards: 1996 winners". Mo Awards. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  7. ^ "Mo Awards: 1997 winners". Mo Awards. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  8. ^ "Mo Awards: 1998 winners". Mo Awards. Retrieved 4 April 2013.

External links