Tap Dancer Wants To Inspire A New Generation of Dancers

Kenji Igus has been tap dancing since he was young. He was inspired after watching Savion Glover perform. PHOTO PROVIDED BY BROADWAY IN CHICAGO.
Kenji Igus has been tap dancing since he was young. He was inspired after watching Savion Glover perform. PHOTO PROVIDED BY BROADWAY IN CHICAGO.

Tap Dancer Wants To Inspire A New Generation of Dancers

By Tia Carol Jones

Kevin Igus saw Savion Glover perform in “Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk” and he fell in love with tap dancing. His father was a comedian, singer and dancer and had a connection to Gregory Hines. His mother supported his endeavor by getting Igus in contact with any dance instructor she could. He took dance at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, as well as the Tap Academy in Santa Monica, Calif. 

Igus started performing in small jazz clubs through Los Angeles at the age of 15, then attended University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he was a World Arts and Culture major. He worked with the Jazz Tap Ensemble and toured and taught dance in Africa for four weeks. He performed at Universal Studios Hollywood and did a residence at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas. 

The same way he was inspired by seeing Glover and having connections to Hines is how he hopes to inspire others who see him dance. Igus is performing in “Riverdance 30- The New Generation,” which will be running from Tuesday through Sunday, April 22nd to April 27th at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, which is located at 151 W. Randolph St. Igus is one of two tap dancers in the show, which includes the Irish Dance Troupe, as well as a Flamenco Dancer and a Dervish Ensemble. 

Igus said he remembered having a VHS tape of Riverdance when he was a child. A tap dancer who was already in the show reached out to him about the opportunity to participate in the show. Igus said that as a tap dancer, he represents the American dance. He said that by being a part of the show, doing the same choreography each time, he has found ways to keep it fresh and change it up while feeling free to do so.

“As much as the choreography has been really fun to do, there are plenty of parts where I get to still be myself and add my own flavor and character to what the script needs,” he said.

Igus said he really wants people to see the mastery involved in what the dancers bring to the stage and the cultural significance of dance. He wants people to appreciate the ability to watch live performances, especially since during the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of performances were watched on screens.

“Just even being able to see the sweat and hear the talking, and hear and feel the impact of the stage, and having a connection with an audience is something that you just can’t do through social media,” he said.

Igus wants for anyone attending a live show to walk away with the feeling that it is mandatory for society to interact and be connected. As a dancer, being part of a dance show that has such  longevity and such value to the world, is something he thinks is very special. He feels that in the arts and entertainment industry, dance is placed in the background when it comes to awards, appreciation and pay.

“When you have a dance show that takes care of the dancers like we’re the dancers that we are and also showcases us as the main event, that’s very refreshing,” he said. He wants people to be able to find appreciation involved with the movement.

Igus wrote an article “Tap is Timeless,” for Google Arts and Culture. During his time at UCLA, Igus’ focus was tap dance, tap dance history and tap dance and technique. Everything he did as part of his World Arts and Culture major was done through a tap dance filter. With the article, he was able to flex his academic side that he hopes to do more heavily.

For tickets to Riverdance 30 – The Next Generation, visit www.broadwayinchicago.com.


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