Toni Lombre

BIO TONI M. LOMBRE, founding Artistic Director of Taps & Company, Inc. 1989 - 2008, (where Chloe and Maud Arnold received their early tap training) is currently Professor of Tap and Jazz for the Musical Theatre Department at Howard University, and was Instructor of Tap and Jazz at The Catholic University of America (1995-2007). Ms. Lombre taught Master Tap classes for the 1st Annual DC Tap Festival, 2009 - was a featured performer for the festival concert, and was featured on Fox Morning News. She made her Directorial/Playwright and Stage Manager debut for NE Performing Arts Group in 2006 where she co-wrote and was Head Choreographer for the show "Uptown Harlem, We're Movin' In" at the Lincoln Theatre. Also at NEPAG in 2009, she was a choreographer and Stage Manager for "Cats", a Michael Jackson Tribute, and the first staged musical of "Happy Feet", starring Baakari Wilder in 2008. In 2007, she was a choreographer and Stage Manager for "The Wiz of Oz" at the University of the District of Columbia. She played Sarabi and was co-choreographer in "The Lion King" (NEPAG). Most recently Ms. Lombre co-produced with Mercedes Ellington at the Kennedy Center starring Avery Brooks in "Such Sweet Thunder - Shakespearean Suite" and was in the company "DancEllington". In 2007 she choreographed "A Chorus Line" and in 2009 "Company" for Howard University's, Department of Theatre Arts and was the dance consultant and understudy for Debbie Allen in "Brother's of the Knight" at the Kennedy Center. Her Broadway debut was in "Uptown - It's Hot!" with Maurice Hines. She appeared in the production of "Play On" at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. Other featured musical choreography include "AMAS Repertory Theatre" in New York, "The Boyfriend" at The Catholic University of America, and "On the Twentieth Century" for Rockville Musical Theatre in Washington, D.C. With a host of Broadway, tours, regional shows, movies (Coming to America and Crocodile Dundee) and commercials Ms. Lombre has performed with some of the greatest tap dancers of all time including the Nicholas Brothers, Dianne Walker, Gregory Hines, Maurice Hines, and Savion Glover. She is also a choreographer for International Pageants (Jamaica, West Indies) , Master Class instructor of Tap and an Adjudicator for National Dance competitions.