Rod Ferrone is an actor, new vaudevillian and choreographer who got into
tap dancing at the urging of a Broadway producer who wanted to feature his
pantomime/dance act in a revue about Scott Joplin. The show required that he tap
as well and he began studying with Henry LeTang. The Joplin project never got
off the ground, but, fortunately, he discovered his love of hoofing. He put
together a solo act, utilizing jazz, improvisation, and comedy. He has since
danced for the stage, film and television and has performed with some of the
legends of the entertainment world, including Jimmy Slyde, Cab Calloway, Henny
Youngman, and Gregory Hines, among others. He was one-half of the comedy duo Hot
Foot, whose critically acclaimed show “Scorch Marks on the Floor” was seen
the world over. He has also performed on Broadway in the groundbreaking
phenomenon “Urban Tap” and as co-star of Feet 2 The Beat, which he founded
in 1996. Other credits include Dance Umbrella’s “Jazz Tap Hip Hop” and
“Cool Heat Urban Beat,” the JVC and Panasonic jazz festivals in NYC, guest
appearances at several National Tap Dance Day events, with the Minnesota
Symphony Orchestra in Morton Gould's “Tap Dance Concerto,” and in The
Kennedy Center’s Holiday Vaudeville show, to name a few. He also has a one-man
show in which he utilizes his other gifts (singing, guitar, pantomime, and hat
tricks) in addition to his dancing. He
has also given tap dance workshops and hat-trick workshops throughout the world
and has given lecture/demonstrations on tap dancing as part of Lincoln
Center’s Meet-the-Artist program.
Critics’
quotes:
“Ferrone is a vaudevillian as well as a tapper, rolling hat tricks and the image of Charlie Chaplin into his numbers.”
Iris
Fanger, The Boston
Herald
“…a vaudevillian wonder.”
Thea
Singer, The Boston Globe
“…Rod Ferrone is a vaudeville dandy playing sleight of hand tricks with his bowler hat that matched the crowd-storming magic of his feet.”
Judith
Mackrell, The Guardian (London)
Ria Theens, Rheinishe Post
“He
has the virtuosic feet, plus the grace, wit, showmanship and comic timing.
Rod intersperses his act with leaps in the air and smooth electric boogie
steps, he does hat tricks and dances with his whole body, Astaire-style.”
Heather
C. Liston, Dance
Spirit