Welcome to my blog for the latest news and journals of my adventures. In the sidebar, find posts listed by Categories or Tags, or use keywords in the search bar. Browse posts about classes and workshops, read snippets of personal accounts of gigs, find out about my progress on projects... capture a glimpse into my life as a polymath.
Best wishes,
Annette
The Rezidents developed out of an open jam at the Southbank Centre led by award-winning bassist and composer Gary Crosby OBE. I’ve been fortunate to attend these regular jam sessions and work with Gary on various projects.
It would seem that I hadn’t learnt my lesson in taking on big performance projects. I signed up to play violin for this event after seeing a callout for past and present student/volunteer violinists to take part from Goldsmiths, University of London.
Lo and behold I have parts to learn to play in the string orchestra, to be performed at the Royal Festival Hall on Friday 20th June. My first time playing in in this iconic hall. Excited much? You betcha!
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Thanks to all those who contributed to the Will Gaines’ Funeral & Wake Fund*
Annette Walker is our featured tap dancer at Mycenae House on Friday 13th June from 8pm. With the failing health of Will Gaines – tap dancing legend from Detroit – this was scheduled as a Benefit Concert with The Honkin’ Hepcats, Mick Foster and the Phil Mead Trio. Sadly on Wednesday 7th May Will passed away. However – The Show Goes On – as Will would have wished, now more in the form of a Tribute to, and Celebration of the life of this ‘King of The Hoofers’.
Royce Edward Gaines, dancer, born 6 April 1928; died 7 May 2014
Will Gaines (known as Willy Gaines until he relocated from the USA to the UK) was a bebop master hoofer, a tap dance legend from Detroit who settled in the UK and subsequently influenced the UK jazz tap scene including the London Tap Jam.
Dance UK and ADAD are now part of One Dance UK (since 2017)
I was delighted to take part in this champagne high tea, fundraising event for Dance UK and ADAD at the Royal Ballet School in Covent Garden, on Sun 6 April 2014.
A phenomenal £40,000 was raised with nearly £9000 of donations specifically towards Dance UK’s Healthier Dance Programme.
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Sunday 30th March 2014, 7:30pm showtime
London’s Hippodrome Casino, Leicester Square
I had a thoroughly fantastic time sharing the stage with talented female musicians at an event for women’s charities. There were two bands for the event. I put together a musical arrangement of “Cute” by Neil Hefti for the band incorporating Jessica Lauren on piano, Gail James on drums, Francesca Shaw on double bass, Vicky Cowles on tenor saxophone/flute, Natalie Verhaegen on alto saxophone and Lucy Morgan on trombone.
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By Annette Walker, professional tap dancer and teacher
www.annettewalker.co.uk
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Introduction
From October 2012 to April 2013 I’m one of 6 specialist dance teachers on a Continuing Professional Development course with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) for their new Dance for Lifelong Wellbeing project. So far I’ve taught tap dance to participants from the age of 50 to 102!
Dance for Lifelong Wellbeing: A tap dance teacher’s perspective
Read the article on the Dance UK’s website
I’m glad to have finally enrolled on the part-time diploma in jazz and pop at Goldsmiths College, which starts October 2011. I applied in July and had received an conditional offer (woohoo!) so was quite excited about starting the course. That was until I heard that another student had received a bill for £5000 because of already having a degree. What? That’s big fee inflation. A friend finally pointed me in the direction of something called ELQs – equivalent or lower qualifications and things began to look clearer but not better.
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