SHINICHI MATSUMOTO,2005,Solo Performance

Shinichi Matsumoto began his dancing life in 1983, while studying at Nihon University College of Art in the Cinema Department. That year he began to study tap with famed comedian and dancer Mitsuru Jin, Matsumoto also took classes with Shunny Parmisano .Matsumoto moved to San Francisco in 1986 where he studied classical tap with Stanley Kahn, a master tap teacher for over 40 years. Matsumoto studied with Mr. Kahn for over a year, learning classical tap technique and the wonderful routines so popular during the Vaudeville era. During his stay in the US and on subsequent visits, Matsumoto took master classes with Brenda Buffalino and Steve Condos, and participated in San Francisco and Oregon Tap festivals. Back in Japan in the 1990's, Matsumoto joined the Jam Tap Dance Company and performed in many stage shows under the direction of Kuniyasu Kato. Matsumoto studied direction and staging with Mr. Kato, who is famous in Japan for bringing tap great Jimmy Slyde from the USA to perform in the productions Jimmy Slyde/Keep On Dancing in 1996 and We'll Be Together! in 2004. Matsumoto served as Associate Producer on We'll Be Together. Beginning in 1991, Matsumoto teamed with Hideaki Anada to form Tokyo Rhythm Boys. In their performances TRB highlight the traditional male duo tap styles. TRB continues to be a very active performance team in the Tokyo tap scene. TRB have recently added an occasional third team member, composer and musician, Tomoyuki Asakawa, to perform innovative dance/instrumental numbers for tap and marimba. The threesome is known as Tokyo Rhythm Boys/Deluxe.