Meet Angela Carter | Choreographer & Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Angela Carter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angela, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
15 years ago, Gregg Russell, Angela Carter, and Ryan Lohoff started Tap Into the Network for young artists who love tap dance. It’s a place where they can grow and develop their technique, skills, and even career. The company tours the United States hosting training events for students.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It’s been said many times that tap dance is a dying art form. It’s quite the contrary. In fact, there is a new generation of tap dancers coming up and they are ON FIRE! At the time we started Tap Into the Network, there weren’t many training event opportunities for young tap dancers. Our approach focuses on musicality, helping dancers develop their own personal style, improvisation, and fun.

I’m Angela Carter. Ryan Lohoff is my partner. This past year, we created the TITN Apprentice Program which is a year long container giving young dancers ages 16-25 opportunities to tour with us, learn from industry professionals, gain assisting and teaching experience, and more. We are most proud of this program because it, in the spirit of our late partner Gregg, mentors students and opens their eyes to new possibilities.

This year, we are celebrating 15 years of touring. Up until 2020, our business flowed. It was easy because we enjoyed working with each other, and our students. Our most challenging year (like many) was 2020. We lost Gregg and had to completely re-structure our company. Back-end struggles, financial struggles, mental struggles… you name it.

We learned that we have an amazing dance community supporting us. The amount of love we received was overwhelming. We learned that we can carry on in Gregg’s memory and continue with our mission of educating and sharing our art with dancers of all ages, abilities and skill levels. We learned that there is strength in unity. All of the students, parents, and teachers who attend Tap Into the Network continue to inspire us to reach for new heights.

We want the world to know that Tap Into the Network strives to create events that inspire artists to accept their own individuality. We’re on a mission to provide creative outlets where participants can express themselves in a safe environment – where they will be accepted for who they are. Our teaching methods increases students’ focus, creativity, confidence, skill set, musicality, coordination, and so much more.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Most of our friends are dance friends! So, we’d take them to our favorite studio in the area – Heather Wayne’s Performing Arts. Heather trains some of Georgia’s most talented dancers here and we love hosting events in her beautiful studio. We are hosting our Tap Into the Network “Tonality” event at this studio, where dancers will train and rehearse for a professional show we are producing just for them! The show will be held July 22 at The Venue in Friendship Springs, GA. It’s the most gorgeous theater facility and I would take any of my friends there for a tour. It’s a performer’s dream.

TONALITY will feature dancers from around the country. The week-long event is being produced by Angela Carter and Ryan Lohoff. Additional choreographers include Jensen Freedman, Ryan Vettel, and Jessica Benesch. Together, they are creating a brand new experience for tap dancers. Event attendees will get to perform in the first half of the show, while the second half of the show will feature 30 pre-professional apprentices. Non-stop action indeed and fun for the whole family!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We dedicate this story to our friend, mentor and partner Gregg Russell who passed away in 2020. He was an incredible force in all areas of the dance industry. Gregg was an accomplished performer, innovative choreographer, dynamic teacher, and trailblazing mentor. We built Tap Into the Network with him and now we move forward to keep his legacy alive.

Website: www.tapintothenetwork.com

Instagram: @titn_tapdance

Facebook: tapintothenetwork