Gene Medler is founder and director of the highly acclaimed North Carolina Youth
Tap Ensemble (NCYTE), founded in 1982, and director of the N.C. Rhythm TapFestival. His teaching credits include Elon University NC (currently), DukeUniversity, Meredith College, St. Louis Tap Festival, American Dance Festival, Ballet School of Chapel Hill, the Saratov Music Conservatory in Russia, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, and the largest international tap festival in Europe held in Vienna, Austria. Gene recently taught in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Helsinki (Finland) and the NY City Tap Festival "Tap City,
2001" in conjunction with NCYTE's performances. Selected performance experience includes performances with the Squirrel Nut Zippers, solos in Duke Ellington's Nutcracker, Ellington's David Danced from his sacred music, Rising Stars of Tap (Colorado Dance Festival), and the Great Tap Reunion (Boston). Gene has received grants from the Durham Arts Council, the NC Arts Council, and the Orange County Arts Commission. He is featured in the March, 1998 Dance Teacher Now magazine, is a recipient of the News and Observer (Raleigh, NC) "Tar Heel of the Week," won the 1998 "Indy Award" for contribution to the arts awarded by the Independent Magazine. He performed a duet with tape legend, Brenda Bugalino, at the World Dance Festival (March, 99) held at the Town Hall Theater in New York City. Gene was also profiled in the September/October Carolina Alumni Review, can be seen in the upcoming PBS special "JUBA, Masters of Percussive Dance" (WUNC-TV) and was featured in the Spring 2001 issue of Southern Living.