In less than a decade, Jason Samuels Smith (performer, choreographer, director) has emerged as a multi-talented leader in the Art form of Tap. He won both an Emmy and American Choreography Award for “Outstanding Choreography” for the Opening number of the 2003 Jerry Lewis/MDA Telethon in a tribute to Gregory Hines. Samuels was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the City of Los Angeles for creating the First Annual Los Angeles Tap Festival in 2003; a Proclamation declaring April 23rd “Jason Samuels Day” from the City of Shreveport, Louisiana; the “Ivy of Education” from Brainerd Institute; and the “President Kenny Award” from Stony Brook. He was the recipient of an Arts International Grant and an Alpert McDowell Fellowship Award and received the 2007 Gregory Hines Humanitarian Award. In 2004, Smith co-starred in Dean Hargrove’s “Tap Heat”, a dynamic award-winning short film available on DVD. Jason is also a featured dancer in HBO/Universal Pictures “Idlewild” starring Outkast.