‘Tap Dogs’ hoofs its way into Rio’s new Pavilion Theatre

Joe Delaney

Friday, April 21, 2000 | 8:56 a.m.

"Tap Dogs" was an unusual but excellent choice to open the Rio's 1,500-seat, all-new Pavilion Theatre, state-of-the-art with regard to ambiance, lighting and sound. This is the third time in Las Vegas for the tap-dance-in-an-industrial-setting extravaganza and the multiple award-winning production's finest outing to date. This is a limited engagement, ending May 9, at a most reasonable price, $39, tax included.

Australian creator and two-time Olivier Award-winning choreographer Dein Perry began tap dancing at age 4 in the town of Newcastle. At age 17 he got his union papers as an industrial mechanic and worked for six years before moving to Sydney to take his chances in show business. A success as a tap dancer in visiting Broadway musicals, Perry was given a small government grant and reached out for his friends, all of whom had day jobs, to join him.

The Sydney Theatre put Perry together with designer-director Nigel Triffitt and composer Andrew Wilkie. The result was "Tap Dogs," part party, part dance, part theater and part rock concert. The staging uses a series of industrial-type settings, with metal bars and platforms in unusual combinations.

The current company of six tap dancers-cum-working stiffs and two musicians features Dan Clemente as the foreman, leader of the pack and star soloist, plus Joshua Allen Cyr, Christopher Erk, Ryan Gravelle, Anthony LoCascio and Garon Michalitsis as highly individual gang members. This troupe is also the best of the three to play Las Vegas to date.

The rapid-fire sequence of events starts with Clemente's solo, followed by a Foot Dance, the Pack, Drumbeats, Six Solos, various combinations, a Latin segment, the tinkle (very funny) and so on for a total of 36 segments that combine humor, variety and a celebration of the tap dancing art, styled in an industrial motif.

One can more fully appreciate the talent and dexterity of the sextet when you realize that the Tap Dogs are wearing Blindstone boots, Australia's authentic work boot.

Check prices and you will appreciate the comparative bargain "Tap Dogs" represents. You can afford to take the entire family. There were full family units at the show caught.