Meet the Team

Rashida Khan-Mann

Tap Director, Studio Assistant Manager, Instructor

Rashida Khan-Mann began her dance story at the age of 3. She trained in all forms of the art but fell in love and began to focus on tap dancing around the age of 12 when she was selected to join the Jazz Tap Ensemble’s Caravan Project, a company under the direction of tap master Lynn Dally. It was here she extensively trained, toured, and began to learn the history of the dance and understand the complexity and musicality of tap. She went on to perform with Rhapsody In Taps with Linda Sohl Ellison, with which she toured throughout the US, Canada, Japan, and Bali. This company also gave her the opportunity to train and share the stage with greats from the Nicholas Brothers and Buster Brown, to Gregory Hines, just to name a few. Rashida also enjoyed doing commercial gigs, such as tap/ hip hop shows for Disney and Universal Studios, TV shows for the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, and fulfilled her childhood dream of working with Michael Jackson in his short film/video “Rock My World”.

She is honored to have had the great opportunity of teaching and performing both nationally and worldwide, such as in Brazil and beyond. Rashida met Parris Mann (her husband, dance partner, tap co-director) when she performed in his show “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be”. They toured Russia, Lithuania, the Ukraine, and surrounding areas, making dance history as the first African American performers at the Kremlin.


Parris Mann

Instructor

 Parris Mann has recently appeared as one of the leads and co-stars in Sheldon Epps “Blues in the Night” musical revue, which had nearly two months of a successful run at the (Beverly O’Neil Theater in Long Beach, CA. and the Nate Holden Theater in Los Angeles, CA.). Parris D. Mann has toured the United States, Canada, and Europe as a principal dancer in productions of BLACK & BLUE, WILD WOMAN BLUES, RIVERDANCE/THE SHOW and JUST ‘n TIME. Parris’ Broadway credits include performances in RIVERDANCE on Broadway at the Gershwin Theater and THE JOINT IS JUMPIN’ at the Supper Club. Parris has been privileged to have performed with the legendary Lionel Hampton, Linda Hopkins, Mercedes Ellington in conjunction with being a company member of both New Jersey Tap Ensemble and Manhattan Tap. Tap dance legends Buster Brown, Jimmy Slyde, The Rhythm Queens, Lady Dianne Walker, Heather Cornell and a host of other Tap Dancers legends he has also had the pleasure of working with, mentored and trained by. Parris also participated in The Stardust Road Concert, a musical tribute to jazz legend Hoagy Carmichael, Tap City, LA Tap Festivals. He also participated in the production of a movie based on the life and music of the acclaimed Billie Holiday. In 2002-04 Parris served as an advisor and Adjunct Professor at the Dance Theater Department of Norfolk State University and collaborated in its stage production of FOOTPRINTS IN TIME.

Parris has also taught at Newark Community School of the Arts (Newark, NJ), ACES/Educational Center of the Arts (New Haven, CT), Broadway Dance Center (New York, N.Y.), Ocean Center for Performing Arts (Howell, NJ), Westside Dance Academy (Los Angeles, CA), Lula Washington Performing Arts School, Los Angeles (CA), Louisiana State University (as adjunct professor). Today, they “tag team” teach and direct, as well as choregraph many award- winning pieces for Elevation Studios and more. They enjoy bringing their energetic style and enthusiasm for the art form and all it encompasses to their students!