Guest Artists

Marshall L. Davis Jr.

Marshall L. Davis Jr. headshot

Photo courtesy Marshall Davis, Jr.

About

Marshall L. Davis, Jr., began tap dancing at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center in Liberty City, Florida. By the age of 11, he was the 1989 Florida winner for the Tri-Star Pictures Tap Day contest, a promotion for the movie Tap. At age 13, he won the coveted title of "1991 Star Search Teen Dance Champion." Marshall had the pleasure of performing with Harold “Stumpy” Cromer at the Guthrie Theater as Pocket in the musical Babes in Arms. Later, he joined the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Bring in Da' Noise Bring in Da' Funk choreographed by Savion Glover and directed by George C. Wolfe. Marshall is the protégé of the late Steve Condos of the "Condos Brothers.” He has also received guidance from James “Buster” Brown, Edwin Holland, Paul Kennedy, Ted Levy, Lavaughn Robinson and Sam Weber. Named "Most Unusual Dance Soloist" by The Miami Herald for his rendition of the "Morton Gould Tap Concerto," Marshall is also the recipient of Isaac Hayes’ “Breaking the Barrier” award. He serves on the faculty of Queens College, Manhattan School of Music and the Ailey Extension. Marshall can be seen through motion capture performance in the animated film Happy Feet Two. He is the featured hoofer in "Simply Sammy," a ballet choreographed by Darrell Moultrie. Marshall was the associate choreographer for the Broadway musical Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed.