Avalon
Rathgeb
AVALON RATHGEB
Tap Dance Choreographer, Performer
Artistic Director of Old Kent Road
Avalon's Story
Get to Know Us
Avalon Rathgeb graduated from Bird College in 2009 after studying on a 3 year full time scholarship. Recipient of two internships from the American Tap Dance Foundation 2009/11, Grant Swift’s TeAyPe (Melbourne, Australia) 2009-10, a scholarship for the Los Angeles Tap Festival 2012, winner of the 2013 cutting contest at Stockholm Tap Festival, invited to accept 1 of 25 places reserved for outstanding dancers in the 2014 Tap programme at the School at Jacob’s Pillow in Massachusetts, USA.
Her career highlights include dancing in the opening ceremony of London 2012 Olympic Games, the closing ceremony of the European Games (Baku Azerbaijan) 2015, Artistic Director of ‘Old Kent Road’ 2014-current, principle dancer for ‘Tapestry Dance Company’ under the direction of Acia Gray 2017-19. Avalon is endorsed by Ruben Sanchez DanceWear.
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Avalon founded the London Tap Dance Festival in 2024.
Worldwide Performer
Avalon travels globally, performing her choreography in festivals all over the world including Singapore, Italy, Germany, Mexico and beyond. She is a singular talent with an effortless style that exudes technicality, vibrancy and a palpable love for and connection to the music with which she collaborates and is inspired by. She is a student of ryhtm and craftsmanship, always offering new perspective while displaying a palpable admiration for the giants that came before her. In short, Avalon is evocative and mesmerizing. It's impossible not to join the ride when watching her perform.
Old Kent Road
Old Kent Road was founded by artistic director Avalon Rathgeb in 2014, aiming to
gather the very best tap dancers and musicians which have inspired her journey, to
create unique passionate tap choreography, bigger and better than the sum of its parts.
Old Kent Road are a passionate group of tap dancers who are together raising the game in the UK tap dance scene. We want to bring our expertise to the British public and share
the wonder of the form by working together to develop our distinctive choreography,
paying homage to our history and jazz culture along the way.
Avalon and her company, OKR Tap, founded The London Tap Dance Festival in 2024, based in Brixton, South London. The festival has brought renowned tap dancers from all over the world to gather for a weekend in London. Guest faculty have included Michelle Dorrance, Sarah Savelli, Ruben Sanchez, Magaly Azuara, Karissa Royster and more.
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