Baakari Wilder
A young man who has had an astounding career. Savion
Glover's replacement in the Broadway production of "Bring
in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk", Baakari is a native
Washingtonian and got his beginning right here in the D.C.
Metropolitan area. At the age of twelve he opened the show
at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for legendary
tappers Harold Nicholas, Sandmann Simms, Brenda Buffalino,
and Savion Glover. At fifteen he won the Steve Condos award
which granted him a scholarship to one of the first tap
festivals in Boulder, Colorado. His dancing has delighted
audiences in places such as the Kennedy Center,
Smithsonian, Carnegie Hall, and Jazz@Lincoln Center. He
also taught and performed around the world in France,
Germany , Africa, and Japan and has been invited to tap
festivals in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Brazil. He
studied tap under Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, Brenda
Buffalino, Yvonne Edwards, and Renee Kreithen.
He has appeared on television as a dancer (Jazz Central on
BET, Savion Glover on BRAVO), an actor (Homicide on NBC),
and guest (The Today Show, Rosie O'Donnell, The 1996 and
1997 Tony Awards). He is currently teaching and doing
choreography in MD, DC,and VA. Recently he choreographed a
piece for Washington D.C.'s own "Tappers With Attitude",
the company in which he was the original dance captain.
