French born Olivia toured as a child singer and actress for over 10 years throughout the North East of her native country with a company of young performers directed by her parents. Awarded a scholarship from the French Ministry of Culture for choreographic studies, she moved to New York City where she currently lives, to train in modern dance with Murray Louis and the late Alvin Nikolais, in rhythm tap with the greatest Masters of the American art form.
A tap soloist and vocalist for Brenda Bufalino’s American Tap Dance Orchestra, Olivia performed with the company for 5 years (highlights include the Apollo Theater, a Joyce theatre and a Dance Theater Workshop season, Town Hall, Lincoln Center Out Of Doors Festival in NYC, US tours, a Rai Uno TV special in Rome, and the Bermuda Arts Festival).
In New York, Olivia co-choreographed and danced for Ka-tap, a concert of North Indian music and dance crossing American tap and Jazz (highlights: Smithsonian institute, Lincoln Center Out Of Doors Festival ) and lent her feet and voice to Robin Tribble’s Tap Express. She joined Heather Cornell’s Manhattan Tap for three years. Performances in New York include collaborations with the Ray Brown Trio (Alice Tully Hall), Crosspulse Ensemble & Keith Terry (Joyce Theater season) and a France tour with tap legend Dr. Buster Brown.
For the past few years, Olivia has been assisting tap mentor Brenda Bufalino, in the re-construction of her masterworks, performing them as well. Projects include a recent tour of New England in “off the beaten path” (Mad theatricals) and the New Tap Dance Orchestra (with an American tap Masterpieces National Endowment for the Arts NEA grant 2009).
Olivia is, with accomplice Mari Fujibayashi, the artistic director, choreographer and dancer of the percussive dance duo Tapage incorporating dramatic intensity and rhythmic complexity with a contemporary gesture. Tapage’s inventive world of sound and movement finds its inspiration performing with international artists including: string quartets Cuarteto Latinoamericano (Mexico/USA) and Quatuor Stanislas (France); violinist Todd Reynolds (USA); The Colorado Music Festival Chamber Orchestra directed by Michael Christie; Gradus Ad Musicam symphonic orchestra (France); shakuhachi master Myoshi Genzan; Colombian guitarist/singer Claudia Gomez; Jazz trios, world music percussionists, singers and actors…
Tapage has performed internationally. Appearances include the New York City Center Fall for Dance Festival, The New York City Tap Festival at the Duke Theater and the Joyce Theater, the 92nd street Y, The Colorado Music Festival. With Cuarteto Latinoamericano: the Monterrey Universal Forum of Cultures 2007 (Mexico), Mexico City’s Musica y Escena Festival, Carnegie Mellon University, and Carnegie Music Hall and Free Library in Carnegie (PA).
Olivia has been guest performer and instructor at International Tap Festivals including “Tap ahead” in Düsseldorf, “Tap Parade” in Moscow and St Petersburg, The New York City Tap Festival, “Helsinki’s Feet Beat”, “Tap in Tallinn”, “Tap in Riga”, “Tap Breizh intensive” in France. She has taught rhythm tap in New York City (Steps, Broadway Dance Center, Woodpeckers Tap Dance Center, Ballet Arts) and is a guest teacher internationally. She was for six years artist in residency under the auspices of Young Audiences New York. She is on the faculty of NY Stage Original’s Tap Kids, Totally Tap travelling workshop and was guest choreographer at Hofstra University (NY).
Olivia is the writer of "Dis papa l'Amérique? Tais-toi et danse!" a book on dancing published in France with forewords by A. Nikolais and M. Louis.
Stylishly ebullient Olivia Rosenkrantz…
Jennifer Dunning, the New York Times
French born Rosenkrantz, who is very much alive, shines as a dancer/singer who can adapt her style with effortless versatility. She is definitely one to watch…
Hillary Ostlere, Chelsea Clinton News.
I especially admired the French O. Rosenkrantz vim and her sense of the whole body in space…
Deborah Jowitt, the Village voice
photo G. Grunberg
Olivia Rosenkrantz