Stone Soup Rhythms (SSR), the resident ensemble of the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, is a collective of emerging and established tap dance artists who bend time and space to make new work. The name Stone Soup Rhythms refers to a European fable in which a wayfaring stranger brings a small village together to create a communal feast by enticing each member to add a unique ingredient.
Led by CHRP’s Artistic Director Jumaane Taylor, the company has a large and eclectic repertoire including works by Borak, MacArthur Genius Michelle Dorrance, Emmy Award winner Ted Louis Levy, CHRP Founder and Director Lane Alexander, sand master Guillem Alonso, Step Afrika! Jakari JcKo Sherman and others. SSR connects the ancient and sacred roots of percussive dance to the urban vibe of personal expression and innovation to create a feast of sound and movement.
Meet the Performers
Jumaane Taylor
Artistic Director, Choreographer, Dancer
CHRP Artistic Director Jumaane Taylor, a Chicago native, has been tap dancing since the age of 7 at the Sammy Dyer School of the Theatre. He has had the opportunity to train with Geraldine Williams, Idella Reed Davis, Runako Jahi, Bril Barrett, Jimmy Payne Jr., and George Patterson III.
In 2015, Jumaane created Supreme Love. A tap dance production honoring John Coltrane’s 'A Love Supreme' and the art of tap, premiering at jazz music and dance festivals including Jacob's Pillow in 2017. In 2018 he established Heel and Toe Productions, presenting The Jazz Hoofing Quartet. A solo dance performance using improvisation, to continue the progressive exploration of live music with tap. 2020 delivered Ugly Flavors, covering Ornette Coleman's 'The Shape of Jazz To Come' then Igor Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring'. Choreographing a new layer of rhythmical composition for the two legendary works, as the tap dancers celebrate their relationship to the earth.
Keyana Latimer is a professional tap dancer, mentor, and stunt performer based in Chicago, Illinois. With more than 15 years of experience, she has devoted her career to empowering young people through arts-based enrichment programs that support professional development and social-emotional growth. She currently works with the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, delivering education and outreach through contemporary and percussive dance, and she is also a company member with Stone Soup Rhythms and BANG BANG dance company.
Keyana began her professional journey in 2009 as a Junior Luvabulls and Bulls Kidz performer for Chicago’s NBA team. In 2010, she was selected to dance for the legendary band Pink Floyd, marking a significant milestone in her early career. She has since performed at some of Chicago’s most renowned venues, including the DuSable Museum of African American History, Millennium Park’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, the historic Jazz Showcase, and the Studebaker Theatre.
In addition to her work as an educator and performer, Keyana is an accomplished stuntwoman, with credits in television series such as Power Book IV: Force and The Chi. Deeply committed to serving her community, she uses the performing arts as a vehicle to help underserved Chicago youth explore identity, build confidence, express creativity, and imagine brighter futures through the performing arts.
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Hannah Geiser
Dancer
Photo William Frederking
Keyana Latimer
Dancer, Stunt Performer
Hannah Geiser grew up in Dallas, Texas, where she trained under teacher and director Keira Leverton. During her early training, she was a member of The Drawbacks Youth Tap Ensemble and Choreo Records Tap Company. With Choreo Records, Hannah performed in numerous productions at the historic Texas Theatre and appeared in multiple Polyphonic Spree shows at the Majestic Theatre in downtown Dallas. At 18, Hannah relocated to Chicago where she joined MADD Rhythms as an apprentice, and in 2025, joined Stone Soup Rhythms. She has participated in and performed at several tap festivals, including RIFF Dallas, Third Coast Tap Festival, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, and the Chicago Tap Summit.
Donyella Kittrell-Jackson is a Chicago-based tap dancer whose passion for the art form lies at the intersection of history and an openness to where it can go. She began her training with M.A.D.D. Rhythms and has since been part of the 2015 first production of Supreme Love by Jumaane Taylor for Audible Odyssey’s show Noteworthy.
Looking ahead, she hopes to collaborate with artists who bring warm energy, honor the roots of tap, and embrace new ideas. She is committed to creating choreography she's proud of, sharing it with her community, and continuing to attend festivals and learn — because as she knows well, the journey never stops, no matter how iconic you become.
Donyella Kittrell-Jackson
Dancer
Guest Artists
Megan Davis started dancing in Austin, TX studying with Tri-Tone, under the direction of Tasha Lawson, and Tapestry Dance Company, under the direction of Acia Gray. She later moved to Chicago in 2013 to pursue her STEM and dance career.
In 2016 she obtained her Bachelors of Science in pure math and subsequently in 2017 she earned her Masters of Science in pure mathematics. While studying, she was privileged to dance and perform with MADD Rhythms, under the direction of Bril Barrett, Tapman Productions, under the direction of Tristan Bruns, and Stone Soup Rhythms, which is under the direction of Lane Alexander and artistic direction by artist in residence Daniel Borak.
Most recently, she performed with Rhythm ISS…, under the direction of Sarah Savelli, Idella Reed-Davis, and Sharon Rushing in their show “Rhythm ISS… Returns!”, MADD Rhythms show “Feeling Good, a MADD Rhythms tribute to Nina Simone”, and at the opening tap jam for Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s Rhythm World Tap and Percussive Arts Festival at the Jazz Showcase. She premiered her choreography in Chicago at Stage 773 in the show “Persist: Tap Dance Made by Women” through Audible Odyssey’s artist in resonance program and at Navy Pier through the Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s Rhythm World Tap and Percussive Arts Festival.
Photo J Alice Jackson Photography
Megan Davis
Dancer
Andrew Carr
Dancer
Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Andrew Carr discovered his passion for tap dancing at the ageof three and has pursued it ever since. He began his training at the Mayfair Academy of Fine Arts before advancing to the M.A.D.D. Rhythms Tap Academy and a pre-professional apprenticeship program, where he received mentorship from Bril Barrett, Star Dixon, and Jumanee Taylor. Currently serving as Dance Captain of the Chicago-based tap company M.A.D.D. Rhythms, Andrew has performed for over a decade at iconic venues such as the Auditorium Theatre, Ravinia Festival, 92NY, and Lollapalooza Chicago. His credits also include collaborations with Nico Rubio’s company 333, The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Fall for Dance (NY City Center), and recurring teaching roles at the Chicago Tap Summit. Additionally, Andrew was recently featured in the July 2024 issue of Dance Magazine as an “On the Rise” artist. In 2023, he joined The School at Jacob’s Pillow Tap Performance Ensemble under the direction of Derrick Grant, Michelle Dorrance, and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, further enriching his artistic perspective. In addition to his professional dance endeavors, Andrew is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and a minor in Sociology at DePaul University, blending his creative passion with academic pursuits. He recently made his directorial debut with his own original choreographic works titled To Love You All Ways, which premiered in October of 2024 at the Harold Washington Cultural Center. Dedicated to sharing the transformative power of tap, Andrew continues to inspire through performance, choreography, and teaching, while shaping the next generation of tap artists.