Keira Leverton

Keira received her early tap training from tap teacher Terry Wolter and her own grandfather, Buster Cooper. Later she sought the training of Acia Gray in Austin, Barbara Phillips in San Antonio, and Jay Fagan in Chicago. Much of her exposure to the tap community was through tap festivals like the Chicago Human Rhythm Project and the Third Coast Rhythm Project. She has had the privilege of studying with many professionals in the field such as Derick K. Grant, Lane Alexander, Bril Barrett, Henry LeTang, Sam Weber, Nicole Hockenberry, Dianne Walker, Gregory Hines, and Yuji Uragami. In 2010, she received the Gene, Louise, and Fred Kelly Tap Teacher Scholarship.

Keira has performed at such venues as Radio City Music Hall, the Kodak Theatre, the Sky Dome in Toronto, and Wembley Stadium in London. She toured nationally and internationally as a dancer and later as dance captain with Barney’s Colorful World from 2003-2004. She played Bert and various chorus characters in Sesame Street Live productions of Elmo Makes Music, and When Elmo Grows Up in 2007-2008. In 2011, she received the opportunity to travel internationally to Japan, Korea, Turkey, Europe, and the UK as a part of Michelle Obama’s Joining Forces project, performing with the Sesame Street Live USO Experience for Military Families as Grover. The tour launched with First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden in attendance.

Keira’s acting credits include the lead role in the award-winning short film B***, which was selected to play at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007. Keira co-founded and co-directed the Drawbacks Youth Tap Ensemble, Dallas’s oldest and longest running youth tap ensemble. She also co-founded and co-directed the Dallas-based tap company, Rhythmic Souls. Many of her students have gone on to dance in professional shows. Keira’s latest endeavor is the resurrection of her grandfather’s company, Choreo Records, as a new youth tap company. 

As a teacher, Keira is passionate about preserving the history of the indigenous American art of tap dance. She maintains constant interaction with the national and international tap community, so that in addition to her original works and the historical traditional material, she may bring fresh and up-to-date information to her students. Keira is very excited to be teaching here at Preston Center Dance!