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 Idella Reed Davis, Geraldine Williams, Runako Jahi, Bril Barrett, Martin Dumas III, Jimmy Payne Jr., and George Patterson III.

Jumaane has been apart of the ensemble in Imagine Tap! (2006 by Derick Grant); Tap Into Peace (2009 by Sarah Savelli and Ayodele Casel); and Rasta Thomas' Tap Stars that showcased in Hamburg, Germany. While also tapping as a member of local bands, Corey Wilkes 'Abstrakt Pulse', 'Sidewalk Chalk', Ernest Dawkins 'We Free Three', the 'Isaiah Spencer Collective' and Justin Dillard's 'Set Trippin'.

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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 began Ugly Flavors with harmolodics, four Ornette Coleman selections then half of Igor Stravinsky's 'Rite of Spring'. Choreographing a new layer of rhythmical dynamics for these legendary compositions, as the tap dancers celebrate their relationship to the earth. Jumaane's 2022 presented Cheap Suites & Hotels, a collection of short choreographed works by midwest instrumentalist.

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Jumaane has received the Black Excellence 2024 Outstanding Choreographer Award, 3Arts 2019 Award, Chicago Dancemakers Forum 2017 Lab Artist Award, and has presented his work with the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, Museum of Contemporary Art, Jazz Institute of Chicago, Columbia College-Dance Center and abroad. He teaches at Mayfair Arts Center, Ruth Page School of Dance, and the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. Since 2021 Jumaane has also been the artistic director of the Chicago Human Rhythm Project.