Samuel Torres

Camila Aldet

Claudia Rahardjanoto

Michael Jellick

Alexis Cuadrado

Nicholas Young

Max Pollak

Riksteatern

World-class tap dance, body percussion and jazz music

This year's opening act at the Stockholm International Tap Dance Festival is the New York-based Max Pollak Group. On March 29, the festival will have a sneak opening at the Norrlandsoperan with world-renowned tap virtuoso Max Pollak.

Max Pollak was only five years old when he discovered tap dancing back home in Vienna in the mid-1970s. Fred Astaire enchanted him with his rhythmic footwork. By tuning in to film reruns on television, Pollak learned everything he could from the musical film's big star on his own.

At the age of 14, he got his first mentor in tap, Carnell Lyons, a childhood friend of Charlie Parker. This became Pollak's path into the African-American tap culture. Max Pollak left Europe for New York when, at the age of 21, he got the opportunity to share the stage with jazz musician Ray Brown.

Max Pollak - Tap Dance Festival

Norrland Opera, Black Box, Umeå