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Alan Onickel was born in Detroit Michigan. He spent his childhood in
Livonia and Southfield Michigan. He became involved in theatre when a girl he had a crush on was going to be in their elementary school play. He was introduced to the world of dance when in high school he was told that some males were needed for the upcoming spring musical. He realized that it would be a great way to meet lots of girls, he and his friend Steve Shimoura (now a well known ENT physician) auditioned, and (much to their surprise and delight) were chosen to dance in the chorus of the SHS production of "Anything Goes" in 1975.
In October of 1977, after a year at Michigan State University, he joined his good friend Susie Kaufman (now Susie Siegle a successful dance school owner) and moved to New York City. Disco was in full swing, the subway fare was 50 cents, and dance classes were $2.50 for a single and $20.00 for a 10 class card.
As luck would have it, their arrival caught the end of an exciting era in which the master teachers each had their own school filled with upcoming young dancers as well as established Broadway performers striving to perfect their craft. They started taking Jazz, Tap, Ballet, and African at The Ned William's (a protege of Katherine Dunham) Dance School. The staff there led Alan to become a student of Jazz and Tap expert Eddie Wright Jr. and his mentor, the legendary Phil Black. For his ballet studies, he was taken to the school of (world famous Cecchetti expert) Margaret Craske and her protege Diana Byers.
His first professional performing experiences included dancing in a number that was part of a Jerry Butler concert (choreographed by Eddie Wright Jr); that was presented at New York's Paradise Garage, and touring with the Diana Byers directed chamber ballet company Balletfore (now New York Theatre Ballet).
Since then, as a performer, Alan has had the pleasure of performing lead roles in A CHORUS LINE, WEST SIDE STORY, THE TAP DANCE KID, SOPHISTICATED LADIES, SINGING IN THE RAIN, and MY ONE AND ONLY. He has appeared with such noted stars as Hinton Battle, Bunny Briggs, Georgia Engel, Harry Blackstone Jr., Rich Little, Mary Hart, Joanne Worley, and Kaye Ballard. He's been seen by audiences around the world on many prestigious stages including The Kennedy Center in Washington, The Moscow State Theatre in Russia,and the Shinjuku Tokyo Theatre in Japan.
Currently on staff at the famous STEPS studio on Broadway, Alan teaches Tap and Jazz (Theatre Dance). In New York he's also been a faculty member of Broadway Dance Center, The School of Ballet and Theatre Dance, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, and the Phil Black Studio. He teaches for Dance Masters of America, Dance Educators of America, New York City Dance Alliance, internationally with the Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dance (Australia), International Groupe des 8 (France), IDTA (S. Africa), the Belgian Ministry of Culture, and gives master class workshops in Japan, Brazil, Israel, Finland, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.
Alan's choreography has been enjoyed by audiences at the Rainbow Room in NYC, the Crowne Showroom in Melbourne Australia, Playboy Casino in Atlantic City, Harkuhinkin Theatre in Tokyo, as well as in France, Finland, Germany, Guadeloupe, Israel and Brazil.
In demand worldwide for his choreography and unique Tap, Jazz, and Musical Theatre classes, Alan is constantly on the move sharing his talents anywhere dancers are eager to learn, sweat, and smile.
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