Ayodele Casel is an American actress, tap dancer and choreographer. Raised in Puerto Rico, she derived inspiration for her tap style from salsa music. While in college, she studied with Baakari Wilder and Charles Goddertz. She became the first, and remains the only, woman to be a member of Savion Glover's Not Your Ordinary Tappers.
Early life and education
Ayodele Casel was born in the Bronx in New York City. Her parents were martial artist Tayari Casel and Aida Tirado. Ayodele moved to Rincon, Puerto Rico when she was in the 4th grade, returning to New York in 1990. In Puerto Rico, Casel listened to the music of Hector Lavoe, the El Gran Combo, and Celia Cruz. Their salsa music would influence her tap dance style. While in high school, Casel became "obsessed" with the films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Casel attended the Tisch School of the Arts for acting. While at Tisch, in 1995, Casel began studying tap dance under Charles Goddertz. She also became friends with Baakari Wilder, who was attending school at New York University, too. During that time, Wilder was a principal dancer for Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk. Wilder taught Casel tap steps and she accompanied him to tap events at clubs in New York, where she would learn improvisation. She joined the New York Shakespeare Festival Institute of Tap. With the encouragement of Wilder, Casel started studying under Barbara Duffy. He also introduced her to Savion Glover, who would help Casel launch her career.
Career
Glover saw Casel perform at the Nuyorican Poets Café. He invited Casel to perform in the opening credits for Monday Night Football in 1997. Shortly thereafter, Casel became the first woman to join Glover's Not Your Ordinary Tappers group. She performed with NYOTs for two years, including at Carnegie Hall, the White House, and Radio City Music Hall. She performed as a soloist in Imagine Tap. Casel left NYOTs in 1999. That year, she would launch her first solo show was !Ayo!, a Latin music themed performance, and would appear in the documentary Thou Swell, Thou Witty. She also performed in "Beauteez ‘N the Beat" that year. She performed in "The Art and Appreciation of Percussion", with the Jazz Tap Ensemble and in The Story of Tap: Sequel, both in 2005. In 2007, she performed in "Paddywack: A Tap Dance Concerto" at Lincoln Center.
