/ FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
SHAWN BYFIELD – 416-917-1169
FUNK FACTORY BIO
The brainchild of Toronto dancer and entrepreneur Shawn Byfield, Funk Factory is a group of talented and passionate Canadian tap dance professionals who want to share their dynamic style of tap dance with the world. The group is comprised of performers from across Canada: Kyle Brown, Rebecca Lewis, Carlos Bustamante, Juliana Kelly, Allison Bradley, Lindsay Kramer and Shawn Byfield.
Formed in early 2006, Funk Factory has already headlined such events as Toronto's National Tap Dance Day celebration, the Feats Festival of Dance in Edmonton, and the fundraiser to end gun violence hosted by the Yonge StreetMission in Toronto. They have also performed at various music venues throughout Toronto. Funk Factory is not only a group of entertainers, but teachers as well, offering workshops in tap, hip-hop, and numerous other dance disciplines.
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= = = = INDIVIDUAL FUNK FACTORY CAST BIOS = = = =
SHAWN BYFIELD
Director and Choreographer, Funk Factory
Full of energy, positive and a natural entertainer comprise only a few terms to describe this dancing professional. Shawn Byfield brings over 23 years of experience to every event he participates in. You've watched him in live events, on television shows, and seen him on silver screens throughout North America.
Shawn's performing skills have lead him to appear on numerous television shows for CBC, YTV, ABC, CITYTV, MUCHMUSIC, CHIN Television, CTV, The LIFE Network and Toronto 1. He has been in Canadian and American television commercials for Honda, Rogers On Demand, Molson Canadian, Molson Export, Motts Clamato, Canadian Tire, Zellers, HSBC Bank, Rogers Video, Lycra and Footlocker. Some of his film credits include Blues Brothers 2000, Superstar!, Bojangles, The Ladies Man, Death to Smoochie, The Music Man, Eloise at the Plaza, The Cheetah Girls, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen and most recently HAIRSPRAY, featuring John Travolta, Queen Latifah and Michelle Pfiffer.
The electricity that is created from Shawn's dance choreography is powerful stuff! Just a few companies he's worked for include Ford Motor Company, Paramount Canada's Wonderland, The International Auto Show, Kodak, NBA Toronto Raptors Dance Pac, Ontario Place, Roots Canada and Labatt Breweries. He's appeared on many televised award shows including The Harry Jerome Awards, The National Jazz Awards, and both the Juno and Gemini Awards. Barry Lather, Henry LeTang, Danny DeVito, Heather Cornell, Marguerite Derricks and the late Gregory Hines are a few of the choreographers that have personally worked with Shawn.
Shawn B holds a few other titles under his belt. He is the Director of a fresh new tap dance company Funk Factoryin Toronto. He's also known to instruct the most energetic tap dance and hip hop dance classes in Toronto. Shawn is a former faculty member at the Randolph Academy For The Performing Arts; and is also Producer and Co-Director of Toronto's hip hop company Thrive! Entertainment.
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ALLISON BRADLEY
Allison has had a passion for dance since the age of three. She trained at Dansation in her home town of St. Albert, Alberta. The lyrical, jazz, hip hop, tap, musical theatre and ballet training, workshops, conventions, competitions and performances she participated in over a fifteen year time span inspired Allison to pursue her love of dance outside of Alberta once she graduated from high school.
Allison’s desire to enter into the professional dance scene took her to Vancouver, Los Angeles, New York and Toronto for intensive training. She has performed with Nexx Level (Chris Clarke), Grace N Style (Kareem Byfield) and danced for Fashion Cares in the 2005 production of Bollywood Cowboy.
More recently Allison has created opportunities for herself and others by creating her own dance company, A L I Entertainment. Her dance crew worked with N5 Pictures and performed for the music video Man-0 Kabootar by Sasha. Allison is continuing to create dance opportunities within the company and loves to inspire her audiences with the professional team productions choreographed for A L I. Allison is thrilled with the opportunity to get back to her tapping roots and is honored to be a part of Shawn Byfield’s tap crew.
CARLOS BUSTAMANTE
Tapping since he was eight years old, Carlos Bustamante has trained and performed across the U.S. and Canada. His dancing has given him the opportunity to work with many amazing talents, among them are members of the Tap Dogs, choreographer Marguerrite Derricks, and his own hero, Gregory Hines.
Aside from dance, Carlos is known as the host of YTV’s “The Zone”, which is the most watched after school block of programming in Canada. Known for his dynamic on-camera presence and light hearted, quirky sense of humour, he is watched by millions of viewers a week. Carlos is now excited to be a part of Toronto’s newest Tap Dance company, Funk Factory.
KYLE BROWN
Originally from Victoria B.C., Kyle began tap dancing at the age of 6. In the years that followed he rounded off his dance repertoire with modern, ballet, jazz and hip-hop, which led him to perform for many years at the world famous ButchartGardens in Victoria, BC.
After years of competing and performing out in the west, Kyle moved to Toronto in 2001 to continue his dancing career. He is currently a featured dancer in upcoming film Ring of Change featuring Neve Campbell.
JULIANA KELLY
Juliana began her dance career at the age of three. For fourteen years she continued her dance studies in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop, pointe and acrobatics where she completed her BATD associate members exam in jazz and tap. During that time Juliana performed in many events including the Fundraiser for Diabetes.
Upon graduation of high school Juliana joined Downbeats Tap Company under the direction of Cathy Duncan where she danced for two years. Highlights of her performances include: the East Coast Tap Conference (ECTC) alongside Brill Barrett, Martin Tre’ Dumas III, Jumaane Taylor, Van Porter, Travis Knight and Lisa LaTouche and many other shows across Ontario. Her love of dance has also led her to many teaching opportunities across the GTA. Juliana is currently dancing as a proud member of Funk Factory under the direction of Shawn Byfield.
LINDSAY KRAMER
Lindsay hails from Edmonton, Alberta and is a graduate of the prestigious Triple Threat Program at The Randolph Academy of the Performing Arts in Toronto. Multi-talented, she has been singing, dancing and acting since the age of three. Performing credits include Tales of Ti- Jean with the Really Little Theatre, Toronto Fringe Festival, Celebrity Cruise Lines, Virgil in Twisted, VAL in A Chorus Line, THRIVE! Entertainment and The Stardust Follies.
She worked for the Britney Spears promotional tour “Curious” and has performed on Much on Demand, the Toronto Film Festival, International Jazz Awards, Fashion Cares and national music videos. Currently she lives in Toronto where she teaches dance at the RandolphAcademy and at the OakvilleAcademy of the Arts. Lindsay is thrilled to be a company member of Funk Factory and is happy to come home to perform!
REBECCA LEWIS
Rebecca values the important things in life…family, friends, and that for which she has PASSION! Rebecca’s passion for dance is a family affair, passed down from her Grandmother through her mother (both dance teachers.) Rebecca trained throughout her youth at her mother’s dance studio in Kamloops B.C. and is professionally trained as a performer and teacher in ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop through the NATD (National Association of Teachers of Dance) based in London, England.
Rebecca is a veteran to the stage and her infectious enthusiasm for dance is apparent in the energy of her classes. Currently, you can find Rebecca in Toronto tapping up a storm with her fellow members of Funk Factory, or busy training and teaching international standard ballroom and latin at the Joy of Dance studio.