Preserve TapDance: Help Us Continue Helping Others

At M.A.D.D. Rhythms we do more than just tap dance:  We teach tap's history, represent its culture, and advocate for its future; We share this beautiful Black  art form in order to make a difference in the under-served communities of this world; We give people a chance at a more positive life by making the arts more accessible.

The Making A Difference Dancing Rhythms (M.A.D.D. Rhythms) tap dance company was founded twenty-four years ago by Bril Barrett and Martin “Tre” Dumas III when they realized that there was a blight of arts programming on the South and West Sides of Chicago.  Their mission:  To develop the minds of under served Chicago youth and surround them with a positive environment.  The result was the M.A.D.D. Rhythms dance company, which not only thrives today, but has expanded to include the M.A.D.D. Rhythms Tap Academy, a dance studio whose policy is “we won’t turn anyone away”, which has launched the careers of some of the world’s most famous tap dancers.  We’re also excited to announce, as of November, 2020, the new non-profit arm of the company, the Making A Difference Dancing Rhythms Organization.

We need your help to accomplish our ambitious goals for 2025, 2026...and beyond!  Our acclaimed community programming and resulting high-caliber of tap dancing are what sets M.A.D.D. Rhythms apart from other dance companies.  We operate primarily on the South and West Sides of Chicago — which are both historically under-served in arts programming — which means that support from you makes an immediate positive impact in these areas