![Motor City Tap Fest Faculty - Shelby Kaufman](https://motorcitytapfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Shelby-300x300.jpg)
“Shelby’s choreography is fabulous and she’s a triple threat in the theatre. She is a thinker and she can write. She can write her own plays, her own musicals, her own everything… She’s a wonderful storyteller and I’m sure she’s gonna write a whole bunch of stuff that’s gonna merit as well as her dancing.”
— Dr. Harold ‘Stumpy’ Cromer
Off Broadway, Shelby assisted Gail Pennington Crutchfield on the choreography of ‘Freckleface the Musical’, and acted as the SDC observer for three-time Emmy nominated choreographer Mandy Moore on ‘Nobody Loves You’ at Second Stage Theatre. She also frequently assisted the late tap legend Dr. Harold ‘Stumpy’ Cromer both in choreography and master classes, has become Chloe Arnold’s dance captain for a number of projects on the East Coast, and was the assistant to NBC SMASH’s Emmy Award winning choreographer, Joshua Bergasse, for his musical theatre choreography showcase at City Center Studios. Additionally, Shelby’s choreography has been featured multiple times in the annual Tap City ‘Main Event,’ New York City ‘Tap Extravaganza,’ and Motor City ‘Motor City Soles,’ as well as ‘Tappy Holidays,’ ‘Band of Gypsies’ and the first ‘Young Choreographer’s Festival.’
Shelby has made television appearances tapping on both Sesame Street and The Steve Harvey Show. Other notable venues include the Apollo Theatre, Lincoln Center, Jacob’s Pillow, Symphony Space, The George Street Playhouse, The Duke Ellington Theatre, and Detroit Orchestra Hall.