LIVE CREW
GARRETT COLEMAN (See FOUNDERS page)
JASON OREMUS (SeeFOUNDERS page)
PAT MANGAN
KAMAAL 'SWAG' DAVIS
NICOLE ZEPCEVSKI
JONATHON SROUR
MEGHAN LUCEY
RONALD 'SHADOW' SIMMONS
CONOR COLEMAN
JADE OREMUS
Patrick Mangan (A.K.A 'DJ White Label')
Fiddler and DJ Patrick Mangan is from Brooklyn, New York. The two-time All-Ireland champion studied with renowned player and teacher, Brian Conway. At sixteen, Patrick appeared in Riverdance on Broadway, becoming the youngest fiddle player in the show’s history. Since then, he has performed with Riverdance as a featured soloist for over seven years across the US, Europe and Asia. He has also been a member of the John Whelan Band, performed with renowned vocalist Cathie Ryan, and neo-Celtic group Whirligig. Other accolades include first prize honors for instrumental composition in the BMG-sponsored World of Expression competition in 2002 for his piece“September Sky”.
Also an avid DJ and producer, Pat fuses his eclectic fiddle skills with live synth effects and beats during HS performances. Pat is a co-producer and co-writer of many the genre-bending Hammerstep soundtracks used for live shows. At just 28 years old, he is already considered one of the pivotal forces behind the progression of traditional Irish music in America.
Kamaal Davis (A.K.A 'Swag')
Born in Brooklyn, NY, Swag is a living embodiment of what it means to use dance and movement as an agent for personal and community growth. Growing up in the gritty urban dwellings of Bed Stuy in the 80's, Swag was forced to learn very quickly how to survive the hardened Brooklyn streets. As Swag witnessed first-hand the devastating consequences of negative action, he sought methods of harnessing the energy and ambition fueled by his experiences for positive growth. These methods came through Martial Arts and b-boying. Introduced as a young adult to both forms, Swag's burning desire saw him adapt and excel at breakneck speeds. In four short years he was highly proficient and respected in both b-boy and various martial arts communities alike. He has practiced kenpo karate, tae kwon do, and wing chun kung fu and incorporates his techniques into his dance style to astonishing effect. As a b-boy, Swag led 'Equation' crew through various competitions during 2011 before starting 'ACIDIC SOUL' crew in 2012. He is currently an active member of Bronx Boys Rockin Crew, competing in jams and reaching finalist stages of high profile events.
Shortly after joining Hammerstep in 2012, Swag joined the crew on the road for their short tour of Virginia and has been actively involved in educational and outreach performances, festivals and other HS events ever since. His knowledge and connection to the underground NY B-boy world has allowed Hammerstep to extend it's mission on a grassroots level and interact with the next generation of NYC's underground dance scene to incredible effect.
Nicole Zepcevski (A.K.A 'Bullette')
Born in the USA and raised in Sydney Australia, Nicole has literally emblazoned her name in Irish dance history as the most successful competitive Australian Irish dancer of all time. The most Australian National solo titles ever, the first Australian female to win the World Solo title outright, and the only Australian dancer ever to claim the coveted trifecta: North American champion, All-Ireland champion and Solo World Champion. Having back-handed the Irish dance political game and achieved competitive success against all odds, Nicole is a powerful force in the Hammerstep mission.
Nicole comes from a pedigree of excellence. Both Nicole and Hammerstep co-founder Jason Oremus were trained by Nicole's mother Geraldine French, who recently retired her school 'Scoil Rince Aisling' in 2012 and received a lifetime achievement award (from the International Irish dance commission) for her unparalleled success and contribution to Irish dance abroad.
Jonathon Srour (A.K.A 'Jonny Sour')
Jonathon Srour, 25, capped a successful competitive Irish dance career with a top 5 finish at the World Championships. He also won the North American Senior Belt Championship 3 times, tying the all-time record. This competition is open to all men and women in North America, aged 17 and over. He has toured the world with Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance, Feet of Flames, Magic of the Dance, and Echoes of Ireland including the countries of Taiwan, Israel, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. During the summers of 2010 and 2012, he performed in the Busch Gardens show, Celtic Fyre, ranked among the best amusement park shows in the country. Jonathon is an in-demand instructor at both the Catskills Irish Arts Week in New York and the Boxwood Festival in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. His percussive feet can be heard on flutist Laura Byrne’s sophomore album, “Lucky Day.” He also holds a university degree in Molecular Biology and is an avid piano and wooden flute player, having qualified for the All-Ireland Fleadh several times.
Having an active interest in medical missions and initiating change at a grass roots level, Jonathon has served in areas like Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic and Sendafa, Ethiopia.
Meghan Lucey (A.K.A 'Lucille Bull')
Meghan trained with the Pender-Keady Academy in CT where her competitive dancing career took off at high speeds. She is a National Champion, All Scotland Champion, 6 time New England Regional Champion, winner of the prestigious NAFC Senior Belt, and has placed as high as 2nd in the World Championships. On completing her competitive career Meghan has since become a certified Irish Dance teacher with An Coimisiun Le Rinci Gaelacha in Dublin. Also a seasoned professional performer, Meghan toured with Riverdance throughout North America for 5 years and was the lead dancer for the highly respected, all-woman Traditional Irish band Cherish the Ladies. She was also a principle dancer in Celtic Fyre at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and is dance captain for Ireland: The Show.
Keen to stomp the foot of progression, Meghan’s passion for Hammerstep resides in her desire to progress as part of the next generation of percussive movement.
Ronald Simmons (A.K.A 'Shadow')
Ronald - or as he is referred to in the underground NY street and b-boy dance scene, "Shadow", is as mysterious an enigma as the name suggests. Hailing from Queens NY and also a professional tattoo artist, Shadow was hitting with some of the long-standing street dance crews of Manhattan's sprawling underground subway scene while still in highschool. Melding an array of advanced tumbling, acrobatics, breakdance, capoeira and power moves into his style, he defies the laws of physics and biomechanics as we understand them. The Hammerstep-Shadow exchange has been a powerful one. This gravity-bending artist is a versatile dancer and has proven quick to adapt and incorporate the advanced percussion techniques Hammerstep employ.
Make no mistake, Shadow is a weapon we are proud to have in the HS dance arsenal.
Conor Coleman (A.K.A. 'GURU')
A seasoned competetive Irish dancer, Conor has consistently placed top three at National level and top 5 in the world. He is 7-time Midewest Oireachtas Champion, and in 2012 he performed in Taiwan with Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance.
Conor is also a talented street artist, and is currently working with Hammerstep in creative branding, logo development and awesome visual art depictions of the Hammerstep creative vision. Stay tuned to the 'media' page to see some of Conor's work.
Jade Oremus (A.K.A 'Legally Bull')
Based in L.A, Jade is originally from Sydney, Australia and has a wide skill set that empowers the Hammerstep arsenal to new heights. Having an undergraduate in psychology, Jade graduated with honors from Law school, finishing top of her class in intellectual property and Businss law. Jade is also a high level multi- disciplinary dancer and gifted thespian. Her array of mind-bending performance techniques coupled with insightful and provocative content matter have dismantled audiences across the world from Sydney to London. Jade has also been pivotal in the orchestration of key promotional events for Hammerstep in both the UK and Australia.
