Originally from Brazil, Felipe Galganni has spent the last 20 years choreographing, producing, performing, and teaching as a tap dancer in NYC and in Brazil.
Felipe is a recipient of the Machado de Assis Medal for his work disseminating Brazilian culture in NYC, and most recently a Bistro Award recipient for Unique Jazz Presentation, with his BOSSA TAP TRIO.
He has been a faculty member at Steps on Broadway for more than 12 years and has instructed at various dance festivals, including Tap City, Tap Kids, and the Joffrey Tap Intensive, as well as at institutions such as Vassar College and the Juilliard School. Felipe served as an artist in residence at The American Tap Dance Foundation, where he created new choreography for over a decade until the organization ceased operations in 2024.
Galganni has performed and toured tap dancing with two Grammy winning artists - “Tim Kubart and the Space Cadets'', as well as legendary Brazilian bassist Nilson Matta. Felipe has been seen in dance works by his mentor, Brenda Bufalino, as well as Michelle Dorrance, Derick K. Grant, Heather Cornell, Max Pollak and Lisa La Touche.
As a director, producer and choreographer, Felipe has created and performed in his shows TAP&TOM, Felipe 101, Forget about Me and others. As an actor and singer Felipe has done the off-broadway revival of A Day In Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, as Sasha at Theatre Row, and also the role of Regalo, in the production of American Dream, at TEATRO LATEA in New York City.
Felipe is now invested in his newest creation, Xana DuMe, the Tap Dancing Drag Queen. He debuted his drag show "The Rise of Xana DuMe'' in the fall of 2021 and since then has created new shows and acts around the cabaret clubs in NYC. Xana DuMe had her first appearance for the tap dance audiences at Rhythm in Motion, in 2022 and has made a come back in 2023, joined by a full chorus of Xana Girls, as part of Tap City, The New York City Tap Festival directed by Tony Waag. Felipe takes great pride in serving as the host for LGBTQI+ events at the Consulate of Brazil in New York.
In 2024, Felipe became and artist in residency at the renowned queer venue, The Duplex, located in the West Village, featuring his weekly show WHO SHE? every Tuesday at 10 PM. Additionally, he secured the role of Drag Host for the off-Broadway production, Little House on The Ferry, where he showcased his talents in singing, tap dancing, and acting in a heartwarming narrative centered on gay rights and love.
Felipe's goal is making tap dance a more supportive environment for queer artists like himself to be able to express their artistry, and hopefully hold a safer space for the newer generation to come.