Our Directors
About Us
ABOUT US
Reverb Tap Company, based in Southern California and is led by the renowned Artistic Director and Choreographer, Leah Silva.
Distinguished for their dynamic fusion of dance and film, Reverb Tap Company brings tap dance to global audiences with a cutting-edge, vibrant, and sophisticated approach. Their performances, known for electrifying audiences and bringing down the house, showcase their versatile, highly trained artists that leave audiences captivated.
Reverb Tap Company has garnered acclaim for their appearances at prestigious events such as the Emmy Awards (Governors Ball), the Newport Beach Film Festival, and on television for the Music Center’s Holiday Celebration at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. They have also graced stages at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Rose Center Theater and Temecula Theater, captivating sold-out audiences with their full-length shows like “All We Got: Life of the American Teenager” and “The Space Between”.
Their artistic endeavors extend to collaborations with the American Cancer Society and American Dance Movement, as well as engagements with McCoy Rigby Entertainment and televised news segments. They have also been featured at renowned dance festivals and shows across the United States and in Canada.
Individually, artists of Reverb Tap Company boast a multitude of accolades, including distinguished winners of YoungArts, recipients of the Los Angeles Music Center's Spotlight Grand Prize, IDO World Tap Dance Champions, alumni of Jacob's Pillow and recipients of the Orange County Register Artist of the Year award.
OUR DIRECTORS
Leah Silva
Founder / Artistic Director / Choreographer
A Southern California native, Leah Silva is a sought-after international educator, adjudicator, award-winning choreographer, artistic director, producer, and critically acclaimed performer. With more than 20 years of experience as an educator, she has inspired and mentored artists around the world through her expertise, creativity, and dedication to the performing arts.
Her dynamic career spans stage, television, and film, and was honored to become the first tap dancer invited to serve as an Artist-in-Residence at Zion National Park. Leah has taught, choreographed, and performed throughout Central and South America, including Brazil and Guatemala, as well as Australia, Canada, and across the United States, sharing her artistry with diverse audiences and students worldwide.
Recognized for her impactful and distinctive teaching style, Leah has trained and mentored many of today’s most promising tap dancers. Her students have earned prestigious international honors, including top recognition from YoungArts and the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards, as well as acceptance to Jacob’s Pillow. Many have gone on to study at the collegiate level and build successful professional careers in education, television, and touring with renowned artists and companies, an enduring testament to Leah’s commitment to excellence, artistry, and individualized mentorship.
Leah is also the Founder and Director of the Orange County Tap Festival, an international festival that brings tap dancers from around the world together for enriching master classes, shows and special events.
Mary Thomas
Associate Co-Director / Choreographer
Mary Thomas is an accomplished tap dancer from Southern California and the Associate Co- Director of Reverb Tap Company.
She started as a member of Reverb in 2016 and has performed at dance festivals and special events around the country, including the 2018 Emmy Awards Governors Balls. Mary is passionate about choreographing and in 2019 was awarded the Rhapsody in Taps’ Ted Gatto Memorial Tap Legacy Scholarship. Highlights include choreographing for the Huntington Beach High School Academy for the Performing Arts and having her choreography featured in “The Space Between” concert at the Old Town Temecula Theater in 2023.
She also enjoys teaching students of all ages and levels in Southern California and recently taught tap at Golden West College. Mary is honored to teach and perform at festivals and workshops, including the OC Tap Festival for six years running. Her goal as a teacher is to instill technique, musicality, artistry, and most importantly, a love of the dance in all her students.
Mary has always been encouraged in her art by Christy Hernandez, Linda Sohl-Ellison, and Leah Silva, and she considers herself very blessed to be mentored by these three phenomenal women and tap dancers. Mary graduated summa cum laude from Cal State Long Beach in 2023 with her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Accounting.