CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Tap Theatre is one of the most exhilarating, inventive dance companies in the city, and the grand finale of the season is about to happen.
Sterling Harris is the creative force behind the compelling story told in tap.
"For All We Know" is a story of love and embracing the world that surrounds us.
Harris belongs to Chicago. He's from Auburn Gresham and a graduate of Whitney Young High School. He got his moves early on.
"I grew up dancing socially; I didn't even consider it as a career thing. It's what you do, whether stepping, or my uncles taking me to a house fest," Harris said.
Harris studied neuroscience at Northwestern as a pre-med student. He still works in public health research at the Feinberg School of Medicine.
"I think a lot of times people think we dance with our feet: Our feet are the instrument. I would argue it's our whole body," Harris said. "My goal is to be the music, trying to express, trying to emote, feeling the freedom to be who I am, my long lanky self and loving it and moving how I want to move."
Mark Yonally, the creator of Chicago Tap Theatre, discovered Sterling.
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"He is lovingly constantly pushing me. 'You're going to do this challenging step. You're going to do this dance that might seem tough for somebody your age, and you're going to kill it,'" Yonally said.
"It's this limitless art form; you're a musician. You're a mover. You're a dancer: What you're creating is visual art, audible art. It reaches people in such a unique way," dancer Heather Latakas said.
"You spend so much time together in this pursuit. We start out just sharing with each other, talking, no shoes on yet, transposing that into steps, and transposing that with the music. And it turns into a whole beautiful thing of awe," Harris said.
Harris never broke his ties with Chicago.
"Chicago has its own brand, feel or style of tap. It's like a badge of honor, having gotten to dance from Chicago. I want to give back to dance in Chicago," Harris said.
The Chicago Tap Theatre performs this Thursday through Sunday.
The shows are at the Edge Theater on North Broadway in Edgewater.