Little did Andrew Nemr realize when he spoke with his former teacher, Superintendent Michael Polizzi, about a tap dancing workshop aimed at teenagers he was developing, that Polizzi would inspire him to create an entire program that addressed the challenges of high school students. A program that Polizzi encouraged Nemr to debut at New Milford High School. 

Andrew Nemr and his dance troupe, Cats Paying Dues, came to New Milford High School Monday and with a mixture of dance, dialogue and music addressed some of the issues related to harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB).

During the performance, the dancers shared their own intensely personal stories of isolation, inadequacy and loneliness, and used the expression of dance to work through those feelings. The dancers said that tap is a language that they are all fluid in; a universal language they hope the students understand.

Nemr, who had been tap dancing since he was three years old, was mentored by Gregory Hines and studied under Savion Glover where he was the founding member and dance captain of Glover’s TiDii.  

When Glover's company disbanded, Nemr started his own dance company, Cats Paying Dues. Within eight months the company would have a successful off-Broadway show. 

As Nemr said of the performance at New Milford High School, "I use dance to take that energy (feelings of isolation/inadequacy/loneliness) off the students and put it into the dance."

Members of the dance troupe include:

• Andrew Nemr, Founder and Artistic Director
• Jess Gersony
• Maggie Vienti
• Gina Unverferth
• Alex MacDonald
• Stephen Sainato

Nemr is hoping to take "Come Together" on the road and present it to other high schools. 

The assembly was organized by Dorene Zacher, New Milford School District HIB Coordinator, and attended by the entire student body. 

Following the performance, the dancers answered the questions posed to them by the student audience about how they handled the difficult situations that the dancers had shared.