We ran our first workshop with 5th - 8th graders at National Dance Institute in July of 2018, using material from Music From The Sole as the groundwork, and it was a totally inspiring success for everyone: The kids loved it. The staff invited us back for a longer workshop engagement. And Leo and I walked out of the school bubbling with ideas about how we could repeat and expand the project.
One realization we came to was that not every group of students has to be fluent in tap or even have access to a pair of tap shoes for the workshop to be a success. There are numerous traditions of “body percussion” from around the world. And Leo has spent a lot of time studying and translating Brazilian rhythms, like samba, into body percussion, so we’re really excited about the opportunity to "bridge the gap”, so to speak, for schools without access to 30 pairs of tap shoes!
One of the main focuses of the workshop is driving home the point that, in the realm of percussive dance (like tap dance, body percussion, flamenco, etc…), the dancer is not just a mover but a musician. It’s really fun getting young dancer’s to think like musicians, and equally fun encouraging people who might not have thought of themselves as either, to realize that they are.
Contact us to discuss a one-off workshop or assembly with your students and/or developing a more in-depth curriculum that could involve several visits and culminate in a performance for parents, students, and faculty!
One realization we came to was that not every group of students has to be fluent in tap or even have access to a pair of tap shoes for the workshop to be a success. There are numerous traditions of “body percussion” from around the world. And Leo has spent a lot of time studying and translating Brazilian rhythms, like samba, into body percussion, so we’re really excited about the opportunity to "bridge the gap”, so to speak, for schools without access to 30 pairs of tap shoes!
One of the main focuses of the workshop is driving home the point that, in the realm of percussive dance (like tap dance, body percussion, flamenco, etc…), the dancer is not just a mover but a musician. It’s really fun getting young dancer’s to think like musicians, and equally fun encouraging people who might not have thought of themselves as either, to realize that they are.
Contact us to discuss a one-off workshop or assembly with your students and/or developing a more in-depth curriculum that could involve several visits and culminate in a performance for parents, students, and faculty!