Our Team
Leonardo Sandoval | choreographer, dancer, artistic director
Brazilian tap dancer and choreographer Leonardo Sandoval is renowned for blending America’s great tap tradition with Brazil’s rich rhythmic and musical heritage. He founded Music From The Sole with composer Gregory Richardson in 2015, and he has been a core member of Dorrance Dance since 2014. As a solo dancer and choreographer, he has appeared at the National Folk Festival, Caramoor Jazz Festival, and he recently created a work as part of composer Philip Glass’ 85th birthday celebrations. A true dancer-musician, he was one of Dance Magazine’s “25 To Watch”, and is the recipient of a 2022 Vilcek Foundation Prize for Creative Promise, and a 2022 NYSCA/ NYFA Artist Fellow in Choreography. |
Gregory Richardson
(musical director, artistic director) Gregory Richardson is a composer and multi-instrumentalist focusing on upright and electric bass, and guitar. He is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Music From The Sole, and the musical director of Dorrance Dance. As a composer for dance, he’s created work at Lincoln Center Education, Jacob’s Pillow, The Yard, National Dance Institute, Works & Process, BAM, The Joyce, and New York City Center, most recently in collaboration with actor Bill Irwin. Recent credits include performing with Toshi Reagon in her opera Parable of the Sower, touring with indie band Darwin Deez, and playing with Grammy-winning artists Keyon Harrold and Marcus Gilmore. |
COMPANY MEMBERS
José Carlos Cruzata Revé | band
José Carlos Cruzata Revé is a Cuban saxophonist from the city of Holguín, and studied at the National School of Art in Havana. He began his career as a member of several prominent Cuban jazz and salsa bands that played around the world, including with members of the famous orchestra of Juan Formel y Los Van Van, and with flamenco dancer Joaquin Cortez. José is currently teaching for the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance in New York City, where he is also working on his upcoming album, and collaborates frequently with Leonardo Sandoval and Gregory Richardson, including for their shows Music from the Sole and Partido, for which he also composed music. |
Josh Davis | band
Josh Davis is an NYC-based multifaceted drummer, arranger and composer. Originally from Detroit, Josh has toured throughout the U.S., Europe, Brazil and Japan, playing a wide variety of genres at venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, Smalls Jazz Club, Symphony Space, Sziget Music Festival, and Detroit Orchestra Hall. He currently leads his own NYC-based jazz trio, mixing original compositions with arrangements of jazz standards and classic Brazilian choros and sambas. |
Orlando Hernández | dancer
Orlando Hernández is a tap dancer from Hoboken, New Jersey. He has presented his work at venues including On the Boards, La Casa Ruth, SPACE Gallery, the Provincetown Dance Festival, Brown University, Movement Research at the Judson Church, and Dance Now at Joe’s Pub. He has performed with Subject:Matter, Cats Paying Dues, Michela Marino Lerman’s Love Movement, and the 2021 Tap Family Reunion, created by Dormeshia, Derick K. Grant, and Jason Samuels Smith. Orlando is the recipient of a Fellowship in Choreography from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and the Rebecca Blunk Fund Award from the New England Foundation for the Arts. |
Roxy King | dancer
Roxanne “Roxy” King is a tap dancer, teacher, and company director based in Washington D.C. Roxy received her dance training primarily at the Metropolitan School of the Arts, where she also teaches tap classes. Currently she is the Artistic Director of DynaMYTE which is the junior company of the Metropolitan Youth Tap Ensemble (MYTE). She has taught all across the US and Brazil, at festivals such as Riff (Dallas, TX), the D.C Tap Festival, and Tap in Rio. In 2017 Roxy attended the Jacob’s Pillow Tap Program, run by Michelle Dorrance, and Dormeshia, after which she was invited to be a guest performer with Dorrance Dance in The Blues Project. She started dancing with Music from the Sole in 2020. |
Gerson Lanza | dancer
Originally from La Ceiba, Honduras, Gerson first encountered tap dance after moving to New York City in 2001. Immediately after his first exposure to tap, he fell in love with the art form. He began his tap dance training under Omar Edwards at his studio “Harlem Tap,” and continued developing his craft at the Harlem School of the Arts, under the instruction of Joseph Webb. He has since taught and performed across the US and internationally including in Brazil, Poland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Spain. Highlights include a 3-month European tour with the Cotton Club Show, in which he was feature as a soloist, and dancing with Jason Samuels Smith, Josh Johnson, and Leonardo Sandoval, among many others. |
Lucas Santana | dancer
Originally from Pernambuco in the Northeast of Brazil, Lucas Santana started studying tap at 8 and has since appeared on some of the most important stages and TV shows in Brazil, including as part of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics celebrations. He is a frequent collaborator with Leonardo Sandoval both in Brazil and in the US, most recently appearing at the Yard and Tap in Rio in Partido. He currently lives in Florianopolis (Southern Brazil), where he teaches and performs as part of the Trupe Toe company, and continues to work with the group Afetos Sonoros in Rio. Lucas also holds a degree in philosophy from the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro. |
Gisele Silva | dancer
Gisele Silva is a LA-based multi-form dancer, instructor and choreographer from Brazil. She has danced with Music From The Sole since 2017, has performed at New York City Center, Jacob’s Pillow, Guggenheim and Harlem Stage. She’s also a member of Chloe Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies, touring with the group all across the U.S, performing live at the Apollo Theater, Lincoln Center, Essence Festival, BET, CNN New Year’s Eve and more. Gisele is a teaching artist and performer with Afro Brazilian Company Viver Brasil, work at Disneyland for the holiday season and can be seen in the recently-released Apple TV+ musical film, Spirited. |
Ana Tomioshi | dancer
Ana Tomioshi is a Brazilian multi-style performing artist, choreographer and instructor, currently based in Washington DC. She is an alumna of The School at Jacob’s Pillow’s tap program and has performed at The Kennedy Center, São Paulo Municipal Theater, Battery Dance Festival, The Yard and Rock in Rio Music Festival. Ana also dances with Sole Defined Dance Company, directed by Quynn and Ryan Johnson, and is part of the Metropolitan School of the Arts faculty. Most recently, Ana was in the dance film “Rhythm Is Our Business”, a tap dance project commissioned by the Kennedy Center, which premiered on Sept 16th at the REACH film wall. |
Jennifer Vincent | band
Jennifer Vincent, bassist and cellist, has been an active force on the music scene in New York City for well over a decade. She plays and has played and toured with the likes of Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, the famed Boy's Choir of Harlem, Willie Martinez y La Familia, Son Sublime, the Xavier Cougat Orchestra, the Roberto Rodriguez Septet, Carmen Lundy, Harry Whitteaker, Jon Hendricks, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and many other jazz and Latin notables. A classically-trained cellist at Oberlin Conservatory, Jennifer is equally comfortable in the jazz, Latin-jazz, and traditional Cuban musical idioms. Her bass teachers include jazz icon Ron Carter, Andy Gonzales, Ed Bennett, Buster Williams, and Cuban bass legend Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez of the Buena Vista Social Club, with whom she traveled to Cuba to study with. Jennifer delves into music that utilizes West African, Japanese, and Middle Eastern influences with artists such as Sogbety Diomande from the Ivory Coast, the Pan-Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble, and Algerian pianist Maurice el Medioni's "Descarga Oriental", which won the 2006 BBC Music Award for Best World Crossover. |
Sterling Harries | dancer
Sterling Harris, a Chicago native, holds a B.A. in Neuroscience from Northwestern University but has a strong passion for tap dance. In addition to working with Music From The Sole, he performs with Chicago Tap Theatre, MADD Rhythms, and Dorrance Dance. Sterling is also an alumnus of The School at Jacob’s Pillow and a recipient of the Lorna Strassler Award. |
Camila Cortina | band
Camila Cortina is an acclaimed Cuban-born pianist, composer, and educator whose work masterfully reimagines the rich sounds and rhythms of her heritage through the lenses of jazz, classical, and world music. Known for her distinctive style, Camila has performed alongside legendary artists such as Paquito D'Rivera, Miguel Zenón, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Dianne Reeves. In 2023, she was awarded New Music USA's prestigious "Next Jazz Legacy" fellowship, and since then, she is making a name as a performer in the New York jazz escene, captivating audiences with her dynamic artistry and cross-genre exploration. |
Dylan Bhulai Rowland | band
Dylan Rowland is a jazz pianist from East Berlin, CT with a degree in Jazz Performance from the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford. He has studied with alumni from the Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers band such as Javon Jackson and Steve Davis, and has taken private lessons with Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band member Richard Germanson. He currently performs with Ed Fast and Conga-Bop frequently, but also plays with Delfeayo Marsalis as well as Rob Zappulla’s tribute band to Herb Alpert and Sergio Mendes. He has performed at venues such as Birdland Jazz Club, Joe’s Pub at Public Theater NYC, Drom, Side Door Jazz Club, and many others as well as many more to come! |
Matt Parker | band
Saxophonist, composer, and woodwind specialist Matt Parker is celebrated for his innovative approach, blending avant-garde jazz with contemporary and ambient music. Described by DownBeat Magazine as possessing a "tireless explorative spirit," Parker has collaborated with groups such as the Mingus Big Band and Postmodern Jukebox. His love for dance has led to collaborations with companies like Music From The Sole, Subject:Matter, and Dorrance Dance. His debut album, Worlds Put Together (2013), includes “WPT,” a composition written for tap. Parker’s dynamic work brings fresh energy to music and dance, creating immersive performances that explore the intersections of jazz, rhythm, and movement. |
Magela Herrera | band
Magela Herrera is a Cuban-born flautist, composer, and recording artist celebrated for blending Afro-Cuban traditions with a wide-ranging musical palette. Classically trained, she moves seamlessly between Latin jazz, flamenco, and traditional Cuban music, crafting a sound that is both rich and contemporary. Over the years, she has collaborated with renowned artists such as Chucho Valdés (Cuba) , Munir Hossn (Brazil) and others. She currently continues to perform as a member of Daymé Arocena’s project. Her versatility and expressive voice on the flute have earned her acclaim on international stages, establishing her as a powerful and innovative presence in today’s global music scene. |
Caroline Davis | band
Alive with nurturing visions of simple sonic offerings to morph our present situation, Caroline Davis’ main reason for playing music is to connect with others, beckoning new vistas among curious listeners. Her musical journey began in Singapore, in a humid climate, hearing sounds underwater that she would recreate by singing to her German shepherd dogs, who treated her as their own. Her family moved to the United States, Atlanta, Georgia, around age 6, where she encountered R&B and gospel music rife with horns that called her to choose the saxophone 6 years later. Caroline’s expression covers a wide range of styles. As a saxophonist and composer, she has released six albums and has won Downbeat’s Critic’s Poll Rising Star. She has worked with Lee Konitz, John Zorn, Angelica Sanchez, The Femme Jam, Rajna Swaminathan, and Terry Riley, to name a few. Caroline has been a resident fellow at MacDowell, The Jazz Gallery, The Rockefeller Estate, and ICE Ensemble Evolution, and a recipient of Jerome Hill, CMA, FCA, and NYFA fellowships. She is an advocate for gender equity (This Is A Movement, The New School) and justice for incarcerated people (Justice for Keith LaMar). |
Brittany DeStefano | dancer
Brittany DeStefano began dancing at the age of seven under the mentorship of Nicole Aravena and later, under the mentorship of Derick K. Grant and Lisa LaTouche in New York City. She is an alumnus of The School at Jacob’s Pillow for their tap programs of 2012 and 2014. Immediately following the Jacob’s Pillow Tap Program of 2014, Brittany began working for Dorrance Dance, Music From the Sole, and Caleb Teicher and Company. Brittany has been on faculty at the Boston Tap Festival, Vancouver Tap Festival, Tap in Rio in Brazil and has taught at Pineapple Studios in London, England. Other performance credits include, Lisa LaTouche’s Tap Phonics, Jason Samuels Smith’s A.C.G.I., Tap Kids, and Exhale Dance Tribe. |
PRODUCTION & STAFF
Sofia Baeta | general manager
Sofia Baeta is a Brazilian arts administrator and the General Manager for Music from the Sole and Hélène Simoneau Danse. She also serves as the Manager of the National Dance Institute’s Collaborative, where she oversees teacher training programs, budgets, and logistics for global partnerships. With a background as a Kenan Fellow at Lincoln Center Education and extensive experience in program development and artist support, Sofia combines her performance and management expertise to foster meaningful connections through the arts. |
Kathy Kaufmann | lighting designer
Kathy Kaufmann is a New York City native, resident designer at Danspace Project at St. Mark’s Church and a two-time Bessie recipient. She has worked with many esteemed artists including Meredith Monk, Eiko and Koma, Jacques D’Amboise, Vicky Shick, Reggie Wilson, Kota Yamazaki and Sally Silvers. She designs regularly for Dorrance Dance, National Dance Institute, Joanna Kotze, The Bang Group, Mariana Valencia, Rebecca Stenn, Rebecca Davis and Ephrat Asherie Dance. She was honored to be included in Curtain Call: Celebrating 100 Years of Women in Design at the New York Performing Arts Library and is a proud guest artist of Music From The Sole. |
Devin Koenig | lighting supervisor & stage manager
Devin Koenig is an Astoria-based lighting designer, associate, and stage manager for dance, events, and installations. Her work can be seen at Madame Tussaud’s NYC and the Franklin Institute. She has worked with Gallim, the Fosse-Verdon Legacy, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. In her free time, she is trying to make a perfect tomato soup. |
Christopher Marc | sound designer & engineer
Christopher Marc is a NY-based Designer from Minneapolis, MN specializing in percussive dance. Christopher has designed works with Michelle Dorrance/Dorrance Dance, Music From the Sole, Turn it Out With Tiler Peck, NYCTE, Luke Hickey Dance, Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom, Flamenco Vivo, Trinity Irish Dance, Luke Hickey Dance, Midsummer A Shakesperience, as well as several regional & off-broadway productions with the Kennedy Center, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, IJB Productions, Aquila Theatre, and Mills Entertainment. Christopher is also a Production Manager, designs/builds custom floors for percussive dance, and is owner/operator of @cmarcaudi |