In early February, we organized a free community workshop with Music from the Sole at Dance Place’s Edgewood Arts Center. Music From The Sole is a tap dance and live music company that blurs the line between concert dance and music performance and celebrates tap’s roots in the African diaspora. Led by Brazilian tap dancer and choreographer Leonardo Sandoval and composer and bassist Gregory Richardson, their work draws from Afro-Brazilian, jazz, soul, house, rock, and Afro-Cuban styles.
Ahead of their performance at The Clarice at the University of Maryland (co-presented with EducArte), Music from the Sole worked with local percussive dancers, percussionists, and capoeiristas to explore Afro-Brazilian rhythms through body percussion. It was a full house and everyone was smiling and engaged! At the end, some of our capoeiristas pulled out their instruments (berimbau and pandeiro) for a brief jam session, accompanied by the class’ body percussion.
Thanks to Leo Sandoval, Greg Richardson, and Noë Kains for sharing their knowledge with our community! It was beautiful to see folks from so many different local dance, percussion, and capoeira groups come together to share rhythms and make noise together. Check out some highlights below!