Transcendental Tap: Rhythm and Shoes
By Linda Ayres-Frederick
Published: August 23, 2007
Tap Dance is a uniquely American art form, and at the 2007
Bay Area
Rhythm exchange last Saturday at Herbst Theatre, the all
star lineup
proved just how much of a rhythmic musical instrument
tap-shoe clad
feet can be. Accompanying the unique “voices” of the
tap-dancing
artists were a three piece jazz band which included
Channing
Cook-Holmes on drums (himself a phenomenal tap dancer),
Marcus Shelby
on bass, pianist Sista Kee, and two special guest stars:
Carlos Aguirre
of the group Felonius with beat-boxing/vocal percussion,
and The Unique
Derique performing his own Hambone body percussion.
Bay Area Rhythm Exchange Festival Director John Kloss
brought together
an unrivaled and dazzling array of tap and musical talent
that invoked
an appreciation of tap’s history while inspiring an
excitement for
tap’s present and future. This year’s Festival was
definitely one of
the most upbeat experiences to witness. Unlike flamenco,
which can
sometimes get heavy-handed in the wrong pair of shoes,
these tappers
showed unparalleled rhythmic patterns that took everyone to
another
level of experience. Kloss’ own very impressive skills came
out in the
astounding “contest” of rhythmic wills number between
himself and
Carlos Aquirre’s stunning beat-box/vocals.
What is most amazing is how easy the dancers make difficult
steps look.
From the smiling, sensuous, classic “song and dance” style
of Deborah
Mitchell — who did a smooth rendition of Sunny Side of the
Street in
her intro number — to the intensely improvisational,
expressionistic
style of Dormeshia Sumbry-Edward, who riffed back and forth
with
drummer Cook-Holmes. Both these New Jersey women created
primal yet
transcendental rhythms with their feet. Ms Sumbry-Edwards
was
particularly trancelike and hypnotic, and exciting to
listen to and
watch.
Equally talented and extraordinary was the tall,
commanding, Fred
Astaire-like presence of Sam Weber in his solo My One and
Only Love.
Handsome in a blue silk shirt, this technical wizard
executed graceful
pirouettes while riffing at top speed with drummer
Cook-Holmes — who
also danced with stunning precision later in spite of his
earlier
warning that he might not be able to because of an injury.
While the first half of the show comprised primarily of
solo numbers,
the second half began with the humorous neon effect of
day-glow
accessories in the dark in an ensemble piece with each
artistsgiven an
additional opportunity to show off their individual styles.
A highlight
of the second half was the Stepology Electronic Tapology
music created
by The Unique Derique who really did “play” his body which
was wired
somehow to the machine so that each time he tapped part of
his torso, a
different sound emitted. He even asked a member of the
audience to come
up and join him in a demonstration. The young man he chose
did a great
job himself and appeared to be schooled (self- or
otherwise) in the art.
Completing the experience was the invitation to all
“tappers” in the
audience to join in what was called a “shim-sham” finale
where the
stage was filled with talented tappers of every size, age,
and level of
talent, all of whom obviously enjoyed stepping forward and
tapping
their and our hearts out in a true celebration of this
uniquely
transcendental art form. Presented by Stepology, this
year’s Bay Area
Rhythm Exchange was an obvious toe-tapping success!
For more information about Stepology’s concerts,
performers, the Bay
Area Tap Festival, future programs, and workshops, visit
www.stepology.com.
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