Performance 7:30 - 9:00, Workshop 12:00-1:30

Dancing feet have kept the beat of the human experience across continents and cultures, a rhythmic expression of the human instinct to communicate and collaborate. The varied percussive dance traditions that span the globe are living embodiments of specific cultural legacies, each with its own distinct roots, rhythms and geographic provenance.

Feet Keep the Beat showcases not only dancers, but highlights the corresponding musical traditions as musicians perform the accompaniment live.

Flamenco:an artistic expression fusing song (cante), dance (baile) and musicianship (toque). Andalusia in southern Spain is the heartland of Flamenco, although it also has roots in regions such as Murcia and Extremadura.

Kathak:a classical Indian dance form, originating from Northern India, known for its storytelling through rhythmic footwork, facial expressions, and graceful movements.

Tap:an American art form that evolved alongside the advent of jazz music. Tap is a type of step dance that began with the combination of Black American and Irish dance traditions.

Feet Keep the Beat is a signature program developed by The Center for Arts at the Armory (Somerville, MA) www.artsatthearmory.org. Arts at the Armory is the fiscal sponsor of The Feet Keep the Beat Touring Program. Ryan Casey is the Artistic Director and Tour Manager for the Feet Keep the Beat Touring Program. 

$26 advance | $32 day-of | $16 student
*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Funded in part by the New England States Touring program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies.

WORKSHOP : In addition to the performance, Feet Keep the Beat dancers will offer a FREE workshop and sharing session, free and open to the public prior to their evening performance. Community members will have the opportunity to study directly with three Feet Keep the Beat artists and learn some of the history, culture, and footwork of different percussive dance forms. Spending 30min with each style, the classes are great introductions to the Flamenco, Kathak, and Tap dance and to the ways in which group percussion builds community.

PLEASE REGISTER FOR THE WORKSHOP SEPARATELY TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT