STEPS & STRIPES
was conceived when The Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts commissioned Footworks to create a piece to commemorate The Star Spangled Banner’s 200th anniversary and perform it for the 50th annual Americans for the Arts conference in Baltimore in June of 2010. Robert L. Lynch, President of Americans for the Arts, wrote that it was a “rousing and patriotic performance” and that the audience “loved the portrayal of our American history and its many threads through dance. [It was] a deeply moving and entertaining piece that resonated with us all.”
Footworks is presenting a 2-set theatre production of Steps & Stripes that will be ready for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons and for the actual anniversary of our national anthem in September of 2014. The show, which includes many guest artists and outstanding musicians, celebrates the multicultural history of Baltimore. Irish music and dance, along with African music and dance, illuminate how these diverse cultures met each other here and led to some of our beautiful and uniquely American music and dance. Clogging and tap, along with modern dance and hip-hop dance, help to create a visual timeline of Baltimore’s history.
To see the program notes, go to Steps and Stripes Program Notes 2013.
INCREDIBLE
FEETS
is a music and dance revue
that celebrates the world
of percussive dance. This
engaging show introduces the
audience to traditional percussive
dances from Ireland, England,
South Africa, Canada and the
American South as well as
hamboning, hoofin', and early
jazz tap. The influences of
these joyful traditions also
come together in original,
innovative pieces choreographed
by Footworks. With up to six
dancers and three musicians,
this is a full-scale stage
production for large halls
and festivals. When budgets
allow, guest artists native
to the individual traditions
expand the Company. Smaller
versions of INCREDIBLE
FEETS also take
the audience on a whirlwind
tour of percussive dance.
With a range of four to eight
performers, this allows you
to tailor the production to
fit your facility and budget.
FESTIVALS
Footworks has a long history of performing at major folk, bluegrass, roots music, and international festivals across North America and the United Kingdom. The company’s high energy main stage performances with live music and dance delight audiences and adds visual variety to any festival line up. Footworks also brings a wealth of teaching experience to conducting participation workshops in many styles, making dance accessible and fun for all ages. The company can assist any festival in creating areas where festival goers can participate in dance and movement workshops.
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WORKSHOPS & MASTER CLASSES
Footworks’ mission is partly
to make dance accessible and
enjoyable to anyone, whether
you are a beginner or a highly
trained dancer who has yet
to experience tradition-based
percussive dance forms. Class
material is custom designed
for every level: dance studios;
recreational or semi-professional
groups; college dance departments;
and professional companies.
In addition to years of experience
and first rate teaching skills,
Footworks imparts the concept
of dance as cultural expression,
within a historical context.
Workshops
varying in length are also
offered to general audiences
of all ages and capabilities,
including instruction in:
the classic rhythms and distinguishing
characteristics of Southern
Appalachian clogging; contemporary
clogging; French Canadian,
Cape Breton and Irish stepdance;
South African Boot Dance;
Irish country sets, ceili
dance and old-time waltzes;
beginning or intermediate
swing and Cajun; as well as
hambone, tap, and creative
improvisation.
THE
COMMUNITY RHYTHM PROJECT
grew out of founding director
Eileen Carson Schatz’s twenty
plus years of presenting outreach
programming in Anne Arundel
County, Maryland. Every school
year Ms. Carson seeks funding
to provide Footworks performances
and residencies to schools,
recreation centers, and senior
centers whose students or
participants may not otherwise
have very much opportunity
to experience the live arts
and dance instruction. Funding
has been provided by the Maryland
State Arts Council, The Arts
Council of Anne Arundel County,
Parole Rotary and private
donors. Most recently the
residencies have been conducted
at four Title One schools
in Annapolis working with
students in the ACCESS after
school programs.
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