Music from the Sole

In Residence March 1 - 7, 2021

In early March of 2021, Music From the Sole was in a remote residency with New York City partner Arts on Site. The company, led by Leonardo Sandoval and Gregory Richardson, continued development of a new untitled piece. We were thrilled to support their creative process through this residency!

Music from the Sole is a tap dance and live music company that celebrates tap's Afro-diasporic roots, particularly its connections to Afro-Brazilian dance and music, and its lineage to forms like house dance and passinho (Brazilian funk). Led by Brazilian choreographer Leonardo Sandoval and by composer Gregory Richardson, their work embraces tap’s unique nature as a blend of sound and movement, incorporating wide-ranging influences like samba, passinho, Afro-Cuban, jazz, and house.

The company first arrived at The Yard in 2019 with their piece Partido, which has its world premiere at Harlem Stage on November 12, 2021.

Meet Music From the Sole

As part of its mission to bring tap dance, America's original vernacular dance form, to new audiences, Music from the Sole appears at both music and dance venues. Recent credits include appearances at Lincoln Center, Kaatsbaan, Jacob’s Pillow, The Yard, Caramoor Jazz Festival, Battery Dance Festival, and Tap in Rio. They were recently commissioned new pieces by Works And Process at the Guggenheim, and have received support from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, New England Foundation for the Arts, and the Jerome Foundation.

Driven by a firm belief in the transformational power of both dance and music, the company has also partnered with organizations like the National Dance Institute and Lincoln Center Education, highlighting a deep commitment to community engagement, inclusivity, and social impact. Beyond theatres and concert halls, they have brought performances and discussions to schools, hospitals, prisons, parks, and community centers.

Learn more about the company on their website and follow them on Instagram!

This residency was 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.

Photos by Christopher Duggan, Christopher Jones, K Linnea Backe, Sally Cohn, and Sophia Attebery