Episode 126: Molly Smith - Can You Hear Us Now

This week we are joined by the force behind the Baby Laurence Legacy Project, and star of The Mars Project debuting October 4th-6th, 2024 at Fall For Dance North in Toronto, internationally renowned Tap Dance artist Brinae Ali. In this conversation we discuss balance, artistic inspiration, community impact through art and how you can support the BLLP. Donate to BLLP here: https://givebutter.com/BLLP Learn more about The Mars Project and all things Tap Love Tour here: https://www.taplovetour.com/ Support the work of Tap Love Tour through our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

Ian Berg is an incredible, ever rising Tap Dance artist, composer, choreographer, educator and co-founder of the Tap Dance Music Dance group Subject: Matter. In this episode, Ian helps me overcome my skepticism against jazz culture being taught in Institutions of higher learning. Donate to Subject: Matter here: http://www.subjectmattertap.com/contactdonate.html Check out Ian’s Tap Program pitch at Berkeley here: https://vimeo.com/840589479 Support the work of Tap Love Tour through our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

This episode, we connect to the Tap Dance scene in Nairobi, Kenya through the co-founder of TapaTapa Tap Dance Group, Stacey Achieng and her student Eileen Musati. It’s a joyful conversation that reveals Stacey’s goal to spread the dAnCe across east Africa, and has host Travis Knights wondering how he can get in on that. Shout out to Tony Waag for helping to make this connection. Connect to Tapatapa here: http://tapatapa.co.ke/ Support the work of Tap Love Tour through our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

Tap dancer Molly Smith, director of Chicago Tap Theatre's new production Can You Hear Us Now? The Queer Tap Dance Revolution, joins us to talk about the inspiration behind their latest work. The show runs June 20th - 23rd, 2024 in Chicago. Click here for tickets: https://chicagotaptheatre.com/events Become a Tap Love Tour micro-producer through our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

Today we are joined by Brazilian Tap Dancer and Podcaster, Leonardo Dias. Brazil has been hit by record breaking, devastating floods. Leonardo has made a specific call to the international Tap Dance Community for help. So let's show up. Click here to donate: https://ko-fi.com/post/Help-the-victims-of-Southern-Brazil-Flood-N4N5XQXAB

In this episode, dancer, researcher, narratologist, and author Felix Lambert shares some insights he gained from his recently released 7 volume anthology book ‘Watch Your Step: A History of African American Dancing’. Purchase your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CLKWDRS9?binding=paperback&qid=1712266061&sr=1-1&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

This week Travis Knights and special guest Allie Stewart are joined by the co-founder of The Jazz Tap Ensemble, Lynn Dally. The gems that Lynn drops in this episode shine so bright. Visit https://jazztapensemblelegacy.org/ to purchase archives of her decades of work. Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights

This week, Lisa LaTouche and I are Absolutely privileged to be joined by the incredible Dr. Daniel Black. He is an author and professor of African American studies at Clark Atlanta University. His books include The Coming, Perfect Peace, Black on Black and many more. In this conversation, we talk about how to reclaim Tap Dance and shed the stain of minstrelsy. Make sure to pick up your copy of Dr. Black's book 'The Coming' at your local Black Bookstore. Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

In this episode, we connect with Pamela Hetherington and Conner Kelly to explore the history of the Philadelphia Tap Dance scene and their upcoming inaugural Brewerytown Tap Dance Festival. Register for the Brewerytown Tap Festival at https://www.brewerytown.org/ Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

On today’s show, we are joined by co-host Brinae Ali as she opens up some of her research process with us for her multi-year initiative, The Baby Laurence Legacy Project. Ali has curated some phenomenal guests to talk about their personal experiences with legendary Tap Dancer, Baby Laurence. Joining the conversation today is renowned Dunbar High School Music Educator, Charlie Funn, founder of The National Center for African Communitarian Culture, Sanifu Mwananchi, and Keystone Korner Baltimore Club Owner/Presenter, Todd Barkan. Additional audio: -Jazz Hoofer: Baby Laurence Documentary -Count Basie - Cute -Duke Ellington Lost Concerts album Join our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/travisknights Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber