True or false?
The
oldest music instruments found to date were played by humans more than 40,000
years ago.
Some compositions by Mozart, Ellington, Souza or today’s rap artists have
exactly the same beat.
Call And Response, a tool used in many music traditions and in many
schools, is thousands of years old.
Many cultures’ music, including ours, was originally inspired or created by
dancers.
It is easy to understand or improve basic math by using simple
music
skills.
A skilled percussionist can play the
exact same tune and rhythms using feet instead of hands.
Many drumming rhythms were first created by tap dance masters.
Tap dance shoes are one of the oldest and most versatile musical
instruments invented in the USA.
The eight-bar phrase - a pillar of jazz and popular music
worldwide - was
invented in the USA by a tap dance pioneer.
Tap was a musical tradition for more than a century before becoming known
worldwide as a dance tradition.
Everyone has rhythm (even those who think
that they have two left feet or
that they are tone-deaf...)
If you answered "true" to each question above your knowledge of music is up to date! If you had the wrong answer(s) maybe it's time to revisit the wonderful art of music and how it evolved over the past 40,000 years?
REDISCOVER MUSIC!
Music From The Ground Up
presents the evolution of music in a new and powerful way. This show engages the mind and
challenges the ear, helping students and teachers take a brand new look at how
rich, ancient and yet exciting musical traditions truly are. Featuring clear
demonstrations, virtuoso performances on hand drums and on a specially-designed, amplified
Portable Percussive Dance Floor, and a "laugh and learn"
approach, this program is performed by NTE’s Artistic Director Chris Baker in
person. Mr. Baker is recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities
on American vernacular traditions (more info on him can be found here
and here.) We highly
recommend that schools with magnet/dance programs and presenters with ties to
the local dance community invite him for tap dance
workshops in addition to this show in order to maximize the audience’ exposure,
when schedule permits!
Music From The Ground Up explores and demonstrates the fundamentals of music in a participatory, highly-interactive way and answers questions such as the ones above in an age-specific manner. For example, grades pre-K to 5 school audiences get a chance to hear, feel and actually visualize such essentials musical elements as beat, tempo or time signature. Grades 7 and up may not only discuss more advanced concepts such as the term "composography" (a word actually invented by Mr. Baker) but why it is one of today’s hottest topics in percussion and how it is used to create compositions that completely blur the line between music and dance.
This one-of-a-kind program also explores and illustrates the unique relationships that exist between tap - which originated in the Southern USA as a music form more than a century before it became known as a dance form - and a wide variety of other music traditions, from the members of the "Great American Family" of USA-born musical traditions (work songs, gospel, blues, jazz, rock & roll, Broadway tunes, funk, rap, etc.) to other music/cultural traditions that may range from Rimsky-Korsakov to African drums, or Bob Marley. An eye and eye-opener for audiences, including musicians and music teachers whose manuals do not contain that information!
This show may be the most interactive and attention-grabbing of all our cultural programs. Using sing-alongs, call and response, clapping, scatting, or counterpoint, the audience is an integral part of the show and occasionally turns into a giant, one-of-a-kind orchestra as the conductor leads with his hands and... feet! Music From The Ground Up also features up to date information on music history, complete with the latest discoveries by archeologists and ethno-musicologists.
Music is arguably the most universal form of communication, and percussive dance ("music in motion") may well be the form of music that uses the largest number of our "multiple intelligences." There simply is no more exciting way of rediscovering music than... From The Ground Up!
This National Tap Ensemble show is highly recommended for both cultural assembly programs (schools, rec. centers, senior centers, etc.) and community concert series (the show can be performed with or without intermission.)
Please click here for
audience and presenters' feedback on this program.
Click here if you are interested in bringing this program
to your school or community. You will be required to fill out a form that will
provide the NTE Educational Programs Representative who is in charge of your region with the
information needed to in turn give you confidential access to all relevant
details: technical specifications (stage, equipment, etc.), fees, length, funding
and discounts availability (with several options that may help your school
reduce or eliminate program cost altogether) audience size, touring and dates info, etc. You will then be able to
make an informed decision on booking the program(s) of your choice if you so
desire.
