Appalachian Flatfooting Workshop
Saturday, April 25 at 11 AM
Tickets: $30
Play folk music with your feet!
For movers of all experience and backgrounds.
Flatfooting is a solo form of improvised percussive dance originating in the Appalachian Mountains, with sonic and gestural connections to West African, Indigenous, and Western European dance. Using the toe, heel, and ball of the foot to strike and slide across the floor, flatfooting articulates the rhythms of old-time fiddle and banjo tunes.
Wear comfortable clothes and smooth-soled, supportive shoes with a low heel or no heel for this class. Beginner to advanced workshop.
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Montreal fiddler Alexis Chartrand has traced a singular path across the Québécois traditional music scene. “Known for his pensive reworkings of Québécois fiddle tunes” (Songlines), he has pioneered the use of baroque violin and bows for the interpretation of this repertoire. His partnership with multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer Nicolas Babineau has led to the release of three albums and to many concerts in Québec, Canada, the United States, and Sweden. Hailed in 2019 as “two must-hears of Québécois traditional music” (Penguin Eggs), their 2024 collaboration with Nicolas Ellis and Orchestre de l’Agora “was a revelation and an intense emotional shock” (Le Devoir). He has explored the connection between music and dance with percussive dancers Nic Gareiss and Antoine Turmine. He has released duo albums with multi-instrumentalists Colin Savoie-Levac and Cédric Dind-Lavoie. Learn more at agchartrand.com
One of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch,” Nic Gareiss has been hailed by the New York Times for his “dexterous melding of Irish and Appalachian dance.” He reimagines movement as a musical practice, recasting dance as a medium that appeals to both eyes and ears. Gareiss engages many percussive dance traditions, weaving together a singular dance practice marked by his love of clog, flatfoot, and step dance footwork, improvisation, and musical collaboration. Gareiss received the 2020 Michigan Heritage Award, his home region’s highest distinction bestowed on traditional artists. He has performed in seventeen countries, including at London’s Barbican Centre, the Irish National Concert Hall, the Munich Philharmonic, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He holds an MA in Ethnochoreology from the University of Limerick. Learn more at nicgareiss.com
“Gareiss’ dexterous melding of Irish and Appalachian dance…” – New York Times
“…his feet coax music from the ground.” – Provincetown Independent
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