SOLE Defined
SOLE Defined is an Artists in Residence at Dance Place in Washington, DC with the mission to entertain, educate and empower lives through performances, workshops, and Arts integrated programming. SOLE Defined, is the intersection between percussive dance, multimedia, storytelling, and the African American narrative throughout American History in 90-minute shows called Percussical’s.
Percussical’s are high-quality percussive dance musicals that raise consciousness about historic information directly affecting the African American narrative while preserving percussive dance forms created in the United States. Using art to address social injustice, we strategically created a company of artists that represents the diversity of our cities, to inspire hope and initiate transparent conversations between social classes.
SOLE Defined’s, SOLE STEPZ, creates and implements arts-integrated programming that engages students k-12 in the mid-Atlantic region. The focus of SOLE STEPZ is to enhance the learning process for students and the teaching experience of the Common Core Standards while preserving percussive dance, and promoting creativity, collaboration, and teamwork. We believe arts education is vital to the development of young people and reinforces the academic experience. SOLE Defined provides in-school programming connecting Stepping with Math and Tap Dance with Literacy, Art for Art sake performances teaching the elements of percussive dance, and workshops that build multi-disciplinary work that empowers young people while creating space for transparent conversation to enhance social and emotional growth.
SOLE Defined has performed on stages across the globe, including The World Children’s Festival in Italy, The John F. Kennedy Center, Jacobs Pillow, The Shakespeare Theater, The Smithsonian, International Cajon Festival in Lima, Peru, and DancEncore International Dance Festival.
“SOLE Defined brings energy, story, and artistry to every show they perform. Percussive dance at its best!”
— Samantha Pollack, Washington Performing Arts Society
Image courresy of SOLE Defined