Festival Reports

10th International Feet Beat Tap Festival
Karis and Helsinki, Finland
August 2-11, 2006

by ITA rep. Jussi Lindroos

Feet Beat’s tenth international festival was celebrated in a grand fashion by a versatile ten-day-event. This milestone-year gathered participants of all ages from Denmark, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA and of course all over Finland to dance, learn and celebrate tap.

Ten years

In 1997 the Finnish non-profit organization Feet Beat arranged its' first annual festival. Sofi Kyrklund, the artistic director and producer, is the strong character behind all what has happened since. This year she succeeded again in gathering a very inspiring and educative program. One can only admire her passion and personal commitment for presenting and preserving tap through this event.

PART I Karjaa/Karis Aug. 2-6

Karis, the original home of the event, set the scene for the first part of the festival. The intensive programs for three different levels offered a possibility to focus on tap in a relaxed environment. The festival attendees enjoyed the great tap and vernacular classes by Kurt Albert, Klaus Bleis, Josh Hilberman, Chikako Iwahori, Max Pollak and the important spirit of the festival Chester Whitmore. Lectures and discussion on tap legends, history and even tap ethics were held as evening program. In the late evenings dancers also headed for the cosy Serendipity Art Café to enjoy the company of each other. A great informal show, as well as a party created a perfect ending for the first part.

PART II Helsinki Aug. 7-11

On August 7th the festival moved to Helsinki. The second five-day part included a possibility to choose from various courses and master classes of tap, vernacular jazz, gumboot, body percussion and Cuban Rueda. For the great pleasure of the participants Michelle Dorrance also joined the teacher faculty. In the evenings participants enjoyed world-class program: an experimental jam, Percussive Playground, organized in collaboration with Indictus Productions, and two unique Feet Beat tap concerts: Feet Future and Beat City.

This year the renowned concerts were taken to one of the finest stages in Helsinki. The beautiful baroque-styled Helsinki Swedish Theater (Svenska Teatern) in the hearth of the city offered a perfect setting for the celebrations. This splendid big stage was a joy for both the audience and the performers.

Feet Future offered an interesting display of tap with the virtuosos Guillem Alonso and Roser Font of Tap Olé with their two guitar players (Alejandro Pérez and Roger Raventós) , Michelle Dorrance, and the Finns who were credited by the press for their professional dancing. The Finnish performers included Asko&Marjo, Feet Beat Tap Ensemble, Ari Kauppila, Sofi Kyrklund, Jussi Lindroos and Hannaleena Markkanen. The evening was skilfully hosted by Mr. Hilberman, and accompanied by totally six musicians.

Beat City presented versatile and inspiring faculty members. Tap&Tray tributed their mentor Carnell Lyons, Whitmore danced a great comedy piece, Tap Olé charmed again with Spanish flavor, Rumba Tap performed their exciting pieces, Dorrance and Hilberman presented a relaxed conversational duet and Manhattan Tap's Gumboot dance (arranged by Olivia Rosenkrantz) spiced the evening. This concert was also accompanied by six musicians.

All the participants and faculty members created a truly warm multicultural athmosphere. Thank you everyone, especially Sofi Kyrklund, for making these fantastic ten days happen!