The 9th international Feet Beat Tap Festival 1.-8.8.2005

Review by Sofi Kyrklund

The past festival gathered participants from 16 different countries and was held in both Helsinki, the capital of Finland, and in Karis/Karjaa.

The festival offered courses and workshops in Helsinki, as well as an intensive tap program in the charming little town Karis. The event included two tap concerts, a show and a tap jam - all with live music! There were also performances on the open air stage at the heart of Helsinki and improvised tap dancing in the streets.

The courses in Helsinki offered tap dancers information and experiences from collaborating with musicians, traditional routines and contemporary styles of tap. The intensive part in Karis offered more in depth information in a relaxed and enjoyable environment. In the evenings lectures and discussions were held. The participants were also privileged to see some excerpts of historical video. The last evening a show with among other things tap, breakdance, locking and clowning was held at the local theatre in Karis. Among others the Sillanpää family trio sang and played folk songs joined by Josh Hilberman and Max Pollak.

TAP CONCERTS IN HELSINKI

In Helsinki the Gloria theatre was filled with an audience who were once again surprised to see such top quality tap dancing, of all kinds, offered by the Feet Beat Tap festival. The Feet Future concert proved that Finnish tap dancing is doing well when it comes to skills and innovative ideas. The Finnish tap dancers where represented by Feet Beat Tap Ensemble, Indictus Company, Karoliina Heiskanen, 8 year-old Ilmo Simonsen, Sofi Kyrklund and Jussi Lindroos. At the concert we also got to enjoy our foreign guests from Barcelona, Clac & Roll and from Madrid, Contaptwo ? both duos with their own different energetic styles. Our guest also from previous years, Joseph Wiggan represented LA, USA at the concert. His great feet and style are a joy to watch.

The Beat City masters' concert was a huge success. Our long time collaborator, the Jarmo Savolainen jazz trio had one of their best experiences when accompanying Heather Cornell's Manhattan Tap. The evening was very special since it brought together old members of the company. According to the press, Heather Cornell's solo dancing was like she had been one of the band members. The biggest surprise was the beautiful number "Viis" inspired by the Finnish epic Kalevala, performed by Rumba Tap, Max Pollak and Chikako Iwahori. Josh Hilberman performed an innovative and funny "tap and ukulele" number that left nobody cold. Chester Whitmore surprised the audience, including the musicians, with his hilarious Professor Bebop. Skip Cunningham entertained the audience with his singing and breathtaking tap and acrobatics.

Borrowing the words from the press review; "The festival has gained its place in Finland and abroad".

The Feet Beat Tap festival will celebrate the 10th anniversary August 2-11, 2006 in Helsinki and Karis. More information: www.feetbeat.fi