What is STOMP? It is not a musical, theatre production, performance art or dance show… it is all of the above…sort of. STOMP is the union of music, dance, performance art and theatre all rolled into one. STOMP performers create their own music with their rhythmic skills and percussion techniques ranging from tap dancing with trash cans strapped to their feet – to banging can lids and tapping on water bottles. It all sounds like it would be a mess…but quite to the contrary STOMP turns these ordinary sounds into an extraordinary, rhythmic, percussion spectacular.
STOMP is no ordinary show - it takes mundane everyday ideas and items, and turns them into a symphony of sounds and delights. STOMP uses the most unique ideas that bring out rhythm from everyday items such as garbage cans, water bottles, brooms, pipes and lighters. They use anything and everything to create sound and rhythm. Each dancer has a unique ability to bring another innovative sound or movement to the stage.
The idea of stomp came from the 18th century British “buskers”. Buskers were street performers that would entertain pedestrians by doing outdoor shows based on sound and percussion and would ask for donations. These shows would range from musical performance, clowning, improvisation and balloon modeling to acrobatics, poetry, fortune telling and dance. A great example of busking is the rooftop scene in ‘Mary Poppins’, or the Venice Beach side shows that we’ve become accustomed to seeing in LA. Such as the roller skating man with the electric guitar, or the boys playing percussion on the water bottles. STOMP developed this idea into a stage spectacle by elaborating and developing the ideas into a stage worthy presentation.
STOMP has received critical acclaim from critics worldwide. The HBO special ‘STOMP out loud’ received four Emmy nominations. STOMP was also invited by President Clinton to perform at a New Year special that was telecast nationwide. STOMP has also been featured numerous times appearing on television shows like ‘Mad About You’, 'Pen and Teller’s Sin City Spectacular’ and ‘NBC Live Today’. They also were featured on ‘CBS This Morning’, 'E! Entertainment New Weekend’ as well as ‘The Howie Mandel Show’. STOMP also performed live at the 50th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.
