EPK
WORLD MUSIC & DANCE
TRADITIONAL WEST AFRICAN MUSIC
JAZZ
FLAMENCO
TAP DANCE
BASED IN NEW YORK CITY
We present all original compositions drawn from African and jazz influences featuring the ancient sounds of the balafon, a wooden xylophone central to the Mande music traditions of West Africa.
ABOUT
Sound Bridges and Percussive Dance is a recently launched collaboration between two Brooklyn based award-winning touring companies: Feraba-African Rhythm Tap and Flamenco y Sol Dance Company.
Sound Bridges delivers high quality, fun, energetic performances that captivate and engage audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The repertoire of the group focuses on original pieces, which combine traditional West African music with flamenco and jazz. The shows highlight a new and exciting blending of styles, while preserving and honoring the extraordinary traditions of various world cultures.
Members of Sound Bridges span four continents, come from diverse artistic backgrounds and carry a unique passion for their craft. Through a thoughtful balance of improvisation and composition, they create fluid, cross-genre rhythmic conversations, which aim to entertain and inspire.
HISTORY
Feraba-African Rhythm Tap is a multicultural and multiethnic performance group, which combines the traditional sounds and movements of West Africa with the only true American dance form of Tap. Much of the core musical repertoire of Feraba involves the use of the balafon, a traditional wooden xylophone from West Africa as well as a broad array of other traditional percussion instruments.
Flamenco y Sol Dance Company features diverse styles including traditional flamenco, contemporary flamenco, flamenco jazz fusion, classical Spanish dance and the more modern Gypsy Kings-style of flamenco rumba.
Infectious rhythms, explosive dance movements along with sophisticated choreography and detailed compositions have defined their vibrant and powerful performances at many prestigious venues, including the Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center Outdoors, the Metropolitan Opera, Town Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the White House.
Together, these two well-established companies make up Sound Bridges and Percussive Dance.
AWARDS
SU-CASA Grantee 2023
2022 Creator Development Fund-New Music USA
Puffin Foundation Grantee 2022
Local Arts Support - Brooklyn Arts Council 2022
Brooklyn Arts Fund - Brooklyn Arts Council 2020, 2022 and 2023
Jubilation Foundation (2019 Fellow Irene Koloseus)
Jubilation Foundation (2020 Fellow Sol Koeraus)
ARTIST
Andy Algire: balafon, krin, palmas
Irene Koloseus: balafon, tap dance
Sol Koeraus: Flamenco, vocals, palmas
Aboubacar Diabate: djembe
Rade Bema: bass
Niko Diarra-Koloseus: drum set, percussion
