Rhythm’s Roots (2014)
Choreography: Jason Samuels Smith
Composer: Owen “Fiidla” Brown Quartet
Photo credit: Darial Sneed

Emmy Award–winning tap dancer Jason Samuels Smith teams up with musicians of Owen “Fiidla” Brown’s quartet in a new work exploring the African American experience, from the dance and percussion on slave ships of the Middle Passage through the jazz, be-bop, and hip-hop eras. The piece brings together Western and traditional African instruments in a multitude of musical styles, revealing points where history and art converge.