SOLE Defined A high stepping, toe tapping blend of styles, SOLE Defined put on the coolest number of the night. -Washington Post
SOLE Defined Dynamic, Infectious and Energetic! Sole Defined is a percussive dance production based in Washington, DC, created by Ryan K. Johnson and Quynn Johnson. The show, established in 2011, has had the pleasure of performing at theaters and festivals nationally and internationally, including The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC., The International Cajon Festival in Lima, Peru, and the DancEncore International Dance Festival in Canada. This award-winning production takes an exciting twist on theater and percussive dance, by creating a free flowing conversation through movement and music. Sole Defined has been noted by the Washington Post as performing the coolest number of the night with its high-stepping and toe tapping blend of styles. SOLE DESC R IPT ION
Ryan Johnson, named a virtuosic tapper by The Washington Post is a Baltimore, Maryland native that began dancing under the direction of his mother Vanessa Jackson Johnson at Turn Out Performing Arts Center. He continued to develop his passion for dance at Mary Slater s Dance Studio in Annapolis, Maryland. He is a well-known national and international performer that has been called purely amazing by Septime Weber, Artist Director of The Washington Ballet. At the age of twenty-five Johnson co-created SOLE Defined,an awardwinning production that takes an exciting twist on theater and percussive dance by creating a free flowing conversation through movement and music. The Washington Post has noted Sole Defined as performing the coolest number of the night with its high-stepping and toe tapping blend of styles. Johnson's achievements include being cited for his choreography and solo dance performances, receiving a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council in 2008, being the 2010 award winner of the DC Metro Dance Awards: Outstanding Solo Performance, and being a finalist for the Emerging Artist Award. Johnson has performed in Cirque Du Soleil,STOMP, Step Afrika!, and The Washington Ballet's The Great Gatsby as a their resident tap dancer. He was also the lead choreographer for the 2010 Season Premier of Extreme Makeover Home Edition, in Baltimore, MD where he created a Step Extravaganza. He has premiered new works at theinternational Body Music Festival in Brazil, New York City Tap Festival: Tap International, and Cirque Du Soleil with The Nevada Ballet's "A Chorographers Showcase" in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Review Journal wrote Urban Jungle: The Village, by Ryan Johnson of The Beatles LOVE, is a burst of pure feeling, the most infectious entry of the program. Ryan Johnson has performed on stages across the world including the United States, South Africa, Madagascar, Morocco, South America, Canada, and South East Asia. He is currently performing with The Beatles LOVE by Cirque Du Soleil, in Las Vegas, NV. Ryan Johnson SOLEDI REC TOR
Quynn Johnson, a graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C., is a native of Flint, Michigan. Nicknamed the Sole Rebelle, Ms. Johnson has studied dance under masters of Tap and West African dance. Quynn is not only a dancer, but is a skilled and talented performer and author. Ms. Johnson, a multi-award winning performing artist and choreographer, has been described as having a deliciously buoyant movement quality and a natural organic rhythm. In 2014, she won the Individual Artist Award for Dance: Choreography from the Maryland State Arts Council. Quynn s newest production, SOLE Defined (co-created with Ryan Johnson) a show with incredible fusion of tap dance and body percussion. SOLE Defined has been presented at The John F. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, the Intersections: Festival 2012 & 2013, and The Patterson Theater. In 2008 Quynn began her tap company, Just Tap, was a finalist for the Dance Metro DC Award in the category of Emerging Group Performers. Quynn Johnson has been featured as the Tap dance soloist in The Washington Ballet production of "The Great Gatsby" at The Kennedy Center and at The Source Festival. She has also performed at The Lincoln Center on Broadway, in Cirque du Soliel s Mosaic production in Washington, D.C., the National Tap Extravaganza in New York, Tapology Festival for Youth, the International Festival del Folklorico in Buenaventura, Colombia, and the Festival del Pacifico in Cali, Colombia. In addition, Quynn has toured Peru as part of the International Festival de Cajon Peruano. Ms. Johnson has several national awards in recognition for her choreography and was named the #1 Tap Choreographer for youth 12 and under, by the state of Maryland in 2006. In 2011 Quynn became a self-published author of her first children s book Lucky s Tap Dancing Feet, an exciting story about a horse who wanted to learn how to tap dance. In 2013 Quynn transformed her children s book into an award winning production premiering at the Quynn Johnson SOLEDI REC TOR
Art is a mode of expression for me to share my story, my thoughts, and my most vulnerable feelings with my audience. More importantly, no matter how I present myself, art has always taught me to be honest with myself and where I am in my life. My art continues to be a place to help me evolve as a spiritual being and a human. Performance credits: Tony Award winning Broadway production, Bring in Da Noise Bring in Da Funk, an acting appearance in the Martin Scorsese film Bringing Out The Dead, as well as print and television ads. He has also performed on talk shows including: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Live with Regis and Kathy Lee. Special guest artist at Clifford Brown Jazz Festival in Wilmington, Delaware, Tap Stars (Hamburg, Germany) and in the Cotton Club Parade with Wynton Marsalis. Most recently, Joseph wrapped filming the movie Black Nativity (Winter 2013) which stars Angela Basset and Forest Whitaker as well as a short movie for Red Bull Academy Music NYC 2013. -Joseph Webb Dance! It has been there for me during the worst of times and the best of times. It knows how to put a smile on my face and make my body jump for joy. It is my passion, my challenge, my job and my hobby. It is me! Performance credits include: "Sophisticated Ladies" at The Cotton Club, Smooth Criminal, Derick K. Grant s Once upon a Tap at Harris Theatre in Chicago, IL, Motor City Tap Fest's Masters of Tap at Detroit Orchestra hall. -Brandy Blaha SOLE C ast
My art defines me through the musical connection it tethers to the audience member. What fun would it be to just sit at home experiencing the entertainment for ourselves? It will always be a much better experience when encountering music together with other human beings. Performance credits include: STOMP- Tour of the Americas, Disney Cruise Lines as a singer/dancer and dance captain, Paramounts Kings Dominion, Pittsburgh Playhouse Dance Company, and Busch Gardens Theme Park Williamsburg, VA. Justin continues to write and produce his own music some describe as Acoustical Rock with an R&B Funk style. -Justin Myles My art defines me as an outward representation of who I am inwardly. Passionate, committed, dedicated, free. The words describe the impressions I aim to leave on the world. Through dance I am remembered. Performance credits include: The Broadway Town Hall Theater of New York City, NY, the Apollo Theater of New York City, NY, the Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center, DC, Hip Hop Tap the Map: A Tribute to Sandman Simms by the Smithsonian Museum. -Alyse Jones Dance is a treasure buried deep within my sole that shines so bright it lights up my face when I step foot on to a dance floor. The passion that I feel for the art of dance has pushed me to continue striving to dance any chance I get. Through dance I can express myself in more ways than humanly imaginable in words and for that I am thankful to have been blessed with such an artistic gift. Performance credits include: Nationally ranked Seminole Dance Force dance team. She has spent time traveling with the Tremaine Dance Company performing multiple dance styles. -Caylin Frye SOLE C ast
Dance isn t just something that I do, it is a part of me. Its the part that allows me to share my life and express who I am without speaking a word. Performance credits include: Brothers Of The Knight, starring Debbie Allen, stage play, If You Don t Believe starring Tatyana Ali, Pepito Story, Dreams, and Dancing In The Wings, all under the direction of Debbie Allen, and the Kennedy Center Honors, honoring Shirley Temple. He is currently the Assistant Artistic Director of the Metropolitan School of the Arts in Alexandria and Lorton, Virginia. -Jason Holley My art is my identity. It is my undeniable happy place, sacred comfort zone, and most loyal confidant. Through my art I am able to be the most genuine form of myself. Performance credits: Jodeci is a performer, song writer and recording artist having worked with artist such as Debbie Allen and Kenny Ortega. She first began singing at age 10 and recording at age 14. Jodeci's first EP entitled "My Own" was released January 2014. She is now working with superstar producers Mike Gonsolin and Nick Nittoli in Los Angeles, California, -Jodeci Millhouse SOLE C ast
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