Listen as the percussive sounds of tap become different instruments- from flutes to tablas, to cellos. Watch as these are looped and layered to create full compositions all created by one dancer, live in front of the audience. With a fully reactive LED dress that pulses and changes colour in time to the live sounds, Guerilla Dance Project have once again risen again to the challenge of creating an augmented dance show that fuses cutting edge technology, dance, live interactive sound and visuals. Kicking the Mic allows sound, visuals and dance to hide, change and morph before becoming superhuman.

In detail, Kicking the Mic fuses live tap dance, looping, live Midi manipulation of sound and wearable tech to allow one dancer to create a richly layered composition of movement, light and sound. The aim is to create a three-way conversation between the audience, the dancer and the environment resulting in a mesmeric feedback loop of music and dance.

Originally, pick up floor mics captured the percussive sounds of the tap dance. The sounds were converted into different midi instruments, controlled by a wireless remote controller attached to the dancer’s arm.

Not satisfied with just exploring the musical element, choreographer Laura Kriefman has built a fully reactive LED dress for our new dancer, Annette Walker. The dress is dynamic and responds to the layers of sounds, changing personality with every track. Different loops of sound affect the environment of the dress differently; a tap drum roll may light up and animate the whole dress, while a soft melodic loop may create warm clusters of light here and there. This creates an almost synaesthetic experience - allowing audiences unfamiliar with the form to engage with the nuances of the dancer's percussive tap strokes through the unique musical, and then visual expression each individual stroke generates.


This project has been co-created by artistic director and choreographer Laura Kriefman and critically acclaimed composer Lee J Malcolm; the techno DJ and lead composer for the band Vessels, who are currently on tour with the American band Battles.