From the clay floor to the stage: the dramaturgy of tap dancing at “Coco of Tebei"

Abstract

In many manifestations of Brazilian popular culture, we find different ways of making sounds with the feet. It accompanies dance, singing, and music in an inseparable continuum, most of them are Iberian, African, or indigenous origins. Among the elements of dance, singing, and music that make up the narratives found in these manifestations, we propose an articulated examination of the troupes of Coco of Tebei from Pernambuco due to their strong characteristics in Brazilian tap dancing and the uniqueness of not using musical instruments during their performance. This tradition of more than 100 years awakens our interest in its indigenous influences as an elaboration in the compositional process articulated with studies of Afro-Amerindian performances. From the troupe techniques used by the players and the dancers' varied tap dances in cultural events, several codes focus on the action of those who perform these sound movements, at which moment they are part of the choreographic construction. Furthermore, the “ground” that supports tap dancing techniques can vary from clay to stage, from party to festival and this alters its context of dramaturgical analysis between important and sometimes “invisible” aspects to the spectator where these dances are practiced. In this way, we will be attentive to the scenic work that starts from tap dancing research with the perspective of understanding the paths and choices that take it from the “clay floor” to the “stage floor".