In this episode, Travis talks with the 2019 recipient of the Tap Preservation Award by the American Tap Dance Foundation, Hank Smith. They dive into the controversial topic of blackface and expose the complicated brilliance of silent film star, Bert Williams.

Catch up on Hank Smith's Blog here: http://storyoftap.blogspot.com/2019/

Supplemental Music:

The Story of O.J. - Jay Z

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud and itunes:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

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Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

In this episode, Travis reconnects with Tap Dance musician Sandra Kluge. They discuss the balance between tradition and innovation, and how to cope with the loneliness of pursuing your craft.

Connect with Sandra here: https://www.sandrakluge.com/

Listen to Sandra's music here: https://soundcloud.com/user-297599712

Supplemental Music:

Fields - Sandra Kluge

Alone Together - Benny Golson Quartet

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud and itunes:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-t…d1051033674?mt=2

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

With the support of the Ontario Arts Council, we brought in Tap Dance luminary Heather Cornell to mentor the Toronto Jazz community with the express purpose of reconnecting the music with the dance. This podcast is the first hour of the six hour master class held at Lynx music studios. The master class was open to dancers, singers and musicians alike. It features an open dialogue that reintroduces the instrumentalists, and singers and dancers to each other. Attendees heard in this dialogue are Robin Teeuwen, Katie Milan, Leighton Harrell, Nikolas Tzarlis Anastasakis, Dianne Montgomery, Emily Redford, Aidan McConnell, Vincent Marchesano and Jazz United co-founders Kristian Fourier and Jenna Marie Pinard. Our host, Travis Knights' kids can be heard giggling in the background too.

Connect to Heather here: https://www.manhattantap.org/

Special thank you to the Ontario Arts Council: http://www.arts.on.ca/

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud and itunes:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-t…d1051033674?mt=2

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

This week we are joined by world class tap dancer, co-owner of Foundation House and artistic director of Commit Dance Company, Jason Janas. We talk about his origins, his approach to practice, his experience in Tapestry Dance Company, the show Imagine Tap and much more.

To connect with Jason visit: https://www.thefoundationhousellc.com/

Supplemental Music:

Epistrophy - Thelonious Monk

All Blues - Miles Davis

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud and itunes:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-t…d1051033674?mt=2

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

This week we are joined by celebrated dancer and choreographer, Tilman O'Donnell. I recently took his dance workshop where we spent a significant amount of time in a sitting meditation practice... Yes it was a dance class, and I loved it. In our conversation, he shares the process, benefits and impact of his contemplative meditation practice.

To connect to Tilman visit: http://www.tilmanodonnell.com/

Read the article by Miguel Gutierrez here: https://bombmagazine.org/articles/miguel-gutierrez-1/

Supplemental Music:

Ego - Beyonce featuring Kanye West

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud and itunes:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-t…d1051033674?mt=2

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

This week, we are joined by the Slaight Family Director of Music at Soulpepper Theatre Company, Mike Ross. Ahead of the premiere of his latest concert 'The Promised Land: Steinbeck Through Song' (July 12th-27th, 2019 at Soulpepper), we discuss his artistic process and begin to crack the code of how to put 'bums in seats'.

Get your tickets at: https://soulpepper.ca/

Supplemental Music:

America - Mike Ross, Raha Javanfar, Divine Brown

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud and itunes:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-t…d1051033674?mt=2

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

This week we are joined by harm reduction counselor, tap dancer and fellow psychonaut, Kylie Somerville to discuss the benefits and stigma of plant medicines.

For more information about psychoactive plant medicines visit: https://www.erowid.org/

Supplemental Music:

A Message To Artists - Terence McKenna - Youtube

Boundary Dissolution - Terence McKenna - Youtube

It's Time To Educate You About Drugs - Terence McKenna - Youtube

The Dissolution Of Ego - Terence McKenna - Youtube

Stoned Ape Theory - Terence McKenna - Youtube

Psychedelics Don't Work On Stupid People - Terence McKenna - Youtube

Are We In A Simulation - Elon Musk - Youtube

Maya Lila - Alan Watts - Youtube

War In Me - Kenna

HBO Comedy Half-Hour - Dave Chapelle - Youtube

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud and itunes:

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Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

In this episode, we are joined by the multi-talented award winning choreographer Caleb Teicher. We discuss the creative process, the unification of jazz culture and the balance between tradition and innovation.

Connect to Caleb Teicher and Company here: https://www.calebteicher.net/

Supplemental Music:

It Don't Mean A Thing - Ella Fitzgerald

Goldberg Variations - Glenn Gould

St-Louis Blues - Ella Fitzgerald

It Never Entered My Mind - Miles Davis Quintet

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud and itunes:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-t…d1051033674?mt=2

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

We've been leading up to this podcast for a few years now. We're thrilled to announce that coming in April 2020, Theatre Passe Muraille with Anandam Dancetheatre will present a two week run of Ephemeral Artifacts, a full length solo show featuring Travis Knights. Today's guest, Brandy Leary shares insight on the process that will be involved co-creating the piece.

Supplemental Music:

Atomic Peace - Alice Coltrane

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud and itunes:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-t…d1051033674?mt=2

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber

This week, the podcast has been recorded in front of a live studio audience at an event called, Vernacular Spectacular, hosted at Montreal's internationally renowned Swing Dance Studio, Cat's Corner. Our guest is my teacher, Miss Swing a.k.a. Ethel Bruneau. In this conversation, we are treated to more insight on Ethel's teacher in Harlem, Mary Bruce.

Special Thank You to Meghan Gilmore and Anaïs Sékiné for organizing the event. For more information on Cat's Corner, visit: https://www.catscorner.ca/

Supplemental Music:

Relaxin At The Camarillo - Charlie Parker

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Podcast on Soundcloud and itunes:

https://soundcloud.com/the-tap-love-tour

itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-t…d1051033674?mt=2

Subscribe to the Tap Love Tour Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSfLevc4PJTChTNkmf5GVw?view_as=subscriber