>> IT'S A PERCUSSIVE DANCE COMPANY CREATED BY MYSELF AND QUINN JOHNSON.

WE CAME TOGETHER TO BUILD THIS COMPANY BECAUSE WE REALIZED THERE WAS A DEFICIT IN THE FIELD FOR PERCUSSIVE DANCE ARTISTS, SPECIFICALLY LOOKING FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT, LOOKING FOR WAYS TO USE PERCUSSIVE DANCE AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL.

>> WE ARE BASED IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C.

AREA, BUT WE ARE FORTUNATE TO DO WORK NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.

WE USE ELEMENTS OF TAP DANCE, BODY PERCUSSION, FAN DANCE, MULTIMEDIA.

WE USE IT TO TELL STORIES, SPECIFICALLY STORIES AFFECTING PEOPLE OF COLOR.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DO WORK IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SPACES TO BRING THE ART TO LIFE AND BRIDGE THE ACCESS GAP THAT EXISTS IN THE NATION.

>> QUINN JOHNSON IS AN INTERNATIONAL TEACHING ARTIST AND HAD BEEN USING PERCUSSIVE DANCE AS A TEACHING METHODOLOGY FOR STUDENTS 2 S K THROUGH 12.

MY HISTORY WAS THE PERFECT RECIPE TO COME TOGETHER TO CREATE SOUL DEFINE WHICH HAS A PERFORMANCE ARM THAT TAKES ORAL HISTORIES OF BLACK COMMUNITIES AND TURNS THEM INTO PERFORMATIVE ARCHIVES AND THEN WE HAVE A REALLY ROBUST ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT CONNECTS TAP DANCE WITH LITERACY AND BODY PERCUSSION WITH MATH.

I REMEMBER SEEING GREGORY HINES, SAVION GLOVER.

I SAW SOMEONE THAT LOOKED LIKE ME DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS, TAP DANCE AT THE LARGEST LEVEL.

THAT LOOKED LIKE ME.

THAT REPRESENTATION, THAT REALNESS, I REMEMBER BEING 14 AND WATCHING THE CAST OF "NOISE FUNK" AFTER REHEARSAL STANDING OUTSIDE THE THEATER CHILLING, TAP DANCING IN SNEAKERS.

I WAS LIKE, YOU DO THIS FOR WORK?

I THINK THE LEGACY PART IS TRICKY.

I KNOW THAT MY LIFE IS NOT REALLY ABOUT ME ANYMORE.

IT'S ABOUT HOW AM I SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION, SUPPORTING THE GENERATION THAT IS HERE AND OUR ELDERS?

WHAT AM I DOING IN REAL TIME EVERY DAY, WITHOUT THE ACCOLADES, WITHOUT ALL THOSE THINGS?

HOW AM I DOING IT IN A WAY THAT'S SUPPORTING THE WHOLE ETHOS OF THE PERCUSSIVE DANCE COMMUNITY?

CAMERAS OR NOT, I'M STILL GOING TO DO IT.

THE OTHER PART OF IT IS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ME YOU DON'T EXPECT ME TO SPEAK THE WAY THAT I DO, TO CREATE THE WAY THAT I CREATE.

WE LIVE IN A NATION THAT WE HAVE TO BE HONEST.

THE REALITY IS, I PRESENT AS A BLACK MALE.

SO I DO HAVE TO SHOW UP IN VERY WHITE SPACES .

AND THAT COMES WITH CHALLENGES.

BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT I HAVE THE SUPPORT OF MY ELDERS.

I HAVE THE SUPPORT OF MY COMMUNITY.

I WILL FOREVER BE MY MOTHER'S CHILD.

I WILL ALWAYS AND FOREVER BE THANKFUL FOR THE MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE POURED INTO ME KNOWN AND UNKNOWN.

I'M NOT HERE BY MYSELF.

I DIDN'T GET HERE BY MYSELF.

THERE ARE PEOPLED AROW ED ADVOCATING FOR ME IN ROOMS I DON'T KNOW.

PEOPLE PUSHING ME IN WAYS I COULD NEVER IMAGINE, EVEN WHEN IT DOESN'T FEEL GOOD.

BECAUSE OF THAT, I HAVE TO KEEP DOING THE WORK THAT I'M DOING.

BECAUSE THE SACRIFICES OF OTHERS GOT ME WHERE I AM.

I DIDN'T DO ANY OF THIS ALONE.