GHENT TAP FESTIVAL
Third Edition | Saturday 15 & Sunday 16 March 2025
Dive into the world of rhythm at the Ghent Tap Festival, where every step brings the vibrant beat of tap to life! Join us for a dynamic weekend filled with tap dance classes for all levels, unique Body Drumming & Tap Standards workshops, and a free initiation session to introduce you to the basics. The festival also features an open stage where you can share your talent, as well as a stage show to showcase the artistry of tap dance.
Come be part of the rhythm in the heart of Ghent and celebrate the magic of tap with us!
Organised by Shoonya Dance Centre & Tapdance Promotion
ARTIST LINE-UP
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ARTIST LINE-UP 〰️
ESTEFANIA PORQUERAS
JEP MELENDEZ
ALEXANDRE VAN GOETHEM
PROGRAM
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PROGRAM 〰️
Early Bird Registration
€30 per workshop
Available until January 30, 2025, or for the first 30 participants.
Regular Registration
€35 per workshop
Applies after January 30, 2025.
Shoonya Members
€30 per workshop
PERFORMANCE - A PIES Y MANOS
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PERFORMANCE - A PIES Y MANOS *
Saturday, March 15 | 20:00 | Minard Theater
With the timple (a five-stringed small guitar), body percussion, and tap dance at its core, A Pies y Manos navigates through Canarian traditions in search of a contemporary form of expression. This unique performance brings together the virtuosity of timple player Benito Cabrera, guitarist Tomás Fariña, and tap dancer-body percussionist Jep Meléndez in an artistic dialogue that captivates the senses and touches the soul.
Over the course of 60 minutes, these exceptional artists take the audience on an unforgettable journey where tradition meets innovation. With original compositions and creative interpretations of traditional elements, they craft an immersive experience that seamlessly blends music and dance. The result is a performance that feels both local and universal, radiating warmth and energy that will leave you inspired and uplifted.
The Artists:
Benito Cabrera: A master of the timple, renowned for his ability to blend traditional Canarian music with modern influences, making him a key ambassador of Canarian culture.
Tomás Fariña: A versatile guitarist and composer who skillfully bridges genres and cultures with his innovative creations.
Jep Meléndez: A dynamic tap dancer and body percussionist who pushes the boundaries of rhythm and movement, revitalizing traditional dance forms with a modern twist.
FREE TAP DANCE TASTER CLASS
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FREE TAP DANCE TASTER CLASS 〰️
Join us on Saturday, 15 March, at 18:30 for a fun and free introduction to tap dancing!
Perfect for beginners, this class will guide you through basic steps and rhythms in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. No experience needed—just bring your enthusiasm and comfortable shoes.
Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the joy of tap dance!
OPEN STAGE
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OPEN STAGE 〰️
15 March
Starts at 19:30
Step into the spotlight!
The Open Stage invites tap dancers of all levels—soloists, duos, and groups—to share their love for tap in a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. Whether you're a seasoned performer or making your debut, this is your chance to shine, express your artistry, and celebrate the rhythm of tap dance.
What to Expect:
A platform to showcase your creativity and unique style.
A supportive audience of dance enthusiasts and fellow artists.
An opportunity to connect with tap lovers from across the community.
Bring your rhythm, energy, and passion! Whether you’re performing a timeless classic, exploring contemporary tap, or blending tap with other styles, this is your moment to take the stage and dazzle us all.
Let’s make it a night of unforgettable performances and joyful celebration!
Registration and Entry Guidelines
Register in advance to secure your spot as registrations will close upon reaching maximum capacity.
Your spot is confirmed only after completing registration and payment.
For the comfort and safety of everyone, we kindly request you to refrain from wearing outside shoes on the dance floors at Shoonya Dance Centre.
Outside food & drinks are not permitted at Shoonya Dance Centre. You can carry a bottle of water.
We have a delightful offering of soup and sandwiches available for purchase during lunch hours on both Saturday and Sunday.
All registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL
If you're looking for accommodation, we recommend considering shared room options in Ghent. You can explore local hotels, hostels on the VISIT GENT WEBSITE or look for room-sharing and travel together opportunities.
ESTEFANIA PORQUERAS
Estefania is a tap dancer, choreographer, educator, and curator from Barcelona. She serves as the artistic director, choreographer, and dancer of the acclaimed UNUM Project Dance Company. Estefania is also a performer with the internationally renowned Camut Band, one of the most distinguished tap dance companies in the world.
A dedicated educator, she is a regular faculty member at Escola Luthier in Barcelona, contributing to its Professional Training Program. She also curates the Tap Dance Programming at Golem'S, an alternative theater in Barcelona.
As an alumna of the prestigious Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in the United States (Tap Program, 2007), Estefania continues to push the boundaries of tap dance. Her work spans traditional aesthetics, innovative fusions, and the creation of full-length shows exploring psychosocial themes.
With a deep commitment to promoting tap dance within Barcelona’s cultural scene, Estefania seamlessly balances dance education, artistic composition, and the production of compelling performances.
JEP MELENDEZ
Motivated by dance and percussion, he developed his own style of body percussion for more than 20 years, with different influences and styles creating his particular vision of it.
He has been a principal dancer for the CAMUT BAND company, in the shows, "Keatoniana", "Drums", "Life is rhythm" and "Kiting-Kita", with which he has performed in festivals and theaters around the world.
Since 2010, he has participated as performer and teacher in the International Body Music Festival in its editions Sao Paulo (Brazil) 2010, San Francisco (USA) 2011 and 2013, in 2013 with a subsequent tour of the East Coast of the United States highlighting Wellesley University and Berklee College of Music in Boston; Istanbul, (Turkey) 2012, Terni (Italy) 2014, Bali (Indonesia) 2015, Paris (France) 2016 and Athens (Greece) 2017.
Artistic director and performer in the show “Cambuyon”. This new creation mixes percussion, dance and voice in their different styles and was premiered in 2012 in Tenerife and Barcelona, subsequently it has been presented in different theaters and festivals, among which the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and The New Victory Theater on off-Broadway in New York, all of them with great reviews and audience success, being also nominated in 2015 for the New York Dance Awards (The Bessies).
In 2019 he produced and co-directs with Leela Petronio the show "à l'unisson" that fuses urban and percussive dances, also participating in how he performs with dancers Daniel Luka, Ludovic Tronché and Leela Petronio.
Recently he premiered his new production Doble Andante, Contemporary Percusive dance show, in which he’s Artistic Director and Producer, and Performs with three amazing and talented dancers more, Melissa Sousa, Catarina Campos and Ruben Sanchez, this new show is being created and co produced in 4 countries (Spain, Belgium, Portugal and Germany)
Besides that, he is teaching his own body percussion method all over the world, working in different fields such as dance, music, early childhood education, therapy, actors ... he combines all these activities as a tap teacher, sand dance and rhythm.
ALEXANDRE VAN GOETHEM
Alexandre started tap dancing with Lut when he was around 6 or 7 years old, and it became his first love right away, which it still is. He took lessons with Lut for many years, and later with Myriam Kuliasko from the Chantal Tinke Dance Studio. Alexandre joined "La tapisserie joyeuse," an improvisational tap dance group. They performed at Vooruit, Minard, Kinky Star, Charlatan, and even made the film "7 miles to the edge." After a few years of silence, Alexandre picked up tap dancing again with Lut.
He attended Lut's master's class and filled in for her during her surgery. It was then that Alexandre decided to fully commit and underwent a professional training for one year at the renowned "Luthier Dance School" in Barcelona. After that year, he started as a permanent instructor with Lut, as well as in Antwerp and Brussels.
Alexandre loves street performances, but he has also been on stage in Russia, Spain, with big bands, and as a soloist in Tapdance Promotion shows. He loves swing, improvisation, performing, and inspiring people. Rhythm and dance are something truly beautiful to him!
Organised with the support of:
