• Home
  • About
  • Who's Who
  • Contact Us
  • C2C Blog
  • Donate
    • Fiscal Sponsorships
  MONKEYHOUSE

C2C Blog

Getting to Know Felipe Galganni

8/8/2016

3 Comments

 
In celebration of Felipe's birthday this month I moved his interview over to the new blog. Read the interview in his native language here! -Nicole
Originally Posted 08/15/2013
Earlier this summer I spent some time in New York City working on Tap It Out with the amazing Lynn Schwab and the folks from the American Tap Dance Foundation. While there I had the opportunity to get to know an brilliant young tap dancer and a all around fabulous guy, Felipe Galganni. Since moving to New York from Brazil three years ago Felipe has been busy teaching, choreographing and performing all over the city. While in town I got to see the premiere of his piece "Reverie in Rio", performed by Felipe himself alongside Lynn Schwab and Chikako Iwahori and singer Jackeline Ribas. Here is a little conversation with Felipe about his work, moving to the United States and dancing in a foreign language! Also, Felipe celebrated a birthday last week, so make sure you send your love!

N: Who are your favorite choreographers (tap & otherwise)?
FG: Chikako Iwahori, Brenda Bufalino, Max Pollak, Lynn Schwab, Michelle Dorrance. I love Bob Fosse.

N: I know that meeting Heather Cornell had a big influence on your life. What is it about her work/dancing that speaks to you?
FG: I met Heather in January of 2010. I am from São Paulo (BRA), and she was teaching a workshop in Rio, so I flew to take that. São Paulo is not the most tap dancing city in Brazil so every time someone came to the area I tried to go.

When I met Heather I instantly felt in love. Her kindness, humbleness and the way she talked about tap dance and music inspired me so much that I decided I wanted to take her summer intensive, here in NY. I think it's a Master thing, this power of inspiring people! Two months before I come I decided to sell my car and move to USA. Here I am since then.


N: I know you grew up studying other forms of dance besides tap. Do you still take any of those classes? Do you feel like having studied jazz etc. has had an effect on your tap dancing?
FG: I grew up dancing samba like most Brazilians. And academically taking jazz, later tap, ballet and contemporary. I was never a strong ballet dancer but I feel it was very important to develop some basics, like turns and balance. And even to "awake" the upper body as a tapper.

N: You recently told me a wonderful story about your first pair of tap shoes and your subsequent first tap class. Can you share that story here?
FG: Sure! When I was 14 years old I got some money from my family as a birthday gift. So I decided it was finally my chance to buy a pair of tap shoes. I was always putting them on to "practice" and even to do performances at school. Without having ever taken class at that point.
So when I was 15, I finally find a school that I could go by myself and take a tap class. I remember it was not very affordable for my family, but they know I really wanted to do that. So they supported me. When I got in class the teacher came to me and asked: "have you ever tap danced before?" and I said , very confidently "YES!"..."oh, so please show me your favorite step"... And I started my very unique style of tap. Later on she told me that it was the most funny experience she have ever had. Her name is Valeria Petroni, and she was an amazing instructor for those first tap years. I am very thankful of all I learned from her.
N: Can you tell me about the tap community in Brazil compared to New York?
FG: As I mentioned before, I am from São Paulo and the tap dancing scene is pretty small in there. I was always traveling to another cities, or bringing people to teach me and my tap friends. New York tap community is big! Just so you have and idea, in Brazil I had situations that I had to explain to people what tap dance is. The community is growing though. Go Brazil !!!

N: It has now been three years since you moved from Brazil and in talking to you you would think you'd been speaking English for much of your life. Can you tell me about teaching in the early years in New York when your English was much shakier? What sort of tools did you use to communicate in moments where language failed you?
FG: I remember the fist class I taught here in US. It was for Lynn Schwab at Steps. It's hard when you have to communicate in a foreign language to native people, and explain stuff that you're so use to in your first language. It was a little frustrating, but I had to work on that, not been afraid to say the words wrong, and also asking the students in the class and learning from them. But honestly my English is still pretty shaky, and sometimes language does failed on me. Like in today's class the only way I found to tell my students what I wanted to express was "imagine you're wearing a baby diaper" and then later on I said "put your diapers on"... and of course by the end of the class I reinforced: "Don't forget your diaper for next week". LOL. It's fun!
3 Comments
best dissertation link
8/17/2016 01:52:32 pm

Felipe Galgani seems like a very dedicated and talented dancer. He also seems to have a very likable personality just by basing it off his answers. I really liked how he pursued his dream of becoming a dancer through hard work and perseverance. He will definitely reach far in his life if he continues doing what he loves with dedication and passion. I really found the interview very entertaining, you should continue doing more.

Reply
Leather New York link
3/13/2021 07:54:31 pm

Hi great reading yourr post

Reply
Waterford Waterproofing link
7/30/2022 09:41:27 am

Great read thankk you

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Created with Tagul.com

    Categories

    All
    [82]
    Abigail Ripin
    Acro
    Adelphi University
    Advice
    Aftab Dance Group
    Aisha Cruse
    Alexander Davis
    Alexandra Nunweiler
    Alexandria Nunweiler
    Alexa Romancewicz
    Alive Dance Collective
    Amanda Whitworth
    AMaSSiT
    Amy Foley
    Anne Goldberg Baldwin
    Anne Goldberg-Baldwin
    April
    Artweek Boston
    August
    B-A-R Dance
    Bar Harbor
    Betsi Graves
    Bharatanatyam
    Birthdays
    Books
    Boston
    Boston Community Dance Project
    Boston Dance
    Boxing
    Brenna Banister
    Brett Bell
    Bridges Dance Theatre
    Broadway
    Caitlin Canty
    Caleb Howe
    Carli DiMeo
    Carmen Rizzo
    Cassandre Charles
    Cayley Dorr
    ChoreoFest
    Choreographer
    Choreography
    Choreography Mentorship
    Choreograpy
    Christopher Croucher
    Claire-Solene Becka
    Clayton Raithel
    Cnc Little Library
    Collaboration
    Collective Moments
    Colleen Walsh
    College Of The Atlantic
    Community
    Connections Dance Theater
    Connexa
    CoolNY
    Dance Complex
    Dance Film
    Daniel Foner
    Dani Robbins
    David Makransky
    David Parker
    Deepa Srinath
    Derick K. Grant
    Design
    Dictionary Of Negative Space
    DrumatiX
    Elizabeth Powers
    Ellice Patterson
    Elyssa Berg
    Emma Morris
    Empower One Another
    Endicott College
    Erica Nelson
    Erin McNulty
    Erin Saunders
    Eva Yaa Asantewaa
    Events
    Evolve Dynamicz
    Faneuil Hall
    Felipe Galganni
    Firk II
    Fleur D'Orange
    Geetika Bajpai
    #geochoreography
    #getcaughtreading
    Gracie Baruzzi
    Gracie Novikoff
    Grant Jacoby
    Green Street Studios
    Guest Artists
    Gwen McGovern
    Hannah Ranco
    Heather Brown
    Hip Hop
    Holiday
    Ice Skating
    #IfNotYouWho
    Illumination
    Impact Dance Company
    Improvisation
    Impulse Dance Center
    Interns
    Interview
    Jackie Bowden
    Jason Ries
    Jennifer Binversie
    Jennifer Crowell Kuhnberg
    Jennifer Crowell-Kuhnberg
    Jenny Oliver
    Jessica Prince
    Jessica Roseman
    Jordan Rosin
    Josh Bergasse
    Jo Troll
    July
    June
    Kaleidoscope Dance
    Karen Krolak
    Katrina Conte
    Kaylee Mahan
    Kaylee Mayan
    Kelley Donovan
    Kelsey Griffith
    Kelsey Saulnier
    Kim Holman
    Kinetic Synergy Dance Company
    Kristin Wagner
    Lacey Sasso
    Laura Neese
    Libby Bullinger
    Lisa Giancola
    Lisa La Touche
    Local Dance
    Luminarium Dance
    Lynn Modell
    Madison Florence
    Malden Dance
    Malden Dance Mile
    March
    Margaret Wiss
    Marissa Chura
    May
    ME
    Mentoring
    Mentors
    Michela Doherty
    Michelle Boilard
    Mohiniyattam
    Musing
    NACHMO
    NACHMO 2022
    NACHMO 2023
    NACHMO Boston
    NACHMO Recommends
    Natalie Schiera
    Nick Daniels
    Nicole Harris
    Nicole Laliberte
    Nicole Zizzi
    November
    Now + There
    Nozama Dance
    NSquared Dance
    Olivia Scharff
    OnStage Dance Company
    OnStage Summer Performance Series
    Paradise Moves
    Pearl Young
    Portuguese
    Priya Bangal
    Program
    Public Art
    Que Unlimited
    Rachel Roccoberton
    ReAct ReBuild ReCollect
    Repost
    Ricochet
    Roger Williams University
    Ruth Benson Levin
    Sam Mullen
    Sapna Govindan
    Sarah Craver
    Sarah Feinberg
    Sarah Friswell Cotton
    Sarah Grace
    Sarah Ready
    Scott McPheeters
    Skooj
    Soufiane Karim
    Soumya Rajaran
    Spring Fling Fundraiser
    Tap Dance
    Teresa Dominick
    Tess Liddy
    ...that's What She Said
    The Dance Complex
    The End Ensemble
    The Ume Group
    Tova Teperow
    Translation
    Turning Key Dance Company
    Tyler Catanella
    Uplift
    Vault Grant
    Vault Program
    Virginia Commonwealth University
    Voetstoots
    Zackery Betty Neagle

    Missed an older post?  Find it here!

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
  • Who's Who
  • Contact Us
  • C2C Blog
  • Donate
    • Fiscal Sponsorships