Stomp is Still a Thing, and It's Awesome
You don’t have to be a theater nerd to know that STOMP was a Broadway show in the 90’s and that it’s been made fun of for decades. If you’re not familiar, it’s a show that solely consists of various configurations of 8 tap dancing, clapping, knee slapping chorus line dancers that couldn’t book a lead role, rhythmically pushing brooms, pounding on trashcans and smashing shopping carts together.
It also happens to be one of the most entertaining damn things you’ve ever seen.
Here’s the thing: humans are rhythmic creatures. Our very life depends on the non-stop, yet ever changing beat of our heart. We get around by swinging our legs and slapping our feet on the ground. And we procreate by pounding or hips together. It’s built in. It’s intrinsic.
https://ambaland.com/african-zulu-voices-music/
Now there’s plenty of argument to be made about some cultures being either, better at it than others, or at least finding more value in it, and being more attuned to it. But we all have it and THAT is what STOMP taps into.
The gimmick of the show is that they don’t use instruments. At no point does some guy come out with a fucking trumpet and play a song. The other thing the show lacks: Dialogue. We’re never bored with the sad romantic lead bitching about how the girl likes some other bloke. We never have to hear how some lady’s husband is sleeping around, and we DEFINITELY don’t have to listen to some mezzo-soprano sing some ridiculously high, glass breaking note at the end of some song we don’t want to hear in the first place.
It’s just eight fit, rhythmically inclined people, tapping and slapping everything they can think of.
It’s impossible to stay still in the show. There is plenty of call and response clapping which not only can most people do, but which is even more hilarious when the collective group fucks it up.
Is the show BLEEDINGLY dated in it’s set design and general feel? Yes. Is it still enjoyable as shit and fun as hell? This reviewer thinks so.
But I’ve been wrong before.
So, you tell me. Is the show a stupid money grab with a bunch of dancing idiots slapping their thighs and dribbling basketballs together?
Or are you maybe just afraid of joy and hate to smile?
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I have not had the luck to see them live, but I enjoyed a lot when I saw them on tv. I think they are very talented people and it is worth paying to see them. I wish I could make music or whatever they do with barrels and stuff. Hahaha :D
People are literally just afraid of joy and hate to smile. I feel stomping is more of an exercise than fun, though fun is inevitable, and i think B-boy the other major i would love besides that. Thanks for the great and amazing post @writesbackwards.
I have not seen something like that, but it seems very funny. Hehehe
Uh. I love Stomping. I once participated at a Save the Children gathering event where the entertainment was doing this. So fun. I have however never seen others do it..
I saw Stomp off Broadway in New York one time. It was fantastic. From the pictures it looks like the exact same set. I think this type of thing really started booming after the movie Green Card came out and people got excited about street performers banging on buckets and stuff. It is still some great entertainment. I'd never go see Blue Man Group though, those guys creep me out!
Lol, I can only think of Kirk Franklin and his choreography with the song "Stomp! "
I'm from 90's but I'm don't remember much about this kind of show. It must be fun to watch them on stage in person. I think we are rhythmic creatures indeed and you're right in that.