Mason Artist-in-Residence Music From The Sole Shares the Joy of Tap with George Mason Community—and Beyond

Mason Artist-in-ResidenceMusic From The Sole arrived at George Mason University last month for a week packed with workshops, classes, discussions, and community events. Working with staff, faculty, students, and local educators, members of the acclaimed live music and dance companyshared their knowledge of tap, percussion, and Afro-diasporic music, along with their real-world expertise as performing artists.

As part of Mason Artist-in-Residence Music From The Sole's engagement activities, cofounder Leonardo Sandoval and company member Gerson Lanza worked with students in George Mason School of Dance Professor Christopher D'Amboise's beginner tap class.

The residency kicked off on September 21, 2026, before Music From The Sole had even arrived on campus, when members joined graduate students in the Arts Management Program for a virtual conversation moderated by Professor Eric Oberstein. Two days later, beginner tap students had the opportunity to work closely with members of the ensemble during a masterclass at the School of Dance. The energetic session drew praise from Professor Christopher d'Amboise.

"I cannot say enough about the generosity and joyful spirit of everyone from Music for the Sole. They are such talented dancers and musicians and were so generous with their time and spirit," he said. "They are a very special and unique 'family' of artists."

Sandoval teaches a tap class at Metropolitan School of the Arts.

After the morning class, Music From The Sole headed over to Metropolitan School of the Arts, an Alexandria nonprofit, to lead two free open-to-the-public masterclasses with intermediate and advanced tap students.

On September 24, the group visited Hunters Woods Elementary for Arts and Sciences in Reston to lead an assembly on body percussion, where they received an enthusiastic reception.

"We were beyond thrilled to welcome Music From The Sole to Hunters Woods Elementary," said Julie Ohrnberger, who serves as the school's K-6 dance educator. "Bringing their vibrant fusion of tap dance and percussive movement to our second and third graders offered our students an incredible opportunity to experience storytelling through rhythm and sound. Watching our young learners discover new ways to express themselves and connect with art in such an interactive, high-energy environment was truly unforgettable."

Following the field trip performance, Music From the Sole members led a body percussion workshop onstage at the Center for the Arts.

More area kids got in on the fun on September 25 during a field trip matinee performance at the Center for the Arts, which was followed by an afternoon body percussion workshop for students. The day wrapped up with a lecture/demonstration and dinner hosted by the Brazilian Student Association at George Mason that provided opportunities for questions and socializing.

Cofounder Leonardo Sandoval participates in the discussion with company members and students from the Brazilian Student Association at Mason (BRASA),

The residency culminated in a Center for the Arts performance on Saturday evening. After participating in a pre-performance discussion with Professor D'Amboise, Music From The Sole took to the stage to deliver I Didn't Come to Stay, a rousing, Carnival-inspired work led by choreographer Leonardo Sandoval and composer Gregory Richardson that showcased the company's distinctive blend of samba, passinho (Brazilian funk), Afro Cuban, jazz, and house. The night was a celebration-and the perfect way to finish off the first residency of the 2026-27 season.

The Mason Artist-in-Residence program is supported in part by the Wendy Frieman and David Johnson Fund.

Launched during the 2019-20 season through George Mason University's College of Visual and Performing Arts, the Mason Artist-in-Residence program connects artists appearing at the Center for the Arts and its sister-venue the Hylton Performing Arts Center with on- and off-campus communities. Artists engaged at the Center for the Arts have included Maria Schneider, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, Indigenous Enterprise, Sphinx Virtuosi, Nrityagram Dance Ensemble, Third Coast Percussion, Camille A. Brown and Dancers, Small Island Big Song, Ballet Hispánico, the Silkroad Ensemble, Versa-Style Street Dance Company, Papermoon Puppet Theatre, and Limón Dance Company. Mason Artists-in-Residence coming up in the 2026-27 season at the Center for the Arts include the Grammy Award-winning Third Coast Percussion in February 2027 and Silkroad Ensemble, returning in March for its fifth consecutive year in residence.