 "Photo: Courtesy photo")
At a compilation dance show in Europe, tap dancer Mike Schulster noticed Joel Hanna, a martial artist and champion step dancer, warming up to a Metallica song. That was the conception of "Revolution," the result of their collaboration, which will be performed tonight at the Lied Center, 12th and R streets.
"We sort of united, and we had the idea to put together a rock 'n' roll dance show," Schulster said.
Growing up in New York, Schulster's mother enrolled him in tap classes, and his father taught him to play instruments. Hanna was raised by a Filipino mother and Irish father, both of whom contributed to Hanna's expertise. Schulster and Hanna used their individual specialties to incorporate unexpected genres into a dance explosion.
"I'm a rock 'n' roller as much as I am a tap dancer - and that's sort of the genesis of the show," Schulster said. "Sometimes I feel like when I do choreography, I feel like I couldn't come up with the steps if The Rolling Stones hadn't existed."
Schulster and Hanna took their brainchild to an arts festival in 2003 and then to manager Margaret Selby in 2005. Selby helped shape the show and together they brought "Revolution" to New York City.
The show uses 10 dancers and a band of guitar, bass, drums and vocals. Through dance, act one gives a feeling of who the creators are, act two shows what they're doing through "Revolution" and act three is "let's party," said Lloyd Culbreath, the director of "Revolution."
Since Culbreath has joined the project, he has reworked "Revolution" by throwing out and replacing songs, inching closer to a final product. Although the show has been touring throughout its evolution, it may be nearing completion.
"When I initially came onto the project, if you were to see the version that I walked in on versus ... the show that you'll see now, there have been huge significant changes to the show," Culbreath said. "From this point, there'll just be a few additions looking forward - and then, as far as I'm concerned, pretty much the show will be what you'd call 'frozen.'"
Culbreath and the dancers had only two weeks to put together the show they are performing during this week-and-a-half tour. During that time, their practice schedule generally lasted from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but "there's only so much you can absorb in a day, and when you get that glassy look in your eye, the day's over," Culbreath said.
Despite the short preparation time, the show's dancers have learned the unique mesh of tap, Irish and rock 'n' roll.
"It's concise, and it's fun, and it's in your face and it's youthful," Culbreath said. "And it's exactly what it's supposed to be."
andreavasquez@dailynebraskan.com
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