AMHERST STOMP keeps the rhythm going

By K en Ross Special to The Republican

FOR MORE THAN three decades, STOMP has lived up to its name — stomping and bashing its way into the hearts of loyal fans throughout the world.

Created by Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell in 1991 in England, STOMP quickly became a worldwide entertainment phenomenon.

Part live dance performance mixed with exhilarating percussion on practically anything you can imagine (wooden boxes, garbage cans, hubcaps), STOMP eventually became a Broadway sensation, packing theaters in New York City starting in 1994.

This past January, STOMP NYC gave its last performance at the Orpheum Theater in New York.

But the show lives on, thanks to an extensive, on-going, worldwide tour that will take STOMP to the University of Massachusetts Fine Arts Center in Amherst for three shows — one on April 28 and two on April 29.

Stomper Madeline Jafari is one of the performers who will take part in the three STOMP performances at the UMass Fine Arts Center. Raised in Austin, Texas, Jafari received a BFA in Dance from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Recently, Jafari answered a few questions about STOMP, including the secret to the group’s success, what audiences in Amherst can expect and what’s planned for STOMP in the future.

Q. What’s it like being a performer in STOMP?

A. Being a performer in STOMP is an experience like none other. I have the privilege of doing shows alongside a cast with very diverse skillsets but with the common thread of loving and appreciating rhythm.

Q. STOMP was created in 1991. Why do you think STOMP remains popular more than three decades later?

A. STOMP has persevered for all these years in part due to the genius of the show, created by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, and in part due to the genius of the folks they cast in the show. The show has a timeless and universal appeal. There is no speaking and no narrative, but it is full of visual humor and musical moments that transcend the need for language or story.

Q. Are you part of the NYC cast that performed in New York for 29 years up until this past January and what are your feelings about that incredible performance run coming to an end earlier this year in New York?

A. I am a part of the last group to have auditioned and trained at the Orpheum Theater in NYC, and was able to watch the last performance there on January 8th. They sent me out on tour before I had the chance to do a show there, but I had the great fortune to see many. It was a staple of the East Village and breathed such life into its culture. But we can all rest assured that the creators were happy and content with the show’s time in NYC coming to a close. All good things come to an end! But the national and international tours have no plans to end any time soon!

Q. What are STOMP’S plans for the future after the current North Ameri- can tour ends in April?

A. Although this current North American tour ends on April 30, the national tour for next season is already booked and they are looking out at the next year already, too!

Q. Is the music or choreography ever improvised in STOMP or is everything carefully choreographed ahead of time?

A. A large part of STOMP’s success lies in our freedom to improvise on stage every night. Many solo moments in the show are frequently improvised, as well as theatrical choices and the interactions amongst characters on stage.

Q. How would you describe STOMP to someone who has never seen your group before?

A. STOMP is a gritty, funny, wild blend of percussion, dance, and theatre that tickles the hearts of audiences both young and old. It’s a sweaty 1 hour and 45 minute show of nonstop music, played on or with unconventional objects.

Q. How would you describe the STOMP performances scheduled for the UMass Fine Arts Center in Amherst? What can audiences expect?

A. Audiences coming out to the shows in Amherst can expect power, finesse, and spontaneity coming from eight brilliant cast members on stage any given night. No one show will be alike, but every show will include lots of high-energy movement, and music played on things like trash cans, zippo lighters, newspapers, brooms, paint cans, suitcases, and sinks. STOMP performs at the UMass Fine Arts Center in Amherst on Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. For tickets or for more information about STOMP’s performances, visit the UMass Fine Arts website.