A WORD FROM THE PEOPLE!

 “They don’t share the same style, but they share the same kind of creative energy,” says tap dancer Jason Samuels Smith, who recently worked with the trio during a residency at the Chelsea Factory in New York City. “Some collaborations can feel forced. But with them, you feel the chemistry, you feel the camaraderie.” And at a moment when cross-cultural conversations can feel fraught, these artists are showcasing the power of embracing our differences.      

"Amanda Castro is the most vivacious and theatrical; even when her eyes close in reverie, she seems to be giving that joy to the audience. "

"a barefoot Castro in a swirling white skirt seems almost possessed as she dances up a storm."

"Castro shows us a depth of anxiety; watch her and you’ll think about Anita’s own hopes and dreams, the extent to which Maria is really an extension of her own self. It’s very touching in a way you may not have noticed before. "

"All kinds of life exist in this changeable world with its echoes of blues, bebop, and more....They spar, they cluster, they scrimmage, they gather and breathe together."

Soles of Duende, a percussive dance trio appearing at the Joyce Theater this week, situates tap, flamenco and Kathak in joyful and thrilling conversation.

"Castro, an unassuming star wherever she goes... captures our attention with her warmth, conviction and spot-on timing"

"This show is most exciting when a member of the chorus breaks out, as when Amanda Castro impressively incarnates Jeni LeGon in the Robinson-LeGon number from the 1935 film “Hooray for Love.” It could be the birth of a star."

"Castro’s young ingénue has just the right touch of innocence and feistiness.  Her voice shows great range whether singing, “You Are My Lucky Star” or the more romantic “Would You?”

"Dev Hynes himself directed the dance-heavy visual for “Better Than Me,” a collaboration with Carly Rae Jepsen off his excellent album Freetown Sound. It stars a diverse group of suited-up dancers performing tightly choreographed sequences in a bright studio space. "