Percussion Instruments with Music From The Sole

The theme for this week is: Percussion Instruments

Today, I will watch the artists from Music from the Sole perform many original songs accompanied by percussive choreography.

Then, I will then create three percussion instruments out of coins and materials found in my home!

  1. Tap Shoes

  2. Coin Cloth

  3. Finger Cymbals

Underside of a shoe with two strips of blue tape across the top and bottom. On the right, pennies stuck on four strips of blue tape.
Leo Sandoval holds coins above a green cloth with more coins on it. To the right is a plastic bag of coins.
Hand with blue tape curled around each fingertip. Index and thumb are pressed together.

Step 1:
I will watch this video

As I watch, these are some keywords I should know...

Leo Sandoval leans left, smiling bending his arms at the elbows, one foot forward. He wears a white teeshirt, black pants, brown shoes.

Choreographer

A person who creates dance compositions, arranges dance movements and patterns for dances.

Close up of legs in black pants and white shoes, jumping off the floor. In the background is a file cabinet with many drawers.

Tap Dance

A type of dance characterized by using the sounds of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion.

Leo Sandoval kneels, tapping two green bags filled with coins on the floor. He wears a white shirt and black pants.

Percussion Instrument

A musical instrument that makes sound by being struck with the hand, scraped with a beater, or shaken.

Music from the Sole band members, Gregory Richardson on bass, Noé Kains on keyboard, Leo Sandoval tap dancing, José Carlos Cruzata Revé on saxophone.

Busking

Playing music, or dancing, in public to earn money.

As I watch, I will meet the artists of Music From the Sole:

Gregory Richardson playing bass, wearing a dark shirt and glasses, standing in front of a coral wall with a photo of mountains.

Gregory Richardson

Plays the bass

Leo Sandoval leans left, smiling bending his arms at the elbows, one foot forward. He wears a white teeshirt, black pants, brown shoes.

Leonardo (Leo) Sandoval

Is a dancer and choreographer

Noé Kains seated behind a large keyboard, eyes closed. He wears a black shirt and white earbud headphones.

Noé Kains

Plays the keyboard

José Carlos Cruzata Revé standing playing saxophone. He wears a white shirt and black headphones, in front of a beige wall.

José Carlos Cruzata Revé

Plays the saxophone

Step 2:
What did I notice?

1. What did I notice about the artists?

  • What are the artists wearing?

  • What do I notice about the way they play their instruments?

  • Where are they performing? What do I notice about those spaces?

Music from the Sole band members, Gregory Richardson on bass, Noé Kains on keyboard, Leo Sandoval tap dancing, José Carlos Cruzata Revé on saxophone.

2. What did I notice about the music?

  • Does it move fast or slow?

  • Does it sound loud or soft?

  • Where do I hear percussion?

Black musical notes on a stave, appear larger to smaller from left to right, ending in a swirl on the right

3. How does the music make me feel?

  • An emotion #1 [_______________]

  • An emotion #2 [_______________]

Five cartoon emoji faces expressing emotions: happy, blowing kiss, angry, sad, laughing

4. Which instrument was my favorite?

Five squares each with a picture of the artist playing their instrument: Bass, Keyboard, Saxophone, Tap Shoes, Coin Cloth

  • If the sound of this instrument was a color, what color would it be?

Four blocks of color: Blue, Red, Green, Yellow

Step 3:
Make my own Tap Shoes

Today, I will use coins to create
a pair of tap shoes!

I will make my own set of tap shoes fashioned from materials found in my own home.

Then, I will learn a few basic steps and practice my new moves.

Materials I will need:

  1. Coins

  2. Tape

  3. A pair of shoes

Red Converse sneakers with white laces next to a pile of pennies and a roll of blue tape.

1. First, I will tear off four pieces of tape for each shoe.

Rows of blue tape with pennies stuck on them. Top two rows have one penny, middle row has four pennies, bottom row has three pennies.

2. Then, I will add a row of coins to the sticky side of the tape.

3. Next, I will stick the tape with the coins to my shoes.

  • I will add a piece of tape
    across the heel of each shoe.

  • I will add a piece of tape
    across the sole of each shoe.

  • I can also add a single toe tap
    and a single heel tap to each of my shoes.

Underside of a shoe with two strips of blue tape across the top and bottom. On the right, pennies stuck on four strips of blue tape.

Step 4:
Choreography

Using my new homemade Coin Tap Shoes,
I will learn a Ball Dig - Heel Drop.

1. Ball Dig

  • I will lift one leg up and forward.

  • Then, I will step the ball of my foot into the ground.

  • The ball of the foot should dig into the ground -- do not lift it back up.

  • I will put my weight on that foot so that I can perform a ball dig with my other foot without losing my balance.

  • I can gradually pick up speed. It may feel as if I’m walking on my toes!

Close-up of foot stomping, one foot elevated: red Converse sneakers with white laces, blue and green tape around each shoe.

2. Heel Drop

  • Keeping my toes on the ground, I can lift my right heel and then drop it to the ground.

  • Then, I can lift my left heel and drop it to the ground.

  • I can gradually pick up speed.

Close-up profile of red Converse sneakers, one heel off the ground, with white laces, blue and green tape stuck to the side.

3. Ball Dig - Heel Drop!

I can put those two moves together and complete a Ball Dig - Heel Drop.

Step 5:
Make my Percussion Instruments

Coin Cloth:

I can create a percussion instrument out of coins, a cloth, and a rubber band like Leo!

  1. First I will lay the cloth flat.

  2. Then, I will add coins to the center of the cloth. I can experiment with the amount of coins and the type of coins I put in the center of my cloth.

  3. Next, I will gather the excess material and tie it off with my rubber band. It will look as if I’ve made a little bag.

  4. Finally, I can play my new percussion instrument! I can experiment playing fast and slow.

Leo Sandoval holds coins above a green cloth with more coins on it. To the right is a plastic bag of coins.
Leo Sandoval wearing a grey teeshirt, stands holding two green bags filled with coins, he smiles.

Finger Cymbals:

I can create a percussion instrument out of coins and tape!

  1. First, I will rip off ten small pieces of tape.

  2. Then, I will put a penny at the center of the sticky side of each piece of tape.

  3. Next, I will put the coins on each of my fingertips and wrap the tape around my fingers.

  4. Finally, I can play my new percussion instrument!

Hand with blue tape curled around each fingertip. Palm is open and fingers outstretched.
Hand with blue tape curled around each fingertip. Index and thumb are pressed together.

Explore More

Improv with my band mates!

I can gather my family, gather my percussion instruments and jam! Each member of my family can play a different percussion instrument.

They can tap dance! They can sing! Our music making can be improvisational and in the moment.

Music from the Sole band members, Gregory Richardson on bass, Noé Kains on keyboard, Leo Sandoval tap dancing, José Carlos Cruzata Revé on saxophone.

Extension Questions:

If I could perform anywhere with my homemade tap shoes and percussion instruments, where would I perform?

Why do I want to perform there?

Additional Links:

To learn more about Music from the Sole, I can visit their website: www.musicfromthesole.com

To learn more about Lincoln Center Passport programs, click here.

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Click below for a printable copy of these activities

Music from the Sole_Passport