Working: A Tap Dancing Obsession

This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Ayodele Casel, an award-winning tap dancer and one of the choreographers for Funny Girl on broadway. In the interview, Ayodele explains how she progressed quickly in the mid to late 90’s even though she didn’t take up tap dancing until college. She also discusses her award-winning film Chasing Magic and her one-woman show While I Have the Floor, in which she dances to the rhythms of her own spoken word performance. 

After the interview, Nate and co-host Isaac Butler talk about the ways artists can honor the history of their discipline. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ayodele shares her favorite tap dancing clips on YouTube. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

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