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Podcast: Art Works Podcast
Episode: August 20, 2024 Rhythms of Resilience: Bril Barrett on Tap, Tradition, and Resistance
Description: A conversation with 2024 NEA Heritage Fellow Bril Barrett, a Chicago tap dancer and educator. Barrett discusses his early exposure to the arts through his grandmother’s encouragement, which led him to fall in love with tap dance at a young age. He recounts his journey from learning under Carlton Smith at a community center to meeting his mentor Ayrie “Mr. Taps” King, who introduced him to the improvisational and jazz aspects of tap and the rich history of the art form.Barrett talks about his evolution from dancer to dancer/educator and his commitment to passing on tap’s...