Ayodele Casel: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Ayodele Casel came up between the Bronx and Puerto Rico, learning tap from old Hollywood films before finding her way into Savion Glover's Not Your Ordinary Tappers as its only woman member. Her work fuses hoofing with salsa clave, spoken autobiography and the recovery of forgotten Black women tap dancers. This mix traces that lineage: the hoofers, the erased, the Caribbean pulse, and the collaborators who built the stage with her.

The Kynda mix for Ayodele Casel

• Key Influence · Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk by Savion Glover (1996). Casel's professional life pivots on Glover: she joined his company Not Your Ordinary Tappers as its first and only woman member, absorbing the heavy, percussive, bass-driven hoofing vocabulary he codified in this Broadway work with George C. Wolfe and Reg E. Gaines. Noise/Funk recast tap as Black historical testimony rather than entertainment — exactly the frame Casel later turned toward the untold stories of women in the form.
• Influencia Obscura · Hooray for Love by Jeni LeGon (1935). LeGon was among the only Black women to tap in trousers on screen and to sign with a major studio, yet she vanished from the canon of hoofers. Casel built explicit projects around recovering such figures — her solo work 'Where We Dwell' and related pieces name the overlooked women of tap history — and LeGon, who danced opposite Bill Robinson here, is the archetype of that erasure Casel researched and restaged.
• Local Roots · Dance Mania by Tito Puente (1958). Puente, a Nuyorican from Spanish Harlem, is the sound of the world Casel moved between — the Bronx and Puerto Rico. Casel has credited salsa music with shaping her rhythmic attack, and Puente's timbales-and-clave arrangements supply the syncopation she imports into tap, letting her feet phrase against the two-three pulse rather than straight swing. Dance Mania is the canonical document of that New York Latin dance floor.
• Beyond the Medium · for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf by Ntozake Shange (1976). Shange's choreopoem invented the form Casel works in: autobiographical verse spoken by moving Black women, where dance is testimony and the stage is a space of self-naming. Casel's pieces interleave monologue, direct address and rhythm in precisely that architecture, and her insistence on the first-person 'I' of a Black Latina dancer descends from Shange's refusal to separate poetry, movement and identity.
• Peer · ETM: Double Down by Michelle Dorrance (2016). Dorrance and Casel are the twin poles of twenty-first-century American tap choreography, both MacArthur-and-Bessie-orbit figures who moved the form from Broadway novelty into contemporary dance presenting houses. Double Down wires dancers' feet to electronic triggers, pushing tap toward live sound design, while Casel pushes toward narrative and Latin rhythm — complementary answers to the same question about tap's future.
• From the Canon · Diary of a Tap Dancer by Ayodele Casel (2023). The culminating statement of Casel's method: an evening of tap, text and projection in which she narrates her own path from the Bronx and Puerto Rico into a form whose women were written out, performing alongside an all-female ensemble. Developed over years in shorter versions and staged at American Repertory Theater, it makes explicit the archival and autobiographical impulse that runs through all her work.
• Key Collaborator · Another Perspective by Anthony Wonsey (1996). Pianist Anthony Wonsey has served as musical collaborator for Casel's stage works, improvising live with her feet so that dancer and pianist trade choruses as equals. His own trio records reveal the hard-bop vocabulary and rhythmic elasticity he brings to that exchange — a jazz musicianship that lets Casel treat tap as a front-line instrument rather than choreography laid over a fixed score.
• Legacy · Syncopated Ladies by Chloé Arnold (2013). Arnold's all-female tap company built a viral platform for women hoofers in the decade after Casel broke the gender barrier in Glover's Not Your Ordinary Tappers. Syncopated Ladies' premise — women fronting a percussive dance form long presented as male — extends the argument Casel made first from inside that company, and the two have shared festival and television stages across the contemporary tap world.

What influenced Ayodele Casel

• Savion Glover. Glover helped Casel launch her career. (also via Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk) “Casel, who trained under tap legends Savion Glover and Gregory Hines, says she never saw herself represented onstage except for Glover’s Bring in ’da Noise, Bring in ’da Funk” (Dance Spirit)
• Fred Astaire (1899). The article describes Casel’s strong interest in Astaire’s films. (also via Swing Time) “While in high school, Casel became "obsessed" with the films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers .” (Wikipedia)
• Celia Cruz. Cruz’s music is identified as an influence on Casel’s tap style. (also via La Vida Es un Carnaval) “In Puerto Rico, Casel listened to the music of Hector Lavoe , the El Gran Combo , and Celia Cruz . Their salsa music would influence her tap dance style.” (Wikipedia)
• Barbara Duffy. Casel studied under Duffy. “With the encouragement of Wilder, Casel started studying under Barbara Duffy.” (Wikipedia)
• Ginger Rogers. The article describes Casel’s strong interest in Rogers’s films. “While in high school, Casel became "obsessed" with the films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers .” (Wikipedia)
• Charles Goddertz. Casel studied tap dance under Goddertz. “While at Tisch, in 1995, Casel began studying tap dance under Charles Goddertz.” (Wikipedia)
• Héctor Lavoe. Lavoe’s music is identified as an influence on Casel’s tap style. “In Puerto Rico, Casel listened to the music of Hector Lavoe , the El Gran Combo , and Celia Cruz . Their salsa music would influence her tap dance style.” (Wikipedia)
• El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico. El Gran Combo’s music is identified as an influence on Casel’s tap style. “In Puerto Rico, Casel listened to the music of Hector Lavoe , the El Gran Combo , and Celia Cruz . Their salsa music would influence her tap dance style.” (Wikipedia)
• Baakari Wilder. Wilder taught Casel tap steps. “Wilder taught Casel tap steps and she accompanied him to tap events at clubs in New York, where she would learn improvisation.” (Wikipedia)
• Gregory Hines. Casel names Hines as a mentor whom she admired. (also via Tap) “Gregory Hines was one of my mentors and for those who might not know who Gregory Hines is, he was an incredible artist, tap dancer, actor, singer of both stage and screen. And I adored him and looked up to him so much.” (Harvard ArtLab)
• Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk by Savion Glover (1996). Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk (Savion Glover) — titan for Ayodele Casel “She became the first and remains the only woman to be a member of Savion Glover's Not Your Ordinary Tappers.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Swing Time by Fred Astaire (1936). Swing Time (Fred Astaire) — titan for Ayodele Casel “While in high school, Casel became "obsessed" with the films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• La Vida Es un Carnaval by Celia Cruz (1998). La Vida Es un Carnaval (Celia Cruz) — culture for Ayodele Casel “In Puerto Rico, Casel listened to the music of Hector Lavoe, the El Gran Combo, and Celia Cruz.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Dancemaster by Baby Laurence (1977). Dancemaster (Baby Laurence) — ghost for Ayodele Casel
• for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf by Ntozake Shange (1976). for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf (Ntozake Shange) — culture for Ayodele Casel
• Hooray for Love by Jeni LeGon (1935). Hooray for Love (Jeni LeGon) — ghost for Ayodele Casel
• Jazz Dance: The Story of American Vernacular Dance by Marshall and Jean Stearns (1968). Jazz Dance: The Story of American Vernacular Dance (Marshall and Jean Stearns) — culture for Ayodele Casel
• Tap by Gregory Hines (1989). Tap (Gregory Hines) — titan for Ayodele Casel

Peers and kindred spirits

• Torya Beard. Beard directed Casel’s show and is described as her longtime collaborator. “Ayodele Casel and Torya Beard, Co-Curators of the Little Island Dance Festival, are partners in every way. They are married. Beard directs and produces shows that Casel, a tap dancer and Artist in Residence at Little Island, conceives an…” (DanceTabs)
• Funny Girl by Jule Styne (1964). Casel was the revival’s tap choreographer. “Casel served as tap choreographer for Broadway's Funny Girl, earning a Drama Desk nomination” (Ayodele Casel)
• Ronald K. Brown. Casel describes work she made with Brown for Chasing Magic. “I love Ron. I love him dearly and have such respect for him as an artist. I love him as a human being. He’s so generous. The thing we did for Chasing Magic was put together so quickly.” (DanceTabs)
• Beauteez ‘N the Beat. Casel performed in the named production. “She also performed in "Beauteez ‘N the Beat" that year.” (Wikipedia)
• Jazz Tap Ensemble. Casel performed with the ensemble. “She performed in "The Art and Appreciation of Percussion" (2000), with the Jazz Tap Ensemble and in The Story of Tap: Sequel , both in 2005.” (Wikipedia)
• Not Your Ordinary Tappers. Casel joined Glover’s tap group. “Shortly thereafter, Casel became the first woman to join Glover's Not Your Ordinary Tappers (NYOTs) group.” (Wikipedia)
• Positive Youth Troupe. Casel was a member of the troupe. “As a young artist, Casel attended Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center and was a member of the Positive Youth Troupe (PYT).” (Wikipedia)
• New York Shakespeare Festival Institute of Tap. Casel joined the institute. “She joined the New York Shakespeare Festival Institute of Tap.” (Wikipedia)
• Thou Swell, Thou Witty. Casel appeared in the documentary. “That year, she would launch her first solo show was !Ayo! , a Latin music themed performance, and would appear in the documentary Thou Swell, Thou Witty .” (Wikipedia)
• Ellenore Scott. Scott identifies a Funny Girl number she choreographed collaboratively with Casel. “Ayo and I were in charge of certain numbers in the show, but did collaborate together for an amazing piece called, "Who Taught Her Everything She Knows?"” (BroadwayWorld)
• The Art and Appreciation of Percussion. Casel performed in the named production. “She performed in "The Art and Appreciation of Percussion" (2000), with the Jazz Tap Ensemble and in The Story of Tap: Sequel , both in 2005.” (Wikipedia)
• The Story of Tap: Sequel. Casel performed in the named production. “She performed in "The Art and Appreciation of Percussion" (2000), with the Jazz Tap Ensemble and in The Story of Tap: Sequel , both in 2005.” (Wikipedia)
• Paddywack: A Tap Dance Concerto. Casel performed in the named production. “In 2007, she performed in "Paddywack: A Tap Dance Concerto" at Lincoln Center .” (Wikipedia)
• Imagine Tap. Casel performed as a soloist in the production. “She performed as a soloist in Imagine Tap .” (Wikipedia)
• Para Todos Ustedes by Los Pleneros de la 21 (1990). Para Todos Ustedes (Los Pleneros de la 21) — geography for Ayodele Casel (musicbrainz.org)
• Dance Mania by Tito Puente (1958). Dance Mania (Tito Puente) — geography for Ayodele Casel (musicbrainz.org)
• Virtual Birdland by Arturo O'Farrill (2021). Virtual Birdland (Arturo O'Farrill) — collaborator for Ayodele Casel
• Another Perspective by Anthony Wonsey (1996). Another Perspective (Anthony Wonsey) — collaborator for Ayodele Casel
• And Still You Must Swing by Dormeshia (2016). And Still You Must Swing (Dormeshia) — peer for Ayodele Casel
• ETM: Double Down by Michelle Dorrance (2016). ETM: Double Down (Michelle Dorrance) — peer for Ayodele Casel
• Harlem River Drive by Eddie Palmieri (1971). Harlem River Drive (Eddie Palmieri) — geography for Ayodele Casel
• Imagine Tap! by Derick Grant (2006). Imagine Tap! (Derick Grant) — peer for Ayodele Casel
• Funny Girl by Ellenore Scott (2022). Funny Girl (Ellenore Scott) — collaborator for Ayodele Casel

Who Ayodele Casel influenced

• Love Movement by Michela Marino Lerman (2016). Love Movement (Michela Marino Lerman) — legacy for Ayodele Casel
• Syncopated Ladies by Chloé Arnold (2013). Syncopated Ladies (Chloé Arnold) — legacy for Ayodele Casel