Max Pollak Rumba Tap / Tap Dance & Rumba Cubana

Max Pollak Rumba Tap / Tap Dance & Rumba Cubana Presented by Terraza 7

Sunday, November 12th, 2023, at 3:00 pm.

NO COVER (Event sponsored by Queens Council on the Arts)

Featuring:

• Max Pollak / Tap dancer
• Samuel Torres / Percussion

Max Pollak is pictured on the recent USPS Forever Postage Stamp honoring the art form of Tap Dance.

Seamlessly combining body percussion, vocals and tap dance, Max has performed on all five continents with some of the top artists in tap, latin, jazz, and classical music, Gregory Hines, Ray Brown, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Chucho Valdes, Phil Woods, Paquito D'Rivera, Pedrito Martinez, Danilo Perez, Arturo O'Farrill, Lila Downs to name a few. As an award-winning choreographer and composer, Pollak is also co-creator of the off-Broadway hit show Carmen, to Havana and Back. His first CD RumbaTap was released in 2015.

About Max Pollak:

Max Pollak is a masterful artist who crafts dance with his body, music with his limbs, and song with his voice. His performances, known for their innovation, weave together his Austrian heritage—evident in his yodel-infused German solo show "All In One"—with groundbreaking fusions of Afro-Cuban and American tap rhythms. The founder of the globally touring RumbaTap, Pollak has been celebrated for bringing a traditional twist to contemporary Austrian folk music and for his dynamic collaborations in the off-Broaday hit "Carmen, to Havana and Back."

A faculty member at Sarah Lawrence College and Drew University, Pollak has been lauded for his original a cappella vocal arrangements and his unique integration of tap into symphonic and chamber music. His distinguished career includes initiating Cuba’s first tap festival, collaborations with Cuban Rumba masters, jazz greats, and tours with prominent percussion and tap ensembles. Pollak also brings a touch of the avant-garde to classical music, performing with acclaimed orchestras in iconic venues from Vienna's Konzerthaus to Havana's Teatro Nacional.

Renowned on the international tap scene, Pollak holds honors such as the Flo-Bert and Hoofer Awards, a Bessie Award nomination, and fellowships for his choreographic excellence. His artistry is not just a performance but an experience, inviting audiences to witness the transformative power of the body as an original instrument.

About Samuel Torres:

Samuel Torres, an esteemed Latin Grammy Award-winning percussionist, composer, and arranger, is a gem from the vibrant city of Bogotá, Colombia. His early musical tapestry was woven from the rich local sounds of cumbia and vallenato, spiced with the eclectic essences of African, indigenous, and European influences. This blend fueled his artistic fire, fanned by the accomplishments of his uncle, Edy Martínez, who shone in New York's salsa realm alongside Ray Barretto.

A prodigy by any standard, Torres polished his craft in the heart of Colombia's dynamic music industry after obtaining his Music Composition degree. His move to the U.S. in 1999 marked the beginning of a remarkable ascent in the international music scene, aligning with Arturo Sandoval and subsequently sharing stages and studios with luminaries like Tito Puente, Chick Corea, and Shakira.

Martin Cohen of Latin Percussion, Inc. has lauded Torres as a prodigious talent, a sentiment echoed by the acclaim for his debut album "Skin Tones" and its celebrated follow-up "Yaoundé," showcasing his knack for fusing traditional Colombian rhythms with jazz. His forays into classical music have also been met with accolades, including his composition "Ciudad Oculta" and the London premiere of "Ciclica."

His prowess as a composer has twice been honored with New Jazz Works Grants, leading to the creation of "Forced Displacement" and "Alegría," which reflect the spirit and resilience of Latin America. "Regreso," his classical triumph, earned him a Latin Grammy, solidifying his influence in the music world.

Now, with the success of "Alegría," acclaimed at Dizzy's Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Torres continues to chart a course through the musical cosmos, his career a beacon of enduring and explorative artistry.