Banjo player, singer, songwriter, percussive-dancer, choreographer and square-dance caller Evie Ladin has dancing and music in her blood. Ladin recalls that even from an early age she was surrounded by dance.
"I started with clogging, standing behind my mom, who's an international folk dance leader in New York City. And just to condense the history, I danced for many years with Rhythm and Shoes, and it was here on this campus [Antioch College] that I had my first workshop with Keith Terry, who has now been my partner for 25 years."
For her performance on Midday Music Ladin sang and used body music, which utilizes the human body as an instrument to create rhythms.
"Body music, it's been proven to have neurological benefits- that tactile calming, the kinesthetic learning. The experience of being able to make music with just what you've got is so important because everyone feels like they have to be good at music making when actually it's the most human of things." says Ladin.
Ladin attended Brown University where she created her own major African Studies in Dance. Through her research she came to find that western culture has a disconnection between music and dance that isolates itself from other cultures.
"I really believe that people need to be reminded that they have access to music and dance- doing it, not just consuming it. That music and dancing is a participatory experience. It makes you feel good. Scientifically proven, they do lots of studies rather than putting the money into actually doing it. They keep doing studies to prove that it's good for your brain and for feeling connected to other people and your own humanity."
Find out more and keep up with Evie Ladin on her website: https://evieladin.com/
