Harlem Dance Hall: The Savoy (2024)
for Pierrot ensemble

Movements:
I. Snake Hips
II. Happy Feet

Duration: 16 minutes
Premiere: October 15, 2024 – Copland House Ensemble, Louisville, Kentucky

Commissioned by the Barlow Endowment and written for the Copland House Ensemble, this two-movement suite draws inspiration from the iconic Savoy Ballroom and the vibrant dance culture of the Harlem Renaissance. Just as Aaron Copland paid tribute to Mexican folk traditions in El Salón México, this work reimagines historic dances like the “Snakehips” and “Happy Feet” through a contemporary lens—capturing both the unrestrained joy of the era, and its deeper emotional complexity. Rather than replicate jazz idioms, the music celebrates Black cultural expression with vivid textures, rhythmic drive, and a spirit of transformation.

[Score available for purchase soon]
Perusal Score