Before humans had instruments, they had their bodies and whatever else was around to make music and tell stories. The off-Broadway show "Stomp," celebrating 22 years on stage this month, is a testament to music being the great unifier.
From matchboxes and brooms to garbage cans and zippo lighters, the "Stomp" stage literally pulses with beats and rhythm.
The show first premiered in 1994, and since it has performed from New York to Las Vegas to Sesame Street and Mister Rogers, across the globe, and even in the closing ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics in London.
Originally created by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas in Brighton, England, "Stomp" performs nightly with a unique group of dancers and musicians who use their bodies and everyday objects as instruments to create the sounds and story of the show.
Of to them is Brazil-born performer Marivaldo Dos Santos. He’s a composer, musician percussionist and producer, and he’s a 20-year veteran in the show. In his off-time he uses his "Stomp" skills to help improve the lives of kids living on the streets in his hometown Salvador, in northeastern Brazil.
"In the town where I grew up, I use a lot of the same stuff from the show to keep the kids from doing crazy stuff on the streets. It's a beautiful project," Dos Santos told Fox News Latino.
Manny Osoria, who is Dominican, is a classically trained drummer who specializes in world percussion and hand drumming. He told Fox News Latino he tried out for the show three times before becoming a cast member.
"I was a strong drummer, but I was in the back of the band. I didn't know how to use my body and wasn't really a dancer. I took capoeira classes and tried out again. In total it was over seven years, before I finally made it into the show," Osoria said.
For some the members of the cast, "Stomp" has become a way of life.
"You walk down the street and you don't see things like you used to, everything is like music," Dos Santos told FNL, "everything becomes music."
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