Artist Statement 

 

Sole & Ember, directed by Shawn Antoine II and performed by Marsae Lynette, is a black-and-white short film that merges the structured precision of its setting with the improvisational energy of tap dance. Opening with Marsae smoking a cigar, the scene captures an introspective moment, suggesting nostalgia or a reflection on her past as a dancer. The staircase where she begins her tap sequence becomes a stage for memory, its steps echoing with layered rhythms reminiscent of the Nicholas Brothers. As she moves upward, each step pulses with distinct, overlapping sounds, evoking the nuanced, syncopated style that made the brothers legendary.

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In the film’s structured and confined setting, Marsae’s tap improvisations stand out even more powerfully. Her movements breathe life into the formal space, creating a tension between the freedom of her rhythm and the fixed form of the staircase. The film’s distorted and mirrored imagery enhances this dynamic, portraying tap dance as both rhythmic and reflective, a dialogue between past and present. Through Sole & Ember, Antoine and Lynette honor tap’s legacy, showing how rhythm and memory coexist in a way that feels timeless, bridging the nostalgia of the past with the vibrancy of today.

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Directed by Shawn Antoine II

Performed by Marsae Lynette

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