The addictive boom-bap of 1990s hip-hop never left the building. In fact, it’s right here in Charleston for the next three days with Ayodele Casel’s dynamic tap show, “The Remix.”
Ayodele Casel brought Volume Two of “The Remix,” an ode to her roots in New York City’s tap scene, to Spoleto Festival 2026 on Thursday. The historic Sottile Theater on George Street transformed into a space for celebration.
With a mix of poetry, singing, rapping and soul-shaking tap, Casel and her ensemble transported the audience back to the early days of her career. The show celebrated music and community, tap and body percussion. More importantly, it brought Casel’s candles to center stage on the eve of her birthday.
“The Remix” debuted in May 2025 at the Joyce Theater in New York City. More than a year later, Casel and co-creator and director Torya Beard revived the show for Spoleto audiences. Casel and Beard first appeared at Spoleto in 2017 with her solo show “While I Have the Floor.” They also presented “Chasing Magic” in 2023.
The performance was full of energy, yet knew when to take a breath. Tap battles grabbed the theater’s full attention. A soft-shoe a cappella duet featuring Casel and assistant choreographer and tap dancer Naomi Funaki grounded the otherwise upbeat performance. Each number, like a magnet, effortlessly pulled viewers in.
‘The Remix’ continues to play at Sottile Theater from June 5-7.
A makeshift living room with benches, beanbags and ambient lighting took over the stage. A tap floor split the space down the middle. A two-person band and DJ booth delivered live tunes from upstage. Classic jazz mixed with hard hip-hop beats and lyric-free house music. Casel and her ensemble’s electric feet and clean vocals brought the scene to life.
Casel first put on her tap shoes in the 1990s, when hip-hop and R&B dominated the music scene. She opened the evening much as she likely approached the tap world then — with a backpack slouched over her shoulder and a notepad in hand.
The show opened with a tap teaser from Casel in neon shoes and cargo pants. The introduction was a brief demonstration of her tap genius. But before the first click-clack of her metal soles rang, she half-sang, half-read a poem about youth, dreaming and identity.
She described her early days rollerblading to the dance studio in Times Square. With a few bars from Ahmad’s “Back in the Day,” she fell into the story of how she found her path to dance, including an old fantasy of being a back-up dancer for Janet Jackson.
“Wanting to be a part of the music on the radio, but in my own way,” Casel read.
Ensemble dancers eventually joined in, tapping along to Casel’s ad-libs. Then, the kind of smooth transition that gives you goosebumps simmered on stage. Slowly, the live house mix by Liberty Styles transitioned into a hip-hop beat — and lift-off. The cast tapped together in unison.
The performance balanced casualness with tap excellence. For many of the performers, tap wasn’t their only strong suit. Some ensemble members began pieces with raw vocals. For one performer, the body became the instrument of choice. The performer slapped rhythms up and down their body in time with the tap steps.
The music on stage was nothing short of true 90’s nostalgia. One piece started with a medley of the decade’s hits from “Killing Me Softly” by The Fugees to “No Diggity” by Blackstreet and Dr. Dre. Cast members went around belting lines from these songs before taking over the floor with tap.
In “Unmuted,” Kate Louissaint delivered a rousing rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The song, considered the Black national anthem, delivered a subtle political statement.
Casel also nodded to her Black and Puerto Rican heritage with bongos and congas moments. By reminiscing on Casel’s tap career, the production also looks forward to her professional future. It’s rooted in rhythmic perfection, but always open to a remix.
IF YOU WANT TO GO:
“The Remix” has four remaining performances scheduled for Friday, June 5, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, June 6, at 2 and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, June 7, at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $48.
Remi Turner is a magazine, news and digital journalism graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
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