KIDFEST: SOLE DEFINED; THE PULSE

SOLE Defined is an award-winning percussive dance company that transforms the body into a musical instrument, blending rhythmic movement, storytelling, and live sound to create immersive performance experiences. Founded in 2011 by  Guggeinhiem Choreography Ryan K. Johnson and Quynn Johnson, the company fuses tap dance, body percussion, sand dance, and multimedia to create high-energy performances that captivate from the first beat. Using the body as a musical instrument, SOLE Defined blends original music, cutting-edge technology, and cultural narrative into an unforgettable live experience. 

SOLE Defined connects audiences across cultures and generations through rhythm you don’t just hear, you feel. The company has been presented at  The Wexner Center for the Arts, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Jacob’s Pillow, and Lincoln Center, and has energized audiences across the U.S. and around the world. Each performance is more than a show, it’s an experience. With driving rhythms, precision choreography, and dynamic audience interaction, SOLE Defined invites you into the music, turning every theater into a living, breathing instrument. Get ready to clap, move, and be moved, this is rhythm in motion.

Ryan K. Johnson (Artistic Director/Performer ), MFA, is the first African American body percussionist to receive a Guggenheim Fellow for choreography (2024) and Executive Artistic Director of SOLE Defined. Ryan has performed with Gregory Hines, Marvin Hamlisch, and in STEP Afrika!, STOMP, Cirque du Soleil, and Diary of a Tap Dancer v.6. Most recently he performed at the grand opening of the new Doris Duke Theater at Jacob’s Pillow and guest choreographer and Assistant Director of Ayodele Cassel’s The REMIX at The Joyce Theater.  His work has appeared at The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center,  The Joyce Theater and in 20 countries across the globe. He is the first percussive dancer to receive the Kennedy Center Social Impact Residency. Learn more: @rkjdance / soledefined.com

Photo: Becca Vision. Courtesy of SOLE Defined

Jodeci Milhouse (Associate Artistic Director/Performer) is a dynamic triple threat blazing through the entertainment industry. She’s performed at Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, and New York City Center, touring nationally and internationally with SOLE Defined. Notable roles include “Mona” in The Tap Dance Kid (Encores!), “Deena Jones” in Dreamgirls (Baltimore Center Stage), and “Dancin’ Doll” in After Midnight (Signature Theatre). She made her Broadway debut in A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical at Studio 54. Jodeci has worked with renowned directors including Kenny Leon, Schele Williams, and Jared Grimes. Also a pop singer-songwriter, her latest single “DMAO” was released in June 2025.

Quynn Johnson (Associate Choreographer/Performer) is a multidisciplinary artist, award-winning choreographer, tap dancer, and global arts educator from Flint, Michigan. A graduate of Harvard and Howard Universities, she uses rhythm and movement to inspire and educate. As co-founder of SOLEDefined, her work fuses tap, body percussion, and storytelling, reaching over 150,000 students across the U.S., Africa, and the Caribbean. Performance highlights include Diary of a Tap Dancer at American Repertory Theater, Chasing Magic and the Remix at The Joyce Theater, and After Midnight (soloist, NCL). Quynn has appeared at Jacob’s Pillow, Kennedy Center, and New York City Center. She’s the author of Lucky’s Tap Dancing Feet.

Claude Alexander (Dance Captain/Performer) is a dance artist, choreographer, and educator originally from Washington, D.C. He studied Dance Performance at Towson University under Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell and Vincent Thomas. From 2010–2022, he performed as a principal artist with Dallas Black Dance Theatre, where he also served as Co-Rehearsal Director and presented choreography at major festivals. Claude has performed with B. Moore Dance, Bruce Wood Dance, and others, and appeared in The Wiz(Dallas Theater Center) and the TITAS Command Performance. As a choreographic assistant to Bridget L. Moore, he’s worked with Ailey II and more. He currently teaches at Joffrey Ballet School TX.

Funmi Sofola (Performer) is an NYC-based dancer, originally from Seattle, WA. She holds a BFA in Commercial Dance from Pace University and is an alumna of Jacob's Pillow, YoungArts, and Dance Lab New York. Funmi has worked with artists like Ayodele Casel, Dormeshia, Caleb Teicher, SOLE Defined, and more. Stage credits include BZZZ and THE REMIX at The Joyce Theater, Jelly's Last Jam at NYCC, and Diary of a Tap Dancer at A.R.T. As a choreographer, she's presented at the Young Choreographer's Festival and Ladies in the Shoe Tap Conference. She finds joy in music, food, and curiosity driven learning.

Jessee Leigh Robinson (Performer) is a New York City–based dancer from Los Angeles, California. She is an alumna of The School at Jacob’s Pillow Tap Dance Program, the Creating in Jazz Program, and Dance Lab New York’s 2024–2025 Tap Dance Lab cycle. Her recent performance credits include “ZAZ” at New York City Center, Dance Africa Dallas with SOLE Defined, “Swing Out Loud” at 92Y with Lisa LaTouche, “Joys and Pathways of Tap” at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, and Steps in Concert for Christina Carminucci’s “A NYC Joint.” She has also contributed to pre-production for NYCC Encores! Wonderfultown, choreographed by Ayodele Casel, and Jelly’s Last Jam, choreographed by Dormeshia Edwards.