Discovering rhythm and movement

Jep Meléndez trained as a tap dancer at numerous art schools in Barcelona and New York; He is also passionate about classical dance, jazz and Afro-Cuban percussion. He is a dancer and improviser and has been part of many well-known shows: “Benny Goodman Memorial”, “Jazzin and Dancin”, “Escolta’m” (Barcelona), “Navigazzioni” (Italy), “Tap City”, “Swing 46 Tap Jam” (New York), etc. His own dance style is based on body percussion. For 20 years he has been developing his own performance, influenced by different styles and genres. He directs the show “Pampidam”, which was conceived by the well-known dance group MAYUMANA. He was also the solo dancer of the CAMUT BAND in their shows “Keatoniana”, “Tambores”, “La vida es ritmo” and “Kiting-Kita”. Among his most recent performances are his participation as co-author and choreographer in “Faros del Silencio”, his outstanding performance in “Tapage Nocturne”, his academic role in the III. International Body Music Festival in São Paulo (Brazil) as well as his new project “A mano limpia!”, which was presented at the 5th International Body Music Festival in Istanbul (Turkey). He also directed and organized the “Encuentro Internacional de Música Corporal de Tenerife” festival in 2011 and 2012. In 2011, he worked on the development and research of his new play “Cambuyon”, of which he became the artistic director and performer. The piece premiered at the IV International Body Music Festival in San Francisco and was subsequently shown in Tenerife, Barcelona and at “The New Victory Theater” off-Broadway in New York. He is also a lecturer in tap dance, body percussion and dance and has a wide range of academic experience at home and abroad. He was most recently a guest at the tanzhaus in 2019, where he presented “À L’UNISSON”, a new, unconventional show that he produced together with Leela Petronio and in which tap dance, body percussion and hip-hop dance merge to convey a rhythmic and poetic message of unity in artistic expressions, with the participation of Ludovic Tronché and Daniel Luka.