Sometimes you meet people and your first thought is “Wow. I will never be that cool.” Ethan Saltzberg is one of those people. This Boomshaka talent powerhouse talked to us about the energy of performing, feeling rhythm, and Imagine Dragons. Come check him, the rest of Boomshaka, Refresh, and Fusion out at ReFusionShaka this weekend at 10 pm on Saturday, 8 pm on Sunday, and 10 pm on Monday!
Name: Ethan Saltzberg
Major: Radio/TV/Film
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Oak Park, IL
What is Boomshaka’s role in the show?
So, Boomshaka is one of the three performance groups involved in the show. Generally, besides the full-cast pieces like opener and closer, the drummers drum and the dancers dance in various pieces, some that mix performers from all three groups. There also are some pieces that feature drummers and dancers doing the opposite, so it’s a great atmosphere of stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new
Boomshaka involves both drumming and some dancing. Was integrating the two difficult when you first started?
Well first I’d say that Boomshaka is equally split between drumming and dancing; most of the drummers, such as myself, have had almost no dancing experience prior to joining. I think at times it was overwhelming to be thrust into somewhat advanced dancing, but once I understood the expectation that it was less about perfection and more about enthusiasm, I started to really enjoy dancing, too. It also helps that you aid the dancers in learning drumming, so you understand that you’re both in the same position
How did the original collaboration between Fusion, Refresh, and Boomshaka come about?
To be honest, I literally have no idea, but I’d assume that the concept emerged from a notion of “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” It’s everyone from different backgrounds and dance styles (and drumming) to create an incredibly distinct and unique flavor of show that’s all energy and hype
You seem to focus a lot of energy. Do you have anything special you do to get pumped up for shows?
Well not every piece is about energy…but most of them are. For our own gigs, Boomshaka has our little “shakedown” tradition, but for RFS we craft up something that brings everyone together. This show wouldn’t succeed without energy or intensity. Of course, we also spend plenty of time rehearsing and cleaning so it’s not just a complete mess haha
When you say “shakedown” I’m picturing you dancing to “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift. I’ll make the safe assumption it’s nothing like that.
Haha good assumption.
One last one: if you could have Boomshaka perform to any song, what would it be?
I think I’d lean towards something in the style of Imagine Dragons, like “Tiptoe” or “Radioactive,” because they have good, driving percussion to write drums to but also are musically expressive enough to get some cool dancing at the same time. If Boomshaka saw this, they might be disappointed I didn’t simply say “trap.”