'STOMP' Compelling experience

The show is new every night, the performers say.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Unless you've spent the past decade or so in a cave, on a desert island or attempting to program your VCR, you've probably seen or heard about "Stomp," a nonlinear international percussion phenomenon that uses various items from everyday life to create a compelling experience of rhythm and sound.
However, there's much more to this production than the unlikely use of trash cans, plastic bags, plungers, boots and hubcaps to generate infectious rhythms. In fact, on a deeper level, the percussive results could be considered a cadence to life and a lesson in sociology, where preconceptions are dispelled and real world perceptions are discovered.
"It's performance art, for sure," said "Stomp" cast member Leilani Dibble, who has been touring with the production for the last two and a half years. "There's not really a plot or a story but there's definitely a journey that the audiences go through and we go through from start to end. We start having a conversation with music, and by the end of the first number, we're playing this song together and the rest of the show is about communicating through music and body language and with the audience."
Release
Similar in mindset to the animal kingdom, where every beast, no matter how big or small, has its own roar, "Stomp" creates a cathartic and visceral release for both the audience and the cast members. What makes the show unique is its human nature. For Dibble and her cast mates, each show is completely different from the previous night.
Therein lies the genius and allure behind "Stomp," which has a basic structure that is universal no matter where the incredibly successful show is being produced around the world. There's also the intangible aspect of allowing performers to couple their emotional state with their percussive talents into a truly organic performance.
"It's a very raw show and something I think everybody can identify with," Dibble said. "It's been touring consistently for the past 11 years, which is really remarkable. It's not like when you see 'Cats' and the next time you see 'Cats' you're going to see the same show. With this show, the music is the same, but we get a lot of room to improvise and bring our own flavor to the music. It's pretty much our own show."
Still at it
At 27 years old, Dibble appears to be using "Stomp" as much more than a job. Perhaps drumming to a beat all her own, the Bay Area native is still working out a few things before deciding where life takes her next.
"I'm not ready to be done with this show," Dibble said. "I'm really enjoying it and I'm still learning. As soon as one of those things stop, I'll probably be done, but after living this life as an entertainer on the road and having fun with my friends, it's going to be really hard to take a desk job."
She added, "I was going to school for chemistry before this, so who knows. I always thought dancing would be something I always did because I love it and it would keep me grounded and chemistry would be something to satisfy my want to be financially stable and buy houses and eat good food and travel and do what I want. Maybe I'll go back to that ... maybe I won't."