“Utterly brilliant… they are virtuoso percussive players on, yes, buckets, and extraordinary tap dancers, as capable of channeling hip-hop as Astaire-like suavity.”
New York Times
Buckets and Tap Shoes bring a high-energy blend of music, dance, and drumming from the streets of Minneapolis to theaters and events around the globe. The multi-talented Ausland brothers take audiences on a rhythmic journey using percussion instruments including; tap shoes, found objects, electronic drums, and buckets.
Since their premiere in 2004, Buckets and Tap Shoes has toured internationally to; Austria, Finland, Ecuador, Malta, St. Thomas, and Russia, as well as North American tours to over 30 of the United States.
“…Amazing, contagious
energy and joy unconfined.”
- New York Observer
Buckets and Tap Shoes was co-founded by brothers Rick and Andy Ausland (MN Fringe Favorite 2004, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014; Minneapolis City Pages “Best Dance Performance 2005”). They were featured guests on A Prairie Home Companion, nominated for a 2013 SAGE Award for “Outstanding Performer," and have performed in over 35 of the 50 states and internationally. In the Twin Cities, Buckets and Tap Shoes had the honor of performing at the Cowles Center for Performing Arts (Buckets and Tap Shoes’ DREAMS and at the Twin Cities Tap Festivals in both 2017 and 2018), the Guthrie’s Dowling Studio, the Fitzgerald Theater, the First Avenue Mainroom (2005, 2006, 2007), the Dakota Jazz Club, the Lab Theater, the Minnesota State Fair, and many other venues. Rick and Andy have also taught tap dancing and bucket drumming to students throughout Minnesota (Lundstrum Performing Arts, Main Street School for Performing Arts, Perpich Center for Arts Education, the St. Paul Conservatory, Zenon) and abroad (Austria, Ecuador, Finland, Malta, and Russia). Their 10-song bucket percussion album Bucket Drummin’ Volume 1 is available on Spotify, Amazon music, and iTunes.