By Lynda L. Jones
On Tuesday, November 8 at 7:30 pm Milwaukee will welcome the extraordinary talented tap dancing artist Savion Glover to the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.
Glover has been away from the Broadway Stage for about a decade, but he has not stopped dancing. He has been breaking new ground for more than 25 years, starting on Broadway around the age of 12 when he appeared in ‘The Tap Dance Kid’. He made his film debut alongside famous mentors, two of many Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. in 1989’s ‘Tap’, he was a young 15 year-old at the time. A regular on Sesame Street from 1990-95, he earned the Tony Award for Best Choreography in 1996 with ‘Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk’. Other Broadway and film credits include ‘Black and Blue, ‘Jelly’s Last Jam’, Spike Lee’s ‘Bamboozled’, and tap choreographer of the acclaimed Academy Award winning 2006 movie ‘Happy Feet’.
With all of his credentials it all just boils down to an artist expressing himself. That’s how Savion describes it, as The Courier had the pleasure of him granting us an interview this week.
Glover who is now in his mid 30’s married and a father of a seven year-old son, says that, “Every step in my dance has an emotional investment for me, my approach to dance is like one speaking or preaching.”
He began dancing around the age of 7 years-old, his mother enrolled him and his two older brothers in tap dance classes at a studio in Newark, NJ where he grew up. Four years ago, the same facility was for sale, and Glover bought it and today he uses it for dance. To say that this man is passionate about the art of dance doesn’t even come close to how he really feels. Glover eats, drinks and lives the art of dance. He respects those that came before him with this art form, and he was even blessed to meet and be mentored by a host of these legends. Many already know his incredibly close relationship with the late Gregory Hines, who was quoted on many occasions stating “Savion is possibly the best tap dancer that ever lived.” But not many know of the other legends that he admires like Jimmy Slyde, Diane Walker, Chuck Green, Honi Coles, Lon Chaney, Buster Brown, Howard Sims and the list goes on.
He says that he was “off the scene” for about 7 to 10 years, because he was disappointed at the lack of acknowledgement that the art form was receiving. He had lost many of his teachers who had passed including Hines, and tap seemed to be dying as well. Although “off the scene” meant that the public didn’t see him as much, again he never stopped dancing.
“I realized that I had to get back out there, and keep the art alive. Having my own child gave me the motivation to continue to share this art”.
Savion says that he wants the next generations to know these legends, who they were, and what they contributed to the world. He says that they gave him the opportunity to imitate them until he developed his own style and voice in tap. Although he admits that some of those steps are too good to not keep imitating, and its a gift for the public, because his imitation keeps those legends alive for the rest of us.
Joining Savion on stage for his performance at the Marcus Center will be Marshall Davis Jr. and Keitaro Hosokawa.
This performance is produced by ‘The HooFeRz- CLuB’. The HooFeRzCLuB is a production entity established in November of 2010. Productions include Savion Glover’s BARE SOUNDZ, Savion Glover and The Otherz, assistant segment producer of Savion Glover’s BARE SOUNDZ appearance on Dancing With The Stars. Savion Glover’s SOLE POWER, Savion Glover’s SoLe Sactuary, and Savion Glover’s Solo In Time.
Tickets are available now for the BARE SOUNDZ performance ranging from $30-$80, at the Marcus Center Box Office at 929 N. Water Street, or by calling 414-273-7206, online at Ticketmaster.com or at MarcusCenter.org. For more information, please visit www.MarcusCenter.org.
Glover will also be in Madison, WI on Saturday, Nov. 10 at the Wisconsin Union Theater.