When you’re discussing the world’s most extraordinary tap dancers, one name that always gets a mention is Savion Glover. Over the past 30 years, the tap dancer has gone from tap wunderkind to Broadway star to one of the biggest forces and strongest advocates for the tap medium.
Glover has starred on Broadway in “The Tap Dance Kid” and “Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk,” and won a Tony for Best Choreography for the latter. He’s also appeared in films such as “Tap” with Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr., “Bamboozled” by Spike Lee; and both “Happy Feet” movies, winning an Academy Award in the process.
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of its Music Center, Strathmore nods to the past and celebrates the future with Savion Glover’s STePz on Friday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m.
In his latest show, Glover taps his way through a recorded soundtrack that paints the wide expanse of movement, ranging from Miles Davis and Charlie Parker to Prince and the “Mission Impossible” theme song.
“This is a live concert that gives people the opportunity to see the dance, hear the music and feel the energy and appreciate tap in the concert form,” Glover says. “This is Marshall (Davis, Jr.) and I continuing to play homage to our teachers, mentors and pioneers, reminding the audience of their contributions.”
STePz includes five tap dancers in all, and each show is a little different, taking form by the inspiration of the dancers.
“Some of these dancers are people I have known for years, others I am just beginning to collaborate with. We’re bringing out our own energy and doing our own thing,” he says. “With this performance—as with all of my productions—I try to leave room for as much improvisation as possible. Through improvisation we are able to continue to develop pieces and enjoy ourselves inside of that.”
Glover says he works best by both allowing a number to develop organically on the dance floor, and by bringing ideas back to his pieces that hit him while he’s not wearing his tap shoes.
“Sometimes I choreograph things once we’ve got all of the players or dancers in the room,” he says. “Other times are just thoughts that I’ve been thinking about, pictures that I’ve been seeing that I’d like to bring to life. It’s a combination of both.”
Perfecting his craft since he was 7, Glover’s dance style simultaneously pays homage to tap’s roots while pushing the form’s contemporary boundaries with an explosive cacophony of rhythm and sound, the limits of which he has yet to see.
Even with his busy schedule, Glover still finds time to teach at the HooFeRzCLuB School for Tap, which he founded in Newark. He believes that people are still interested in tap and is excited about the younger generation of dancers coming up through the ranks. He works hard to ensure that tap continues to be popular.
“Besides performing, I have my school, where we teach the history of dance and introduce people to tap dance, making sure the word is carried out and the teaching are carried out,” he says. “Other than that, I just do what I do to keep the dance relevant and alive.”
Looking ahead, Mr. Glover is working on several projects to keep the art form in the public’s eye, including live theater and television specials. For now, he’s hoping to inspire that next generation of tap dancers to check out STePz.
“I encourage people to come and be open minded,” he says. “This is a show that a lot of people will enjoy—young and old—and you don’t need to have a love of tap to enjoy what we’re putting out there.”
Strathmore will host a pre-concert celebration at 6:30 p.m. with food and drink specials, culminating in a complimentary champagne toast before the performance. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 301-581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.
