Savion Glover
Savion Glover, born on November 19, 1973, is a celebrated American tap dancer, choreographer, and actor renowned for his innovative approach to the art of tap dance. From a young age, Glover exhibited a natural affinity for rhythm and music, which eventually led him to pursue tap dancing as a means of self-expression. His career began in earnest with performances in prestigious productions, including "The Tap Dance Kid" and "Black and Blue," earning him acclaim and a Tony Award nomination. Glover is particularly known for his groundbreaking work in the musical "Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk," which showcased his unique choreography and modernized tap for a new generation.
Beyond performance, Glover has dedicated himself to educating young dancers through initiatives like the HooFeRzCLuB School for Tap, where he emphasizes both the history and the personal style of tap dance. His influence extends into film, with notable roles in productions like "Happy Feet" and its sequel, where he contributed his expertise in tap choreography. Throughout his career, Glover has continued to explore various musical genres, integrating classical, hip-hop, jazz, and blues elements into his work, ensuring the vitality of tap dance in contemporary culture. His passion and creativity have made him a prominent figure in the dance community, inspiring audiences and aspiring dancers alike.
Savion Glover
Dancer
- Born: November 19, 1973
- Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey
Dancer and actor
Glover’s contributions to African American culture are related to his mastery of the art of tap dancing. His incomparable command of rhythm set him apart from all other tappers of his time, and he bridged the gap between such seasoned greats as Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Sammy Davis Jr., and Gregory Hines and the hip-hop generation.
Areas of achievement: Dance; Film: acting; Theater
Early Life
Savion Glover was born November 19, 1973. His mother, Yvette Glover, had originally intended to name him Savior, but thought it too presumptuous and instead changed the “r” to an “n.” She reared him and his two older brothers to leave a mark on the world. He chose to leave his mark through dance and, in particular, tap. As a boy, Glover made noises constantly. He was musical and conscious of rhythm from boyhood. To release the rhythms he heard within, he tap-danced in cowboy boots. When he got his first pair of tap shoes, his world was transformed.
Glover’s mother enrolled him in Suzuki classes at Newark’s School of the Performing Arts in 1978. At age seven, Glover joined the band Three Plus, and when he was nine, the band performed at the Broadway Dance Center. Shortly after, his mother enrolled him in the dance program at Broadway Dance Center.
In 1984, Glover auditioned for the workshop for the musical The Tap Dance Kid and landed the leading role. He performed in more than three hundred shows before the end of the run the following year.
In 1988, Glover traveled to Paris, where he had the opportunity to perform with the legendary tap masters Lon Chaney, Bunny Briggs, Jiimmy Slyde, and George Hillman. By 1989, Glover was starring on Broadway in Black and Blue, a performance that earned him a Tony Award nomination. Later that year, he appeared in the film Tap. By 1990, Glover had landed a recurring role on the children’s show Sesame Street, a role that lasted for five years.
Life’s Work
Glover’s unique style of dance garnered cross-generational attention and admiration. His role as artistic ambassador kept the art of tap alive. He modernized the presentation of tap and made the art form relevant to young people. Through his explosive performances, Glover shared the beauty and grit of tap, leaving audiences awed.
In 1992, at the age of nineteen, Glover became the youngest recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts grant. This allowed him to explore new avenues in tap, to hone his craft, and to personalize his style. In 1995, he collaborated with George C. Wolfe to create a show that resonated in the hearts of his growing fan base. Bring in ’da Noise, Bring in ’da Funk opened at the Public Theater in New York City and later moved to Broadway, where Glover earned a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for best choreography.
As an actor, Glover transitioned successfully from theater to television and film, starring in The Tap Dance Kid (1985), Tap (1989), Jelly’s Last Jam (1992), The Wall (1998), Bamboozled (2000), Bojangles (2001), and Happy Feet (2006). Glover’s impact on the world of tap was not confined to performance. In an effort to share his love for tap dance with the next generation, Glover founded the HooFeRzCLuB School for Tap. The school’s mission is to teach tap theory and history while allowing each student to develop his or her own style, to allow the student to move from appreciation and demonstration to interpretation and innovation.
In addition to teaching at his New Jersey school and reprising his role in choreographing the tap-dancing moves of the character Mumble in the film Happy Feet 2 (2011), Glover continued starring and tap-dancing in his own shows for limited-time engagements at the Joyce Theater in New York City. In 2013, he premiered his performance in STePz, which featured four other dancers and the accompaniment of recordings from John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Prince, and more; critics deemed the show enjoyable overall. The following year, he appeared in a more introverted solo performance titled Om, which involved a stage almost covered in candles and displaying pictures of figures he idolizes, such as Mahatma Gandhi and Briggs. In 2015, he announced that he would be making a return to Broadway once again in the role of choreographer. This time, he would be working again with writer and director Wolfe on an ambitious project to revive the successful but little-known musical Shuffle Along from 1921; it had been the first production to feature all African Americans. Titled Shuffle Along, or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, and starring Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Billy Porter, and more, the show had its Broadway debut in March 2016 to strong ticket sales.
In April 2021, more than year into the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Glover returned to Broadway's St. James Theater to appear with Nathan Lane. Glover performed an improvised song and tap routine, while Lane delivered a monologue for the free, but ticketed event, before a socially distanced, masked, and tested audience of about 150 patrons.
Significance
Glover embodies tap in the style of early twentieth-century performers. The passion he brings to his work and his willingness to explore new avenues has made tap vital to a new generation of young people. Glover utilizes his creativity to choreograph shows in a variety of genres, including classical, hip-hop, jazz, and blues. His mastery of the craft reflects his allegiance to the work of older hoofers and of modern performers, paying homage to the former and providing rich historical context to the latter.
Bibliography
Acocella, Joan. “Taking Steps: Savion Glover at the Joyce Theatre.” New Yorker 12 Jan. 2004: 77–78. Print.
Catton, Pia. "Savion Glover on Choreographing Shuffle Along." Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones, 13 Apr. 2016. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
Glover, Savion, and Bruce Weber. Savion! My Life in Tap. New York: Morrow, 1999. Print.
Hasday, Judy L. Savion Glover: Entertainer. New York: Infobase, 2006. Print.
Paulson, Michael. “Broadway Reopened. For 36 Minutes. It’s a Start.” The New York Times, 3 Apr. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/04/03/theater/broadway-reopening.html. Accessed 22 July 2021.
Sullivan, John Jeremiah. "Shuffle Along and the Lost History of Black Performance in America." New York Times Magazine. New York Times, 24 Mar. 2016. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.