BWW Preview: SAVION GLOVER'S CHRONOLOGY OF A HOOFER at New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Dancer Savion Glover has won countless of fans through the years thanks to a grand mixture of charisma, combined with raw and indisputable talent.
The master of tap has performed on movie sets, Hollywood award shows and Broadway stages. The superb mastery of his craft garnered him the most esteemed stage honor - a Tony Award for Best Choreography for his work in Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk in mid-1990s.
Yes. Glover is extremely talented. And, yes, he is highly respected in the world of dance. However, one must point out a trait that is quite endearing and that speaks to the type of person he is - the esteemed performer has not forgotten his roots or his hometown of Newark, NJ.
Glover's native setting is still very much a part of who he is as a professional and as a dancer. So much so, that he is the dance advisor for New Jersey Performing Arts Center, located in the very city that saw him grow up.
Part of his role as dance advisor is mentoring the youth through dance and arts programs. On Sept. 18 his dedication, and that of the children he assisted in training, was on full display as Savion Glover's BRiNG TiME BaCK @NJPAC transported the audience to "Club Denim." This musical infused with dance and song featured 45 young people ranging from six to 18 years old. These young thespians, dancers and singers were exclusively chosen to partake in this show.
The piece, which was set in a jazz club, was brought to life by the stories of the individual patrons.
"It's an old-school club with a new-school environment," Glover said in a statement. "We're using these young voices to remind one generation of how a jazz club once was, and at the same time inform a new generation of what that club could have been."
The musical was a rapid production that kept audience members on The Edge of their seats as each child proved to be just as talented as the one that proceeded and succeeded them on stage. It was easy to lose oneself in awe due to the sheer talent of all that participated.
For a brief minute, before being invited inside "Club Denim" Glover gave the audience a glimpse of his skills while tapping away on stage - leaving audience members in wonderment of how it could be possible to move one's feet at lightning speed while at the same time allow for one to glide across a wooden floor all while keeping perfect rhythm and synchronization with the accompanying music.
This small taste of talent is what audience members can expect to see, but on a much grander scale, when Glover introduces Savion Glover's Chronology of a HooFer in which he will perform his art soul technique all while introducing the audience to the history, forefathers and experiences that moved him to dance.
By familiarizing oneself with Glover's career, it is easy to assume that the show will feature memorable dance scenes.
Glover is a performer and choreographer whose career has spanned decades prompted by the fact that he started at a very young age. His career took off on Broadway as The Tap Dance Kid and, through time, he continued on to other production. He reached new heights when he won the Tony for Best Choreography.
His work has allowed him to tour far and wide, across international stages and work with jazz legends. His talent also captivated Hollywood resulting in Glover collaborating in such films as Happy Feet and Happy Feet Two.
Savion Glover's Chronology of a HooFer will take place on Oct. 8. Tickets are available at http://www.njpac.org/. Photo courtesy of NJPAC
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