Savion Glover

Savion Glover and George Wolfe, in Bring In Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk, use tap dance to evoke historical tap figures in differing ways of making a particular statement on their view of African American tap artistry. The musical traces the history of “the beat” through its origins in Africa, into America through the slave trade, and finally the different forms it took through American history. In the show, the two satirical sequences and Savion’s solo come in the second act, which begins with a young man, “the Kid,” searching for the beat in Hollywood. His search brings him into a soundstage where “Grin and Flash” and “Uncle Huckabuck” are performing. In their sleek suits and ties, the Grin and Flash act has exactly what their name says: beaming smiles and flashy performance. The two dancers sing a jazzy show tune, with full-bodied movements and dripping theatricality, jazz hands included. Not a lot of grounded, rhythmic tap is involved - there’s a couple wings and shuffle grab offs, but most of…

Dubbed as the “man who saved tap dancing”, Savion Glover has provoked a stylistic revolution within tap dancing and has inspired many young dancers all over the country with his hip-hop-funk and jazz-infused rhythm tap dance style. How did a seven-year-old go from being a young drummer to one of the most inspiring, and influential tap dancers today? Tap dance is an art form that is characterized by its use of percussive sounds through the tap shoes striking the floor. Although the art of tap…

Day 1: I have just entered the mouth and so far everything is all right. I blend right in to the colorful cotton candy! Down the slip 'n' slide I go! This will take me to the stomach lining and I will try to kill the stomach cells. Adventure awaits me Day 2: As I approached the stomach cell, I wrap myself in cotton candy as a disguise. A cell membrane security guard starts asking me questions before I can actually get in. "When did you enter the body?, Where did you come…

actor/musician Donald Glover has done just that, all while having no fear of the probable backlash he may receive and has received. Donald Glover, commonly known by his stage name “Childish Gambino”, is framed by many as just a rapper who can sing. However, the release of his 2016 album, “Awaken, My Love!” has reframed him as a singer who can rap. By waiting almost three entire years, he is able to strike his fans with something they did not expect and successfully did so by dropping a rap-free…

ambassador of tap dance for the U.S. State Department. With that title he was about to tour the world. f. Gregory Hines • While he was also a singer and an actor, during the 1980’s and 1990’s he became a symbol of classical tap. Hines was mainly known for his improvisation. When he tapped he would create a multitude of rhythms using unique taps steps. He would create tap steps based on the different sounds that they made. Hines’ rhythms differed from the traditional African inspired rhythmic…