Savion Glover is one of the greatest tap dancers and teachers who has ever lived. He started his tap career as a seven year old boy and almost instantly at the age of ten, reached Broadway fame for tap dancing. Savion Glover has worked with some of the most influential tap dancers like Gregory Hines, Henry Le Tang, and Sammy Davis Jr, and has even performed at the White House. I chose Savion to do my report on because I love his style of tap; while I feel that most tappers focus on “showy” steps like wings and toe stands, Savion instead tries to create a rhythm with basic steps. I feel I can relate to his style of tap and the passion he shares for it.
Savion Glover had an early start to his dancing career. He started to learn how to play the
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drums at the age of four, and when he became too advanced to continue, he enrolled in the Newark Community School of the Arts. Savion became the youngest person to ever receive a full scholarship. After his mom signed him up for his first tap lessons at seven years old, he started to develop a style derived from the way a rhythm can be formed by using the entire shoe. At the young age of ten years old, he became an understudy for the Broadway musical, The Tap Dance Kid, and took the lead role the next year. Five years later, he went back to Broadway to star in Black and Blue where he won a Tony. Savion Glover continued to use his tap gift to choreograph for a festival in the Apollo Theatre, and he became the youngest person to ever win the National Endowment of the Arts grant.
He continued to act and dance in the musical Jelly’s Last Jam and was an important part of the Off Broadway show Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk. For Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk, Savion acted and choreographed the dances which focused on African American history. As the show became very successful, it moved to Broadway and it won four Tony’s, one being a best choreographer award for Savion Glover. After being on Broadway, Savion Glover began to teach tap classes and develop his own style. He created the HooFeRz Club School of Tap in Newark, New Jersey where he started his own tap journey. Savion Glover had a few smaller projects such as choreographing the animated tap dancing done in the movie, Happy Feet, and even occasionally dancing on the popular children’s show Sesame …show more content…
Street. The first video I witnessed was titled “Savion Glover at the White House”.
In this video, Savion Glover begins dancing solo, and then introduces four other people to dance with him for Mr. and Mrs. Clinton. The majority of the steps Savion did during his solo part created a solid rhythm that he would add different steps to keep a consistent beat. The whole dance was acapella which helped to focus solely on the dancing and the music that Savion created with his feet. Throughout the whole solo piece, Savion Glover looked very peaceful and wore a smile across his face along with the occasional inclusion of his hands singing while dancing. When a group of four other dancers came to join Savion Glover, they all danced primarily in unison, with a few small solos. They all wore black, keeping the focus once again on the steps and the sound that the tap shoes were
creating. The second video I watched was of Savion Glover performing on the television show, Dancing With the Stars. Savion Glover performed with two other men all on separate pieces of wood. The dancers started acapella, but then the band joined in and played an upbeat song that involved many trumpets that chorused an upbeat melody. Savion Glover and the other two men wore brown and copper jackets with blue jeans and black tap shoes. They once again wore smiles. In the very background, there were about two women who were also tapping that wore similarly shirts and jeans, but that did distract from the original focus on the sounds of the tap shoe. Savion Glover is an important tap dancer and has even been called "Possibly the best tap dancer that ever lived" by the famous Gregory Hines. Savion has had a special impact on tap dancers everywhere, between his amazing acapella tap pieces to his constant perfect rhythm. Savion is a great influence that I feel has impacted the way I will see tap. As I previously thought that the more impressive tricks make a tap dance, he has helped me to realize it’s not the tricks or how many wings you can do that make a dance, it’s what you feel and how you apply that when you dance. I noticed that Savion rarely does any “showy” tap moves; instead he does combinations of steps to create a foundation of his dances. Savion Glover has brought back an interest in tap dance for many young people, and also has helped to reduce the stereotype of tap being a joke, or just someone randomly stepping. Savion Glover has helped others to see, including me, that tap dancing is an art.
...’s work. Although dancing Taylor’s choreography, Grossman was allowed the freedom to experiment and this factor allowed him to develop as a performer. Grossman has admitted that he had some fear in dancing in Taylor’s Company; however he has further added that in doing so his fears were gradually diffused and he in fact reached “a sense of peace or calm”.
Haskins, James. "Geoffrey Holder and Carmen De Lavallade." Black Dance in America. N.p.: n.p., 1990. 130-37. Print.
An example was through the performance when he had two people from the audience to join on the stage doing Corroboree dances.
Walter Payton was born in July 25, 1954. Son of Peter and Alyne Payton, Walter Payton was born in Colombia, Missouri. Walter’s father wasn’t really into football as much as people thought, Peter Payton was a semi-pro baseball player. Walter was had one older brother Eddie, who was born 3 years before Walter but in the near future wasn’t the one to be a football star. Eddie learned a lot about football from his dad, but when Walter was born, he knew he would have competition. At a very young age Walter and Eddie would have pickup games in the backyard. When Walter was 5 he started to play in a little league. Coaches were shocked to see Walter play football, almost every time he touched the football, touchdown. Not only his parents, but the players, and the coaches noticed that the harder Walter works he could go far.
According to dancemotionusa.org tap dance originated from the West African dances and certain influences from the British Isles. All throughout the 20th century tap dance began to gain popularity. It seems that tap dance started as something that slaves did to express themselves. Dancemotionusa.org stated that, “White slave masters banned the use of drums, which they considered a tool for organizing revolution. This led to people into making rhythms with their bodies-specifically, their feet.” Another way we know that tap dance has evolved is that before they would attach pennies to their heels and soles in order to retain the rhythmic sounds of their dance (pg.81). Now, tap shoes have a metal attached to the heel. Tappers do not have to attach pennies to the bottom of their shoes anymore. Tap dance has also adapted new moves and expanded into other forms of dance. An example, countless of people have combined ballet and tap dance together—creating a flawless routine. In addition, some of today’s upcoming tappers are: Michelle Dorrance, Anthony Morigerato, Daniel Leveille, Aaron, Alexis, and Curtis. Overall, tap dancing has come a long way and in my opinion it has not lost its meaning.
Jackie Robinson overcame many struggles in life such as being included in the civil rights movement, facing discrimination, and he achieved being the first black man in major league baseball. He was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia on Hadley Ferry Road. It is a blue-collar town of about 10,000 people. Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the major leagues with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Even though he achieved this major goal he still had trouble getting there. He and his siblings were raised by his single mother. Jackie attended Muir High School and Pasadena Junior College. He was a great athlete and played many sports. He played football, basketball, track, and of course baseball. He left school in 1941, worked as an athletic director and played semiprofessional football for the Honolulu Bears before being drafted to the Army in 1942. While he was in the army he became close friends with Joe Louis. The heavyweight used his popularity to protest about the delayed entry of black soldiers. Two years later he got the honor to be second lieutenant in 1943. After an accident where he refused to sit in the back of an unsegregated bus, military police arrested Robinson. A duty officer requested this and then later he requested that Jackie should be court martialed. Since this happened Jackie was not allowed to be deployed overseas to the World War II. He never saw combat during the war. Jackie left the Army with an honorable discharge.
His father abandoned the family when Alvin was a mere six months old, leaving him and his mother with the struggle of fending for themselves. The inability for Alvin’s mother to find work led to their move to California in 1942, where Alvin was introduced by a classmate to the most influential person that would be the foundation for his future successful career in modern dance, Lester Horton (DeFrantz 1). Alvin was captivated by Lester’s work, which focuses on building a strong body, and made the executive decision to start his dance training in 1949 when he was eighteen years old. Because Lester Horton’s dance company embraced diversity, and accepted dancers of all ethnicities and backgrounds, Alvin was given the opportunity to do something great with his One of the first concerts ever produced by his company was titled Blues Suite, which was a well-received depiction of poverty in the deep south set to a soundtrack of blues music. This concert was an integral part in defining Alvin Ailey’s choreography technique, which is loosely based on the technique associated in ballet with strong legs and feet, while still maintaining a more evocative, modern-style torso.
Not great at sports, Alvin excelled in the less common athletics of gymnastics, especially the floor exercise (36). Being an African-American male, this was hard for Ailey and he struggled fitting in with his peers. Alvin Ailey had little experience with dance or the theater and it wasn’t until he moved to Los Angeles that his eyes were opened to the world of theatrics by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carolos and the performance of Katherine Dunham’s black dance company (DeFrantz 43). Ailey pursued 1940s dancing styles such as tap, but experimented and settled on modern dance when a school friend, Carmen de Lavallade, convinced him to join Lester Horton’s lively theatrical, Hollywood Studio in 1949 (43). As Ailey’s mentor, Horton proved to be a major role model and helped mold Alvin’s technique and
While a student in the dance program at Detroit High School for the Fine and Performing A...
For much of the 20th century, African-American citizens had been disenfranchised throughout the South and the entire United States, they were regarded as inferior second-class citizens. Despite efforts to integrate society, the political and economic systems were meant to continue the cycle of oppression against African-Americans, throughout the south and indirectly yet ever present in the north. These laws of segregation, otherwise knows as Jim Crow laws, applied to almost every aspect of southern American society, including sports. During this time period, African-American athletes had to resort to second class organizational leagues to play in, this included the famous baseball player Jackie Robinson. Much of this institutionalized racism
Jackie Robinson was a black man that played a white man only sport. Jackie Robinson’s life was outstanding regardless of the obstacles that were thrown in his way in order for him to make it to the top. Jackie Robinson overcame the pain people put him through with the support of his family, friends, and his God given talent, which was playing baseball. Jackie Robinson overcame the negativity of white people during the Civil Rights Movement. For this reason, Jackie Robinson never gave up on his dream and proved people wrong. Jackie Robinson became a vocal champion for the African-American athletes around the world (“Robinson, Jackie - Black History”).
Another scene that depicts the way some view of breakdancing and hip hop is when James has a party and he invites Ozone and Turbo, as well as Kelly. There are a lot of wealthy people there and when they see the two males from the trio, the looks on their faces turn into those of shock. Kelly’s former dance coach is also at this party, and when he finds out the grou...
In the passage of the Narrative of Fredrick Douglass, the author masterfully conveys two complimentary tones of liberation and fear. The tones transition by the use of diction and detail. The passage is written entirely in first person, since we are witnessing the struggles of Fredrick Douglass through his eyes. Through his diction, we are able to feel the triumph that comes with freedom along with the hardships. Similarly, detail brings a picturesque view of his adversities. Since the point of view is first person, the reader is able to be a part of the Douglass’ struggles with his new freedom. With diction, detail, and point of view, the reader is able to get a rare glimpse into the past of Fredrick Douglass.Fredrick Douglass’ diction is powerful as he describes his life as a slave and with his new freedom. Fredrick Douglass calls being enslaved an act of “wretchedness,” yet he was able to remain “firm” and eventually left the “chains” of slavery. Fredrick Douglass expresses that being enslaved is a wretched act and that no man should ever deserve such treatment. Despite being a slave, he kept strong and eventually broke the chain of society. However, Fredrick Douglass experienced great “insecurity” and “loneliness” with his new freedom, and was upon a new “hunting-ground.” His new freedom brought other devastating factors, being a new state without any friends, which caused his loneliness. In this new state, he grew insecure for he was in a new danger zone where at any time his freedom could be rejected. With new freedom come new obstacles, which are described in the diction of Fredrick Douglass.
Berkeley had it right. If you want a song to catch on, put it with a moving body. And if the body happens to be the king or queen of pop, that doesn’t hurt. So what if the dancer is a certain Hollywood bad boy wearing TAP SHOES?
Dance is a part of every culture. Whether it is the fire dances of the native Hawaiians, or the Tango from Spain, dance is a part of every culture. This event is not an event I would usually attend. I am not into art of any kind except music. At first, there were two reasons I went to this performance.