By Barbara McGuire Daily Bruin Contributor
Cheering groupies at a tap dancing performance may seem a bit
out of place. Especially when "Who’s your daddy?" is quite possibly
the only appropriate thing to scream along with them. But for a
dancer who has rescued tap from the depths of the past by
transforming it into a hip hop, contemporary dance of the future,
this is not unusual.
Savion Glover is this savior. He proves in his theatrical show
"Footnotes: The Concert" that tap can still be cool. Complete with
a jazz band blasting hip hop, blues and funky tunes as well as
improvised "competitions" between Glover and the musicians, the
show was definitely just as much a concert as it was a dance
performance.
Glover was not the only entertainer in the house. Fellow tap
dancers James "Buster" Brown, Jimmy Slyde, Dianne Walker, and
10-year-old Cartier A. Williams accompanied Glover on stage, each
with their own special contribution. Amusing the audience with
stand-up comedy and conversation these dancers did more than just
tap.
The show was presented to viewers informally – it was OK to
scream out in the middle of a performance, as did one extremely
excited woman throughout the show. At the end of the performance
the woman was thanked by all the dancers for her enthusiasm.
It seemed as if the audience were watching a reunion of old
friends who just got together to have a good time.
Glover’s childhood mentor, Gregory Hines, was also watching the
show as part of the audience. He also just happened to be wearing
his tap shoes and was convinced by the other dancers to get on
stage and do a short number. The audience loved this special
performance by Hines, a renowned tap dancer and actor from movies
such as "Waiting to Exhale" and "The Preacher’s Wife."
Another friend, Dule Hill, joined the performance as an unbilled
guest. He made a statement by wearing a "Phat Farm" shirt as
opposed to the more formal attire of the other dancers. Many people
in the audience recognized him as the president’s assistant on the
"West Wing." Hill’s number was just as original as his shirt,
resembling the funky, unconventional ways of Glover.
And "unconventional" was definitely the theme for all the
dancers in "Footnotes." Walker even dared to grab her chest as she
attempted a jarring, jumpy move that had the audience roaring with
laughter. Slyde, now 71, got a similar reaction after commenting to
the audience prior to his number that it was "SCT, Senior Citizen
Time."
The show was a success with antics by well-known, established
dancers who came out to have fun, not to prove themselves, and to
hopefully share this fun with the audience. There were no signs of
stress, just hugs and high- fives between all the dancers.
Although it was Glover’s show, he did not try to assume all the
credit. Prior to closing the show he thanked the other dancers and
musicians including Eli Fountain, musical director and drummer,
Emmanuel Gatewood on guitar, and Patience Higgins on brass and
winds. Glover mentioned that all these people were his teachers as
well as his friends.
Currently, Glover is the shining star of tap dancing. With only
26 years behind him, he has already created significant uproar in
the world of tap.
In 1996 he won a Tony Award for his choreography in the Broadway
smash hit, "Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk." He has won
numerous other awards, ranging from the Drama Desk Award to the
Fred Astaire Award.
Glover made his film debut in "Tap," at age 13 and his latest
project is a Spike Lee feature film to be released in the fall.
He brings tap dancing to a new level by using various mediums to
create his "music." For instance, in one number Glover wore only
socks as he pounded out a beat on a small box covered in sand,
demonstrating that tap does not always have to involve the
shoes.
When Glover was wearing his tap shoes, however, he still did not
follow all the rules. He used different parts of the stage to
create various sounds. He would run up a metal set of stairs and
kick different parts of the set, allowing for a unique sound.
Glover’s visit to Los Angeles was brief, however, with
"Footnotes" running from Wednesday, March 29 through Sunday, April
2. No doubt many people will be anxiously awaiting his return.