Dance Review: Son of Sound – SAVION GLOVER HAD ME AT HELLO

iDANZ Today — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 18:51:00 +0000

With a clever mind, his heart on his sleeve and a pair of supernatural feet, Savion Glover, the artist, unleashes mind-boggling rhythms in his current production, “Sole Power” at Manhattan’s mecca for exemplary dance, The Joyce Theatre. In the footsteps of tap legends, Savion Glover pays homage, one beat-filled rhythm at a time, to those of the past in a futuristic format.

With feet from another galaxy, Savion poses the question, "Can you see sound?" Sound had better stock up on Red Bull before meeting the likes of Savion Glover’s fast and furious feet… They move at light speed!

Act one begins with an intergalactic soundtrack and backdrop. Mr Glover, facing upstage for a good five to ten minutes, jams away. Instantly the focus in on the sound. We don’t see his face, yet, I am transfixed. Savion Glover has me at hello.

He is understated, donning a loose t-shirt with tuxedo pants. Savion is comfortable right there on the stage in his tap boots. He is comfortable in his own skin. The effortless manipulation of tap sound is interwoven with spoken word by Savion, (who has a remarkable voice by the way). He even kills the lights and dances in the dark, further highlighting his magical beats. This first half of the show is heavily in remembrance of those great, pave-making tappers, highlighting the improvography of such legends as Jimmy Slyde and Gregory Hines.

Act two is futuristic, comical, sassy and jamming. Although there are some truly extraordinary moments, I am just not as fond of the second half as nearly as much as the first. Unfortunately, some of Savion’s less-experienced counterparts fall flat. The costumes are fiercely outlandish and say, Project Runway; however, based on performance alone, let’s just say that… some models may need to be sent home. Fortunately, this is not true of Mr. Glover and his two main men, Marshall Davis Jr. and Maurice Chestnut who are all powerful and technically aggressive. Dance ya’ll… Savion rocks Jay-Z level swagger!

Although the corny dance-off session and an anti-climactic ending does little for me, I still leave completely dazzled by the mastery and artistry of Savion Glover, a brilliant man who marches to the beat of his own drum.

In “Sole Power,” the light of dance transcends what we simply see on stage to a broader, more intellectual, and soul-filled moment in history. It hosts a passing of the torch and an embracing extension to the future. The dance is the father and Savion Glover is the son – of sound.

See Savion Glover’s, "Sole Power" at The Joyce Theater June 21- July 10 and be inspired… Keep Slyde alive!

To hear the exclusive iDANZ interview with Savion Glover, CLICK HERE.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Martine Quigley
Performance: Savion Glover’s "Sole Power"
Venue: The Joyce Theater
Date: June 28, 2010
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Dance Review: Son of Sound – SAVION GLOVER HAD ME AT HELLO