2015 in Review: That's Dancing!

Savion Glover's STePz, Strathmore, Bethesda, Maryland (February 6, 2015)

On the STePz... © Andrea Mohin/New York Times

Savion Glover always brings something new. Unlike any other dancer, this guy makes me sit at attention and, by the end of each performance, my mouth is usually gaping and my eyes are dry from not blinking.

STePz seemed more formal than the other free-flowing Savion Glover shows I've seen. This one celebrated the history of music and dance. It paid tribute to several dance styles other than tap, as everything from classical and Latin to pop blasts through the speakers. Savion performed a moving solo honoring tap pioneer Bill Robinson during "Mr. Bojangles," where he and his shadow evoke the past with Robinson's familiar moves. On the fly after the intermission, he and the three lovely lady tappers accompanying him during the show – Robin Watson, Sarah Savelli, and Lisa LaTouche – decided to sing an acapella verse and chorus of Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel."

The show included a few short sets of stairs (the STePz?) on which Savion and the other dancers tapped – sometimes choreographed, sometimes improvised. In one memorable moment, Savion and fellow hoofer Marshall Davis, Jr., battled it out on the steps, mimicking and adding to each other's improvisational beats. In another, the three ladies took advantage of the stairs for some choreographed tapping that saluted other dance styles, like ballet, tango, and jazz. The show ended with the whole troupe dancing to Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke." They froze at the end in classic superhero poses with one arm punched skyward. On cue, we erupted in cheers – until we had to leave and deal with our delirium at home.

Savion Glover never disappoints me. Here's a taste of the show:

Savion Glover's STePz video © Savion Glover

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. (February 7, 2015)

From "Revelations" © Gert Krautbauer

Seeing the Alvin Ailey dance troupe is always a good idea. Having said that, my heart was still beating to Savion Glover's taps from the night before when I attended this afternoon matinee, so my memory of it is vague. However, I liked this performance very much.

Whenever the Alvin Ailey company comes to the Kennedy Center, it's booked there for a few days and offers different dances at different performances. This show's dances were created over the course of more than 50 years. "Polish Pieces" first appeared in 1996, "Bad Blood" premiered in 1986, and "Caught" is from 2004. The showstopper at the end of every show this time around was "Revelations," a dance created in 1960 and set to traditional, spiritual music.

What I always remember about Alvin Ailey dance shows is the bodies – how the dancers hold their alignment with precision and move in inventive ways. The music informs the movements, and the costumes accentuate the emotion. "Revelations," for example, sweeps you up as the dancers in full colorful skirts twirl across the stage in unison. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre gives you a full experience that touches all the senses through movement and leaves you with something new to talk about afterward. This afternoon's inspiring performance had us singing along, cheering, and clapping for encores.

It's a coincidence that I saw a story about the Alvin Ailey dance troupe on PBS Newshour last night. Correspondent Jeffrey Brown talked to Artistic Director Robert Battle about his aim to take the company in a new direction while honoring its storied past. Check it out:

Historic Dance Company Prepares for New Steps video © PBS Newshour  

Twyla Tharp 50th Anniversary Tour, Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. (November 13, 2015) 

From "Yowzie" © Kevin Parry

Although I've always known her name, I'd never seen Twyla Tharp's dances until this 50th anniversary performance. "Long ago, I made the choice to mark this point in my career not with events celebrating the past, but with new dances showing what I had learned and some of what I had experienced during this working life," Tharp explains about the show. A short fanfare piece introduced each half of the the program, and while the two halves couldn't have been more different in style or music, they somehow made sense together.

The first half explored Bach's preludes and fugues through balletic moves. During these short piano pieces, the dancers, who were dressed in plain but bright one-color costumes, personified the notes being played. Each entertaining piece was different in the number of dancers and their stories. All were infused with surprising funny moments told through dance. The second half showcased "Yowzie," a performance set to a series of 1920s jazz tunes, many of which I didn't recognize, though I knew the composers, like Jelly Roll Morton and Fats Waller. For these dances, the performers were dressed in bright, patterned costumes and accessorized with headbands or hats. They never stopped moving and sometimes looked like jelly bouncing into and off each other in joyful, controlled chaos.

The innovation Twyla Tharp's choreography is a thrill to watch. I love most that the humor and joy she finds through her work is evident and contagious with every step. Here's a snippet of the show:

Twyla Tharp 50th Anniversary Tour video © Twyla Tharp

Dancing is good for the soul, even if you're just watching. So, go treat yourself to a performance and you might find yourself dancing your way home. 

Savion Glover

Hi everyone,

If you think you're not a fan of tap dancing, Savion Glover will change your mind. I first became aware of Savion Glover in the late '80s and '90s when he showed up dancing in Coke commercials. He became more well known after meeting mentor Gregory Hines and winning a Tony for his choreography for the Broadway show Bring In 'Da Noise, Bring In 'Da Funk. You can even find him in some films like Tap, costarring Gregory Hines, and Bamboozled, directed by Spike Lee. If you want to hear more about his life and work, check out this video, in which he talks about his start and mission.

Savion Glover dances like no one else and to see him perform in person is always an unforgettable experience. By now, I've seen him a few times in the D.C. area. He once performed at Howard Theatre with jazz pianist McCoy Tyner accompanying him. After Trayvon Martin was killed, Savion Glover provided an intense, emotional performance at Warner Theatre that commented solely on that tragic event. Most recently, I saw him in two equally amazing, entirely different shows.

Savion Glover, Howard Theatre, Washington, D.C., August 23, 2014

Yeah, I was this close.

For this general admission show, I arrived about an hour ahead of time. Those of us who were early and waited in line in the lobby for the doors to open were treated to hearing Savion Glover practice his routines up to two minutes before the doors opened. 

Because I arrived so early, my seat was in the front row, center, flush with the stage. I'd never been so close, looking up at the dancer as he stares into space and sweats like an athlete. Savion Glover gets in the zone! When he first came out, he picked up a microphone to welcome us but instead started to dance. He continued for at least 20 minutes, holding on to that microphone. When he finally stopped, he greeted us with, "I guess I should say something now." 

During another piece, he and the drummer battled. The drummer played increasingly complicated beats and Savion Glover repeated them perfectly through tap. Another tapper, Marshall Davis, Jr., joined him once in a while during this show, but for the most part, Savion Glover danced solo.

I shared my table with some friendly fellow fans who somehow talked their way into meeting and getting photos with the man! Can you believe I was in with that cool crowd?

         

STePz, Strathmore, Bethesda, Maryland, February 6, 2015

Six months later, on February 6, 2015, Savion Glover performed at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland. For this show, titled STePz, my seat was about six rows from the stage. While the other show seemed more improvised, this show felt slick and polished. Set to a variety of recorded music, each piece covered different dance styles, such as jazz, tango, and ballet, and nodded important moments in dance history, including tributes to Bill Robinson and Michael Jackson.

Photo © Lois Greenfield

Compared to the previous show, this one more prominently featured other tappers Marshall Davis, Jr., Lisa LaTouche, Robyn Watson, and Sarah Savelli and group performances, some of which didn't even include Savion Glover at all.

Toward the back of the stage, a center platform with three steps leading up to it was flanked by two pyramid-style steps on either side. In one piece, Savion Glover and Marshall Davis, Jr., took on the pyramid steps, having a conversation through their taps. In another piece, the ladies saluted Broadway and jazz in glittery costumes with a routine featuring the stairs. Savion Glover shined during his solo tribute to Bill Robinson, during which he mimicked the hoofer's signature dance moves and walk. During another piece, he and the other dancers stood in a line spanning the stage while dialogue played on the stereo, he tapped with one foot at warp speed without moving the rest of his body. (It wasn't until at least half way through that I realized who was doing the tapping.) The show culminated with the entire group dancing to Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke" in a routine that ended with all of them in a super-hero pose – one arm stretched high, punching the air and striving for higher ground.  

I can pick more adjectives, like spectacular, exhilarating, magical, and awesome, but you have to see this guy for yourself. While video can barely capture the energy in the room when experiencing Savion Glover in person, here's a taste of STePz:

YouTube video, © Savion Glover Productions, Savion Glover's STePz: https://youtu.be/EDC8U0k1nNg. 

What are you waiting for? Go see Savion Glover when you can! He'll change your life for the better.

Best,

Chaplin's still got it!

Hi everyone,

It may be Robert Downey, Jr.'s fault that I like Charlie Chaplin so much. Did you see his performance in Chaplin? He should've won that Oscar.

Actually, the guy who really got me into silent film comedies is Harold Lloyd. I should write about him one of these days because it seems Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin had better agents and publicists.

But Charlie Chaplin is the most famous of all silent movie stars. He did it all: he wrote, produced, directed, scored, and starred in his movies.

Every year, Strathmore celebrates Charlie Chaplin's birthday by screening some of his films with live orchestral accompaniment. Last February, I attended this event for the first time because 1) The Kid, my favorite Charlie Chaplin film, which has a moving, memorable score, was billed as the main attraction; and 2) Strathmore sent me an email, offering $85 center orchestra tickets for $20. Score!

First on the evening's program was one of Charlie Chaplin's short films, called The Idle Class, from 1921. This film was new to me and has some wonderful moments. In one scene, for example, his wife sends him a note, warning that she won't stay with him unless he changes his alcoholic ways. Check out his heartfelt reaction:

The Idle Class (crying scene): http://youtu.be/W5vdV6-T4KM

You can watch the full half-hour film online on the Internet Archive.

Also from 1921, The Kid is Charlie Chaplin's first feature-length film. In it, he plays his iconic character, The Tramp, who finds an abandoned baby. He raises the child until the boy's mother rediscovers her son and wants him back in her life. As you can imagine, this film is a mix of comedy, tragedy, and lots of heart. It makes me laugh and cry.

I can't find a singled-out favorite scene for this movie, but here's a compilation of clips that gives you a good taste. Keep in mind that the last clip shared in this collection is not the end of the movie; oh, the drama!

The Kid (medley of scenes): http://youtu.be/RUMDfIaCEu8

You can watch the full 53-minute film online on the Internet Archive.

What's great about silent movies is how universally understood they are and how they bring people together for a unique, shared experience. Watching a silent film isn't like watching a foreign one. Silent movies only use words to set up scenes, like "A lost boy looks for a home..." or "A city girl visits her uncle in the country..." Viewers can easily follow what's happening in scenes by just watching the actors. Everyone in the audience of these events is either a fan of silent films or someone being introduced to silent films by a friend who's already a fan. I was surrounded by people of all ages, from children to seniors, and we laughed together at jokes from nearly 100 years ago.

That's staying power, Charlie!


Credits: Chaplin movie poster © Tristar Pictures (1992); films and film clips © Charles Chaplin Productions (1921)