Trio of tappers take dance beyond the visual

By Laine M. Rutherford

NEWPORT NEWS

With minimal lighting, a spare set, no band and only one minor costume change, the three men in Savion Glover’s “Bare Soundz” concert used their mastery of their feet to bring the audience to its feet Saturday night at the Ferguson Center.

Again. And again. And again.

As the name of the show implies, sound was the featured component. Intricate and syncopated rhythms, a range of tones and varying degrees of amplification combined to make the evening an occasion to witness innovation in a 150-year-old American art form.

Their upper bodies used mostly for balance and momentum, dancers Savion Glover, Marshall Davis Jr. and Maurice Chestnut used their lower appendages, the metal taps under their shoes and the leather tops and sides of their footwear to create a new, sensual experience for the half-filled theater. The men took dance out of the visual realm and into an aural experience, effectively turning movement into music.

Watching with eyes open, it was difficult to fathom the sounds coming from the feet – tapping, digging, gliding and, sometimes, vibrating on the three 4-by-8 wooden platforms upon which they performed.

With eyes closed, it sounded as if a band or jazz combo was playing on stage, with an inestimable number of musicians and instruments. During the concert, Glover called his pieces “songs,” and introduced his fellow dancers as he would musicians – Davis and Chestnut were “on taps.”

The crowd treated Glover like a rock star, cheering him, whistling and applauding wildly at his prowess. His reputation in the dance world is solid. A Tony Award winner for “Bring in ’ Da Noise, Bring in ’ Da Funk,” Glover also appeared in films such as “The Tap Dance Kid” and “Bamboozled” and most recently choreographed and provided movement for the penguins in the Academy Award-winning animated feature “Happy Feet.”

Fellow dancers Davis and Chestnut are rising stars and established hoofers in their own right. Davis is a teen “Star Search” winner who performed in the Broadway and touring versions of “Bring in ’ Da Noise .” Chestnut also danced in that show and has performed with Glover for several years.

The program for Saturday night’s show listed the names of 12 pieces, but unless Glover introduced them, it was difficult to discern “His Rudimentariness” from “Blue Afros.” Glover did identify “Trading Places,” a jaw-dropping, spine-tingling number following intermission in which the three men took turns dancing on a single platform – each showcasing his ability to create myriad sounds per second. Glover also identified “Groove G Hines,” which was performed as an encore and named for the late actor and esteemed tapper, Gregory Hines.

The men wore loose-fitting trousers and Oxford shirts – in Glover’s case, unbuttoned with a white undershirt beneath. He changed his light-colored shirt to a dry, blue one for the second half of the show. Glover’s recognizable dreadlocks hung loose for the first dance – he tied them up for the remainder of “Bare Soundz.”

Those who have seen Glover perform before know to expect the unexpected at his shows. He does not dance elegantly, which some people might consider a detraction or distraction. However, when seeing him live, it doesn’t take long to become caught up in the brilliance of his talent. In recent years, Glover’s shows at the Ferguson Center included him tap dancing to classical music with musicians accompanying him on stage and in a production using a combination of improvisation and choreography.

With each new production, Glover seems more determined to transform tap dance and the sounds he can create with his feet into an evolved version of the art form, where movement and sound meld. “Bare Soundz” is a testament to his success.

The abundance of descriptors that have been ascribed to Glover – prodigy, virtuoso genius, master – needs to be expanded. Musician should be added to the list.

Laine Mednick Rutherford, laine.r@cox.net