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SAVION GLOVER TAPPING TO HIS OWN TUNE `CLASSICAL' NOW BEING RESTAGED HIS WAY.


Byline: Vicki Smith Paluch Correspondent

Celebrating 25 years as a hoofer hoof·er  
n. Slang
A professional dancer, especially a tap dancer.


hoofer
Noun

Slang a professional dancer

Noun 1.
, tap phenomenon Savion Glover Savion Glover (born November 19, 1973 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American actor, tap dancer and choreographer. Glover is a graduate of the Newark Arts High School.  is tackling the world of music genre by genre.

His ``Tap Dance Kid'' conquered the worlds of jazz and hip-hop long ago, showing us how to ``Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk is a musical that debuted Off-Broadway at the New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater in 1996. It moved to the Ambassador Theatre on Broadway, opening there on April 25, 1996. .'' This summer, he tried his foot at flamenco. Last spring, he reached toward the heavens with a gospel-inspired tap dance concert. Now he's tapping into a classical music vibe.

Accompanied by his jazz band, Otherz, and a 10-piece classical ensemble, Glover is bringing his ``Classical Savion'' to Royce Hall Royce Hall is a building on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Designed by the Los Angeles firm of Allison & Allison (James Edward Allison, 1870-1955, and his brother David Clark Allison, 1881-1962) in the Italian Romanesque Revival style and completed  tonight and Thursday, opening the UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles
UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University)
UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX
 Live dance series.

``I just want to explore the percussionist in me and to express myself through this music,'' the 32-year-old Glover says.

Rhythmic conversation

``Classical Savion,'' which he premiered at the Joyce Theatre in 2004, is probably his most ambitious concert to date. In the nearly two-hour program, Glover rhythmically ``challenges'' and converses with works by Bach, Vivaldi, Bartok, Mendelssohn and Sousa. Through his musical analysis, he reminds us of the visceral power inherent in classical music.

Glover, who is now the producer, has pared down the work since he brought it to Irvine last November, stripping away the fancy lighting and stage decor, and returning to what is important -- the music and dance.

``This is the first time I've taken the producer's chair,'' he says. With Savion Glover Productions, he gets total control over his artistic and financial destiny. His Web site, Savion

GloverProductions.com, lets you hear what's afoot, as well as find out where he will be performing next. He's running the tour and says he is treating his musicians and crew the way he wants to be treated.

Distinguished career

Don't worry, he's not considering hanging up his shoes to wear a producer's fedora. He just wants to exercise all he has learned during his more than two decades in show business. He debuted on Broadway at age 12 in ``The Tap Dance Kid,'' and he was nominated for a Tony for his next show, ``Black and Blue.''

Then came ``Jelly's Last Jam,'' in which he danced alongside the now-late, great Gregory Hines Gregory Hines (February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was a Tony Award-winning American actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer.

Born Gregory Oliver Hines
. His film break came with ``Tap,'' with Hines and Sammy Davis Sammy Davis may refer to:
  • Sammy Davis, Jr., American entertainer
  • Sammy Davis, Sr., American dancer and father of Sammy Davis, Jr.
  • Sammy Davis (American football), American football player
  • Sammy L. Davis, American soldier and Medal of Honor recipient
  • S. C. H.
 Jr.

He put all of his experience into ``Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk,'' which earned Glover a Tony and a two-year run on Broadway.

``Never will I stop dancing,'' he said emphatically.

His dancing is taking on an entirely new dimension -- one of IMAX IMAX
Noun

a film projection process that produces an image ten times larger than standard
 proportions. Glover has lent his famous moves to George Miller's animated film, ``Happy Feet,'' which opens in IMAX theaters as well as regular ones on Nov. 17. The film is a comedy adventure about a penguin, Mumbles For the record label, see .
Mumbles (otherwise, The Mumbles – Welsh Y Mwmbwls) is a large village with adjacent headland stretching into Swansea Bay. It is also a community made up of the Mayals, Newton, Oystermouth, Norton and West Cross electoral wards.
, who cannot sing the required love song to attract a soul mate, but who can tap dance something fierce.

While Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman gave their voices to Mumbles' parents, Glover gave his feet. Decked out in the space-age, motion-capture suit covered in sensors, Glover performed the dance segments that were later transformed by the computer-graphic animators into Mumbles' dancing.

``When George Miller George Miller may refer to:
  • George Miller (comedian) (c. 1942–2003), comic
  • George Miller (footballer), Liberian professional football player
  • George Miller (Latter Day Saints), nineteenth century leader in the Latter Day Saint movement, third ordained bishop of
 told me about his idea about a penguin who could only tap dance,'' recalled Glover, ``I thought it was such a cool concept. I've worked with great men and women in film, but this film is, without a doubt, the biggest commercial film I've been involved in.''

CLASSICAL SAVION

Where: UCLA'S Royce Hall, at Westwood Plaza and Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades. .

When: 8 tonight and Thursday

Tickets: $30 to $75. (310) 825-2101. www.UCLAlive.org.

In a nutshell: He's tapped all his life, now Savion Glover is taking the lead as a producer, too.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 3) Savion Glover rehearses ``Classical Savion,'' in which he is accompanied by both his jazz band and a classical ensemble.

Peter Kramer/Getty Images
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No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2006, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Oct 4, 2006
Words:643
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