Savion Glover
Discover the life of Savion Glover (born November 19, 1973), the groundbreaking American tap dancer, choreographer, and cultural innovator. Explore his early influences, signature style, major works, and inspiring philosophy.
Introduction
Savion Glover is widely regarded as one of the most important tap dancers and choreographers of his generation. His fierce rhythmic energy, innovative technique, and commitment to honoring tap’s history have helped reinvent the art form for new audiences. From Broadway to film, from teaching to performance, Glover’s story is a vivid testament to how tradition and experimentation can dance together.
Early Life and Family
Savion Glover was born on November 19, 1973, in Newark, New Jersey.
On his mother’s side, he comes from a line of talented artists and musicians. His great-grandfather Dick Lundy played a role in Negro League baseball management.
From a very young age, Glover displayed an affinity for rhythm. At age 4, he began studying music and percussion; by age 7, he started formal tap dance training.
He graduated from Newark Arts High School in 1991.
Artistic Development & Signature Style
Glover’s artistry blends reverence for tap’s legacy with bold innovation.
Mentors & Lineage
He studied and absorbed from many of tap’s greats — including Gregory Hines, Henry LeTang, Honi Coles, Jimmy Slyde, Lon Chaney, and others.
Glover often honors past masters by performing signature steps or motifs as homage, then weaving them into his own dynamic vocabulary.
“Hitting,” “Free-form Hard Core,” & Rhythmic Force
Savion’s style is sometimes described as “hitting” — a strong, percussive approach that uses the full foot (not just heel and toe) to produce layered, complex rhythms. “free-form hard core” to capture the raw energy, spontaneity, and rhythmic complexity of his approach.
He perceives the dance floor itself as an instrument: listening for resonances, exploiting surfaces, and improvising with the “sound of the stage.”
Glover’s work is not about perfection but groove, spirit, contradiction, and human expression. As he once put it, he seeks not just what a step looks like, but what it sounds like.
Career Highlights & Works
Broadway & Stage
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The Tap Dance Kid (1984) — Glover’s first Broadway appearance at age ~10.
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Black and Blue (1989–1991) — he became one of the youngest performers ever nominated for a Tony Award.
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Jelly’s Last Jam (1992–93) — played “Young Jelly.”
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Bring in ’Da Noise, Bring in ’Da Funk (1996) — major creative breakthrough: he was a performer, co-creator, and choreographer. He won the Tony Award for Best Choreography for it.
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Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed (2016) — Glover choreographed this revival, earning a Tony nomination for choreography.
Film, Television & Media
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Tap (1989) — Glover appeared in the film, performing alongside legends like Gregory Hines.
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Bamboozled (2000) — starred as Manray/Mantan, in Spike Lee’s film that explores race, media, and black identity.
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Happy Feet (2006) and Happy Feet 2 (2011) — Glover contributed choreography and motion capture for the character “Mumble.”
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Sesame Street — he made recurring appearances, bringing tap to younger audiences.
Teaching & Outreach
Glover has invested deeply in teaching tap. By his early teens he already taught others. The HooFeRz Club School of Tap in Newark to train new generations.
Through his company and touring programs, he brings workshops, lectures, and performances to schools and communities, especially in underrepresented areas.
Personality, Values & Influence
Glover is known for humility, perseverance, and a deep respect for lineage. He often says that even as he innovates, he sees it as his responsibility to carry forward tap’s history and pay homage to those who came before.
His style is expressive, improvisational, courageous, and rooted in musicality and physicality. He engages with spaces, sounds, and audience energy in intimate conversation.
His influence is broad:
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He has reignited interest in tap among youth, particularly in communities where dance forms evolve rapidly.
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He bridges classical tap traditions and modern rhythmic sensibilities, helping ensure that the art form evolves rather than ossifies.
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His performance and choreography have shown that tap isn’t just entertainment — it can be musical, political, culturally resonant.
Notable Quotes
Here are some memorable lines or perspectives associated with Savion Glover:
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On style & rhythm: “It’s performing an old-school step with a new-school style — or maybe you take a step from today and execute it in a style from the past.”
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On sound and space: He listens for the “sound of the stage,” acknowledging that the surface underfoot is part of the musical instrument.
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On identity & legacy: He insists that honoring the older generations is part of being truly creative.
While Glover is not known for writing many aphorisms, his performances themselves embody a philosophy: that dance is voice, history, and innovation interwoven.
Lessons from Savion Glover’s Life
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Honor tradition while pushing boundaries
Innovation is richer when it is in conversation with what came before, not in rejection of it. -
Listen as much as move
For Glover, dance is musical: you must feel and hear the rhythms, not just see steps. -
Teach as you grow
By investing in education and community, your art can have ripple effects beyond your own performance. -
Embodied storytelling
Even without words, your body can speak history, identity, resistance, joy, sorrow. -
Persistence from youth
Starting early, sustained discipline and vulnerability mattered. His trajectory shows what can grow from passion nurtured over decades.
Conclusion
Savion Glover is more than a tap dancer; he is a bridge between past masters and future voices, a rhythmic engineer, a teacher, and an artist who uses his body to speak. His journey reminds us that tradition is living, not static — and that innovation rooted in respect can transform a form.