May 5-11, 2005

artpicks

Savion on Tap

dance

When's the last time you heard about a headliner of sellout shows holding the audience spellbound just tapping his feet? Probably the last time Savion Glover was in town, shaking his dreads, tapping like a maniac and sending off stage electricity with every move. (Before that you'd have to cast your mind back to greats Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr., who both happen to be Glover mentors.)

Glover's here this week with Improvography II, a nice melded title that reflects his unique theatrical blend of improvised and choreographed movement. He's a born jazz artist who moves as the moment impels him, but at the same time he's also a Tony Award-winning choreographer (Bring In 'Da Noise, Bring In 'Da Funk) who understands how to shape a dance. Glover likes blending his tap sounds into jazz, hip-hop, R&B, neo-soul, rock, funk and even classical. He travels with his own hot band and for this tour has assembled a new dance troupe called Chapter IV.

Don't expect to sit quietly and politely applaud Improvography ll. When this guy comes on the Merriam stage, moving those feet, making all that wonderful noise with his shoes, and shaking that magnificent head of hair, you'll be doing a bit of improvography yourself right there in your theater seat. He's irresistible.

Savion Glover, Tue.-Wed., May 10-11, 8 p.m., through May 15, $20-$54.50, Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St., 215-336-1234, www.broadwayacrossamerica.com.

—Janet Anderson