The MVC Literary Journal

Martha Graham once stated, “In a dancer's body, we as audience must see ourselves, not the imitated behavior of everyday actions, not the phenomenon of nature, not exotic creatures from another planet, but something of the miracle that is a human being.” Dance is an art form that allows us to express ourselves through movement to a song, a beat, or more simply a feeling. It is the gateway through which our soul seeks liberation from the passion that burns inside, which would otherwise be confined by our tissues and insecurity. We move in response to our emotions, ranging from joy to despair, that we may dance and truly live. I love to dance, and my ability to do so has had a significant influence with respect to shaping my life and the person I have become.

From the first time I walked onto the dance floor in my shiny new tap shoes, I have always loved to dance. Throughout the years, my maturity has allowed me to appreciate various movements and styles. But my favorite dance form by far, since I first expressed my desire to “dance with noisy feet” at the age of three, is tap. It is a fascinating series of rhythms and syncopations that result from slapping the floor with a special shoe. By performing basic steps in various patterns at changing tempos, tap dancers can perform incredible feats. Despite the challenges it imposes, and the corresponding frustrations it sometimes elicits, I love being able to throw on my tap shoes and create something unique and captivating to express myself. I have been inspired by truly great tap dancers, from the classic style of Fred Astaire to the contemporary beat of Savion Glover. Watching these performers glide across the stage and learning more about their humble origins has increased my fascination and love for tap dancing.

Fred Astaire was born on May 10, 1899 in Omaha, Nebraska. His career on stage lasted seventy-six years, in which he became a legend in American film as a dancer, choreographer, singer, and actor, producing over thirty musical films. It all started during his adolescence when he performed with his sister on Broadway as part of a vaudeville act. He met George Gershwin in 1916, and later he signed on with MGM, which expanded his field to include motion pictures. He has entertained audiences on the screen in numerous films such as Easter Parade, the Band Wagon, Top Hat, and Holiday Inn. Astaire was not only a great dancer because of his ability to move, though he was valued for his astonishing technical control and strong sense of rhythm, but more importantly for his talent to convey a variety of emotions from blithe playfulness to vivid intensity. He was also admired for his courtesy toward his associates and fellow artists. His graceful style was influenced by classical dance, tap and other African-American rhythms, and the style of Vernon and Irene Castle. His work generated the popular American smooth style of ballroom dance, which is returning to the popular forefront in the dance world today. Astaire received many honors for his achievements, including the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award for “Lifetime Achievement in Motion Pictures” in 1960, and an induction into the Ballroom Dancer’s Hall of Fame. His success in the dance business and his ability to express himself has inspired me tremendously.

Savion Glover is a Tony Award winning entertainer and one of the hottest hoofers around today. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, on November 19, 1973. His Broadway debut was in The Tap Dance Kid when he was merely ten years of age. He trained in Manhattan at Broadway Dance Center under the direction of choreographer Henry LeTang. He went on to work with Sammy Davis, Jr., and Gregory Hines in his film debut, Tap, during the late 1980s. Glover’s big break came in 1996 when he starred in Bring in ‘da Noise/Bring in ‘da Funk. He is currently involved in a production called “Classical Savion,” in which he taps with the accompaniment of a chamber string group. This talented performer is inspiring to me because of his amazing knack for improvisation, a tactic in which the dancer does not have prepared choreography, but rather makes it up on the spot. In an interview on the Today Show in New York, Glover discussed “Improvography,” one of his Broadway productions in which the performers improvised all of their steps on the stage without specific preparation. Watching his feet work into the floor to produce intricate sequences is an amazing sight to behold. His talent inspires me to pursue tap dancing that I may find my own style with continued practice.

Dance has always been and will continue to be an important part of my life. It is the means by which I can leave my world behind me, if only for a short while, in order to do something that makes me happy. Through dance I am able to alleviate stress and frustration and also truly express myself. I cannot fathom a better way to accomplish the latter. Poetry and prose cannot allow true self-expression, for words are limited and defined. Song permits your emotions to shine through, but it essentially lacks motion itself. Thus dance is the best form of self-expression because there are no boundaries to what you can create and no limits to prevent you from depicting the passions that are pent up inside. “There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost.” When I dance I can find myself and let my soul pour out through my movements, that I may share with my audience the trials and triumphs of my life.

Labels: 2007: Belles Lettres