Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk

3 Pages 855 Words

Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk
Choreographed and created by tap superstar Savion Glover, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk is a musical production that tells the story of the history of African Americans through music and dance. From the very beginning of the performance until the end, the audience goes on a journey from Africa to slave ships to contemporary America using tap dance to depict the highs and lows of the black man’s experiences of the past. Although the messages conveyed throughout the piece are controversial and deep, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk is important in the lives of African American theatre in that in gives a picture of the highs and lows of Black history.
Structured into several musical numbers, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk is a dance show whose fundamental concept is the coming together of two dance styles, tap and hip hop, to tell a story. Each number has a theme and presents a way in which ‘da Beat, which is symbolic of the rhythm of the dance, is passed on from generation to generation. In the show’s first number Slave Ships, ‘da Beat, illustrates the way in which dance began in Africa and was continued on slave ships, making its way to the Unites States. Historically when the slaves were forbidden to dance or to make music, they carried ‘da Beat in their hearts and passed it on orally. Once the enslaved people arrived in America they secretly applied what they had kept to themselves in several events such as rituals and celebrations. The act Panhandlers was one of highlights of the show because of its percussive and rhythmical beats. ‘Da Beat in this scene is illustrated by two drummers wearing costumes composed of different-sized pots and pans. Using drumsticks, each drummer beats out rhythm and song on a framework of metal as well as on each other. This performance is only one representation of the artistic talents of the actors in this mus...