Savion Glover April 10 at NJPAC

A half century of “changing lives through the power of the arts” in Newark will be celebrated at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on Tues April 10. World renowned tap dancer and NSA alumnus Savion Glover, whose dance lessons began at the school at age seven, headlines the presentation at NJPAC’s Victoria Theater. He will be joined by other dancers, musicians and performers, many of them NSA alumni, for a variety showcase.

“I love the Newark School of the Arts and what it does for our city’s young people,” said Glover, who has made it a priority throughout his career to nurture the talents of young dancers and musicians. High quality, affordable instruction and opportunities for Newark students in visual and performing arts have been the core mission of the school since its founding in 1968.

In addition to Glover, featured performers include vocalists Frankie Negrón, A-Larenee Davis, Carolyn Braga, and Gabriel Santos; pianist-composer and NSA Conservatory Director Patricio Molina; pianists Jeffrey Swann (current NSA artist-in-residence) , Nadine Herman (NSA faculty) and Alan Broadbent; New Jersey Symphony Orchestra principal instrumentalists Erick Wyrick and Jonathan Spitz; and NSA board trustee, bass Kevin Maynor, who will perform a work by Pulitzer-prize winning New Jersey composer George Walker.

The performances will be preceded by a cocktail reception and auction of distinguished wines and followed by a formal dinner. Proceeds from the event will be used to strengthen the organizational capacity of the school and support expanded initiatives. Those initiatives include building upgrades for the school’s home at 89 Lincoln Park and the NSA Conservatory Division, a new full-day Saturday pre-college division.

NSA supporters Kathy Grier and her husband Mark Grier, vice chairman of Prudential Financial, Inc. and member of its Board of Directors, are gala co-chairs. During the evening, the NSA’s success will be celebrated with stories of many of the school’s distinguished and successful alumni. Among them are internationally-acclaimed opera singer, countertenor Derek Lee Ragin; 2017 MacArthur “genius” award winner, composer Tyshawn Sorey; concert pianist Hsing Ay-Hsu; jazz vocalist Cynthia Holliday; stage, film and television actress Kim Hawthorne; and salsa singer Frankie Negrón.