from "Dance of the Haymakers" by William Sydney Mount
Country Corners
The award-winning 1976 documentary on New England Contradancing. Aired nationally on PBS. (short clip from film at end of blog)
Featuring tunesmith Bob McQuillen, Dudley Laufman and the Canterbury Orchestra, The Ed Larkin Dancers of Tunbridge, Vermont, and Jack Perron with Rodney and Randy Miller in Nelson, New Hampshire. Narrated by Gordon Bok.
Additional updated material (2006) with Bob McQuillen and his band Old New England (Deanna Stiles and Jane Orzechowski) and Dudley & Jacqueline Laufman and the Electric Barn Dance Band.
Original 16mm color, 26 mins, filmed by Robert Fiore. Written by Richard Nevell. Sound by Roger Phenix and Harry Lapham. Editing by Geof Bartz.
Clip from Country Corners
Full of Life A-Dancin'
A film about the premier non-choreographed clog dance team of North Carolina: The Southern Appalachian Cloggers. (short clip from film available at end of blog)
Made with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
This 1978 film explores how important a traditional dance form can be for all kinds of Southern mountain people: blue and white-collar paper mill workers, housewives and tradesmen.
Featuring the story of two sisters, not allowed to dance as children, who find personal freedom in the clog dancing.
With music by The Stony Creek Boys and Jim Trantham. With footage from appearances at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC and in Asheville, North Carolina.
Original film shot in 16mm color. 28 minutes.
Made by cinematographer Robert Fiore (Pumping Iron,Gimme Shelter,Festival Express)and Richard Nevell,author of A Time To Dance: American Country Dancing from Hornpipes to Hot Hash. St. Martin's Press, New York, 1977
Sound by Roger Phenix. Editing by Geof Bartz and Kathleen Dougherty.
Clip from Full of Life A-Dancin'
DVD available in 2009. Contact RWBNevell@gmail.com for further information.
