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The other way back, Dancing with Dudley a contra dance documentary by David Millstone
Musician and caller Dudley Laufman was the charismatic figure at the center of a dance revival in the late 1960s and 1970s whose effects can still be seen in today's vibrant contra dance scene. If it was Ralph Page who preserved the traditional dances of the Monadnock region and shared them with a new audience in the post-WWII years, then Dudley extended that audience dramatically in the late 1960s and 1970s as leader of the Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra, whose seminal recordings brought traditional New England dance tunes to musicians around the country. Indeed, "Dudley dancers" from that era were responsible for spreading interest in traditional New England dancing to all parts of the United States, from San Diego to St. Louis to Seattle, from Knoxville and Bloomington to Houston and Lansing. From his first calling experiences in the late 1940s, through the heyday of the Canterbury Orchestra era, from performances at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival and the National Folk Festival at Wolf Trap, from a rigorous schedule of dances throughout New England, from Boston area high society weddings to countless New Hampshire schoolrooms-for fifty years, Dudley Laufman has been an influential dancing master and musician. He has been recognized for his contributions in many ways, including the 2001 New Hampshire Governor's Award in the Arts for Folk Heritage and a nomination for the 2006 National Heritage Fellowship. The irony is that this man-despite his irrefutable importance-is unknown to most contra dancers today. Weaving comments by more than 20 callers, musicians, and dancers with rare archival and contemporary dance footage, this documentary provides the definitive look at a career that helped shape today's dancing. From performances at the Newport Folk Festival and the National Folk Festival, to his current busy schedule with his partner Jacqueline, Dudley Laufman's life and work are brought vividly into focus. New Hampshire commentators include Bob McQuillen, Jack Perron, Randy Miller, Jack Beard and Marianne Taylor; among other figures from the world of traditional music and dance who share their insights are Peter Barnes, Dillon Bustin, Fred Breunig, and Steve Hickman. They all attest to the central role that Dudley played, looking at the man, the music, and the dancing.
Record details
- Physical Description: 2 DVDs (219 min.) : sound, color with black and white sequences ; 4 3/4 in.
- Publisher: Lebanon, N.H. : Farnum Hill Productions, c[2007]
Content descriptions
General Note: | Container title. |
Participant or Performer Note: | Dudley Laufman, Ralph Page, Randy Miller, Peter Barnes, Dillon Bustin, Steve Hickman ; Ralph Page Orchestra ; Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra ; New England Tradition ; Old New England. |
System Details Note: | DVD. |
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Genre: | Biography. History. Interviews. |