Dancing in the Light: Six Dance Compositions By African American Choreographers / Asadata Dafora, Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, Talley Beatty, Donald McKayle, Bill T. Jones

Dancing in the Light: Six Dance Compositions By African American Choreographers / Asadata Dafora, Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, Talley Beatty, Donald McKayle, Bill T. Jones Review

The American Dance Festival presents Dancing in the Light, a one-hour modern dance television program showcasing 6 historic dance compositions by African American choreographers. All of the dances were originally recorded for the Emmy Award-winning series Free to Dance, a three-hour documentary that aired on PBS in 2001 as part of the Great Performances: Dance in America series. While Free to Dance uses select excerpts from the dances to inform its narrative within a historical context, Dancing in the Light features six dances in their entirety or in the case of one work, a complete section.

AWASSA ASTRIGE/OSTRICH (1932)
Choreography by Asadata Dafora
Performed by G. D. Harris, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company

BARRELHOUSE BLUES - excerpt (1938)
Choreography by Katherine Dunham
Performed by Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble

STRANGE FRUIT (1943)
Choreography by Pearl Primus
Performed by Dawn Marie Watson, Philadanco

MOURNER’S BENCH (1947)
Choreography by Talley Beatty
Performed by Jerome Stigler, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company

RAINBOW ‘ROUND MY SHOULDER (1959)
Choreography by Donald McKayle
Performed by Dayton Contemporary Dance Company

D-MAN IN THE WATERS - Section 1 (1989)
Choreography by Bill T. Jones
Performed by Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company

A Production of The American Dance Festival in association with Thirteen/WNET New York

Producer Jodee Nimerichter, Director And Writer Madison Davis Lacy, Editor Girish Bhargava, Consultants Matthew Diamond, Gary Halvorson, Host Taye Diggs, Camera Ed Fussell, Ronnie Smith, Tom Hurwitz, Sound Recordists Peter Miller, John Zecca, Lighting Designer Alan Adelman, Executive Producer Charles L. Reinhart.

Give 'Em the Boot

Give 'Em the Boot Review

The Give Em The Boot DVD features 82 minutes chock full of unreleased live Rancid and Hellcat Records bands' performances! Ruby SoHo -- Rancid, Never Die -- Tiger Army, Light At the End -- F-Minus, Rudie Can't Fail -- Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, Roots Radical -- Rancid, Maxwell Murder -- Rancid, Gargoyles Over Copenhagan -- Nekromantix, US Bombs -- US Bombs, One Seventeen -- Transplants, As Wicked -- Rancid, Old Friend -- Rancid, No Fun -- Rancid & Iggy Pop, And I Wonder -- Slackers, Julia -- HorrorPops, Crucified -- Roger Miret and the Disasters, Good Rats -- Dropkick Murphys, Red Hot Moon -- Rancid, Rats in the Hallway -- Rancid, Avenues and Alleyways -- Rancid, Bloodclot -- Rancid, Skunx -- Lars Fredriksen and the Bastards, Evil -- Nerve Agents, Redemption Song -- Joe Strummer Tribute, Knowledge -- Tim Armstrong and Davey Havok, Radio -- Rancid, Minstrel Boy -- Joe Strummer and Mescaleros

Lord, All Men Can't Be Dogs

Lord, All Men Can't Be Dogs Review

Lord, All Men Can’t Be Dogs is a riveting story of the lives of two people, Lisa and Tim Johnson, whose struggles are closely tied with the four spirits that reside in their home. It’s a story of temptation, greed and finally, deliverance, mixed with just the right amount of humor! This show will keep you on the edge of your seat, saying, “Lord, All Men Can’t be Dogs!”

DVD-The Bass Guitar of Jack Casady

DVD-The Bass Guitar of Jack Casady Review

DVD-The Bass Guitar of Jack Casady Feature

• Published by Homespun
• DVD taught by Jack Casady
• Artist: Jack Casady

Jack Casady shares his ideas and techniques with learning bassists. In an informal and delightful session (Jorma provides vocals and guitar along with companionable commentary), Jack analyzes his bass parts for classic tunes from the Hot Tuna repertoire, and discusses the musical concepts that make up his unique style -- melodic lines, tonal variety, chordal work and improvisational solos. You'll see all of Jack's tricks: the use of partial chords, sustained notes, tremolos, trilling, tonal variety and many other fascinating devices.

Songs include "Ninety-Nine Year Blues," "Blues in A," "San Francisco Bay Blues," "Been So Long," "Mann's Fate" and "Water Song."

Rainforest Impressions

Rainforest Impressions Review

The voices of the deep...wildlife unite in harmony like an orchestra. On our way through the rainforests we are accompanied by a tropical requiem. The rainforests are the true paradises on this earth, for nowhere other than in this humid, warm climate has evolution offered us such a huge diversity of plants and animals.

4 Audio Tracks Available: 256 min.

A Pianist's Guide to Free Improvisation DVD

A Pianist's Guide to Free Improvisation DVD Review

A Pianist's Guide to Free Improvisation DVD Feature

• Published by Homespun Video
• DVD taught by Marilyn Crispell with John Menegon, bass
• Composer: Marilyn Crispell

Sit down at the piano and play whatever comes into your head, making up your own music as you go along. That's free improvisation. Marilyn Crispell digs into her long experience with the music of Cecil Taylor, Anthony Braxton, Gary Peacock and other jazz

Las Vegas Hillbillys

Las Vegas Hillbillys Review

In the backwoods of Tennessee, country singer Woody Weatherby receives word that he has inherited a casino in Las Vegas. Elated, Woody and his buddy Jeepers head for Nevada in their dilapidated jalopy Lightnin'. When they arrive, they find that their bonanza is nothing but a debt-ridden dive. Enlisting the aid of Jayne Mansfield and Mamie Van Doren, the boys are determined to make Woody's Golden Circle a success. Jayne is hired to manage the gambling concession while Mamie is supposed to be a singer, but most of the time they just hang around and look pretty (so what's wrong with that?). But it takes the shrewd business sense of Aunt Clem from back home to make the place really take off. She books the finest talents in country music for the entertainment, and their appearances form the true high points of the picture. If you enjoyed this film, don't miss the exciting sequel, HILLBILLYS IN A HAUNTED HOUSE! Bonus Features: Bonus Previews, Scene Selection. Specs: DVD5; Dolby Digital Mono; 85 minutes; Color; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - G; Year - 1966.