@ Subtitles generated with Happy Scribe 00:00:11:52 00:00:19:44 Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two... 00:00:19:98 00:00:23:20 [drum roll] 00:00:30:68 00:00:32:39 The following program is produced 00:00:32:40 00:00:36:88 by Community Video Services of Durham Technical Institute. 00:00:44:14 00:00:49:43 [upbeat music] 00:01:42:84 00:01:44:40 Good evening. 00:01:44:24 00:01:45:48 I'm Cynthia Watts. 00:01:45:68 00:01:48:72 Welcome to the Arts in Durham. The Arts in Durham 00:01:48:92 00:01:52:44 tonight will be looking at the art of dance. 00:01:52:64 00:01:55:63 The 1979 American Dance Festival 00:01:55:64 00:01:59:20 has chosen Durham again, for the second year, as its home. 00:01:59:40 00:02:01:32 We want to thank Charles Reinhart, 00:02:01:52 00:02:05:64 his staff, and the performers for coming to Durham again. 00:02:05:84 00:02:11:24 The 1979 American Dance Festival has brought fame to North Carolina. 00:02:11:44 00:02:16:64 China and America met here in Durham, North Carolina, to display that the art 00:02:16:84 00:02:22:80 of dance has no barriers and that dance is a language spoken by all. 00:02:23:00 00:02:26:76 I went out to Baldwin Auditorium to talk with a great artist, 00:02:26:96 00:02:27:88 Mr. Arthur Hall, 00:02:28:80 00:02:32:55 who is director of the Arthur Hall Afro-American Dance Ensemble, 00:02:32:75 00:02:35:40 based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 00:02:35:24 00:02:39:73 - [Cynthia] I'm sitting on Baldwin stage talking with a dynamic man, 00:02:39:93 00:02:43:89 a man that is a great artist, a great choreographer, a director, 00:02:44:98 00:02:48:60 and one of the nation's greatest pioneers in traditional African dance. 00:02:48:80 00:02:52:97 I would like to welcome to the Triangle area and to the Arts in Durham, 00:02:52:97 00:02:54:87 a great artist, Mr. Arthur Hall. 00:02:54:88 00:02:56:52 Welcome. - [Arthur] Thank you. 00:02:56:72 00:03:00:00 - [Cynthia] I want to talk with you briefly about Arthur's vision. 00:03:00:20 00:03:04:20 I want to talk about prior to 1958, 00:03:04:26 00:03:07:36 before the Shoe String, before you started your studios in your 00:03:07:56 00:03:10:96 mother's homes, the dormitories that you built and the lofts, 00:03:11:16 00:03:15:40 when the original Arthur Hall dancers took place back in 1958. 00:03:15:24 00:03:18:68 What inspired that in 1958? 00:03:18:88 00:03:21:84 - [Arthur] The desire to have some place to perform. 00:03:21:84 00:03:24:68 You know, there aren't very many Black dance companies around. 00:03:24:88 00:03:27:68 And so, especially during that period, you asked yourself, 00:03:27:88 00:03:31:12 "Well, now that I'm in training and now that I'm getting 00:03:31:32 00:03:34:88 my act together as a performer, where do I perform?" 00:03:35:20 00:03:38:32 And during my time-- during that time, rather, 00:03:38:32 00:03:41:84 there were only the dancing schools, and they only had recitals once a year. 00:03:42:40 00:03:45:68 And then you'd have fundraisers to help the school stay together. 00:03:45:88 00:03:48:28 And that was on a commercial basis. 00:03:48:48 00:03:51:60 And there still was no such thing as a Black dance company. 00:03:51:80 00:03:54:92 And so with me going to New York 00:03:55:12 00:03:59:84 and seeing what the dancing was about in New York, I decided that dancers starve. 00:03:59:84 00:04:02:60 And since you're going to starve, you may as well starve at home. 00:04:02:66 00:04:04:76 So instead of me going to New York, 00:04:04:96 00:04:08:49 where the best I possibly could have gotten into was a Broadway play, 00:04:08:49 00:04:10:24 maybe, that would last for a little while, 00:04:10:24 00:04:12:27 I thought that I would opt for something 00:04:12:28 00:04:15:56 a little more substantial and try to build something, you know. 00:04:15:76 00:04:18:56 And so that was the beginning of my pioneering 00:04:18:76 00:04:25:28 was to try to make a place for Black dancers to be able to perform. 00:04:25:48 00:04:30:76 And so I was working as a dance instructor. 00:04:30:96 00:04:39:76 And so from my classes, I used the advanced students to begin to build on 00:04:39:96 00:04:41:28 the company idea. 00:04:41:48 00:04:48:52 And I used the materials from Africa that I learned from my teachers like Akwei 00:04:48:72 00:04:56:32 and from Katherine Dunham--who I had worshiped and idolized her ideology of dance-- 00:04:56:52 00:05:01:32 and then there was my own desire to be able to bring forth something, 00:05:01:52 00:05:06:19 a positive Black image for dance, for Black dance anyway, 00:05:06:39 00:05:10:64 to sort of remove the targeted stereotypes from African culture. 00:05:10:84 00:05:14:96 And so those objectives in mind, that was how I started 00:05:15:16 00:05:20:84 the Afro-American Dance Ensemble-- to be able to say that I'm proud of who I am. 00:05:21:40 00:05:23:60 You know, that I came-- and my heritage goes 00:05:23:80 00:05:29:24 back to Africa, and I should have no reason not to be proud of that heritage. 00:05:29:44 00:05:35:12 And so using that as a base, you know, I started to develop the company, 00:05:35:32 00:05:39:24 the idea being that racial prejudice was so prevalent in my life, 00:05:39:44 00:05:41:60 being born in Memphis, Tennessee, you know, 00:05:41:80 00:05:48:12 and just wanting to make a contribution to the world of art through dance. 00:05:48:32 00:05:52:60 - [Cynthia] When you formed the Arthur Hall Afro-American Dance Ensemble, 00:05:52:80 00:05:55:40 you formed it with two twin goals in mind. 00:05:55:24 00:05:56:48 What were those goals? 00:05:56:68 00:06:02:40 - [Arthur] The preservation of African culture and art in education. 00:06:02:40 00:06:04:43 That is basically what it was all about-- 00:06:04:44 00:06:08:84 to educate as well as to enlighten and entertain. 00:06:09:40 00:06:14:52 - [Cynthia] You are also affiliated and director of Ile Ife in Philadelphia, 00:06:14:72 00:06:17:88 a humanitarian center on the arts and the museum. 00:06:17:88 00:06:20:23 I would like to know, what activities take place there? 00:06:20:24 00:06:23:36 You instruct five disciplines of the arts, am I correct? 00:06:23:36 00:06:26:44 - [Arthur] Yes. Music, dance, arts, and crafts, 00:06:26:64 00:06:29:36 and... primitive drumming. 00:06:29:56 00:06:30:80 The African drums. 00:06:31:00 00:06:32:80 We teach that also. In the museum, 00:06:32:80 00:06:33:93 we have guided tours; 00:06:33:94 00:06:35:64 we have a collection from all over 00:06:35:84 00:06:40:28 the Black world: artifacts, masks, jewelry, cloths, you name it. 00:06:40:48 00:06:44:72 And then we have rotating exhibitions of contemporary artists as well. 00:06:44:92 00:06:49:40 But we have a fantastic collection of artifacts from all over the Black world. 00:06:49:24 00:06:51:84 And we have guided tours through the museum, 00:06:52:40 00:06:54:84 and they also have--at the end of the guided tour, 00:06:55:40 00:06:59:80 they're given a live performance and a demonstration in the museum. 00:06:59:81 00:07:03:31 - [Cynthia] And there are over 2,000 children enrolled in your classes at the Center, correct? 00:07:03:32 00:07:07:23 - [Arthur] When we had the Model Cities program, we had 2,000 kids, 00:07:07:24 00:07:09:68 but the money now has dissipated. 00:07:09:88 00:07:14:56 And so we now are struggling with what we can best deal with in the community. 00:07:14:76 00:07:18:56 We are in the ghetto, and these children are the 00:07:18:76 00:07:20:80 under-developed, you know, 00:07:21:00 00:07:25:12 kids who don't have the funds to actually pay for art and culture. 00:07:25:32 00:07:27:12 And so we struggle to keep it there 00:07:27:32 00:07:31:96 in the community because we feel as though it has to happen in the community. 00:07:31:96 00:07:33:35 It has to be in the ghetto. 00:07:33:36 00:07:35:53 If people's minds are to be enlightened, 00:07:35:53 00:07:38:31 it has to start right in the place where the problems are. 00:07:38:32 00:07:41:96 And so we want to stay there to do what we can in the community 00:07:42:16 00:07:46:60 because it is our community, and we need to bring things into it to enliven it. 00:07:46:80 00:07:50:56 - [Cynthia] I want to talk about the company: Orpheus. 00:07:52:52 00:07:54:40 How did it happen? 00:07:54:24 00:07:57:20 The first Black ballet in America. 00:07:57:40 00:07:59:12 How did it happen? 00:07:59:32 00:08:03:48 - [Arthur] Well, there was the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, 00:08:03:68 00:08:06:84 and they wanted me to be a part of that cultural alliance. 00:08:06:84 00:08:08:52 And they wanted to have the Philadelphia Festival. 00:08:08:59 00:08:12:44 And they asked me what would I do if I had the opportunity to be a part of it? 00:08:12:64 00:08:14:68 I had seen the film Black Orpheus, 00:08:14:68 00:08:18:28 and I thought it was such a beautiful film, and it had so much involved in it. 00:08:18:28 00:08:20:92 And I thought that it would make a fantastic dance vehicle. 00:08:21:12 00:08:23:72 And so what I did was took the concept 00:08:23:92 00:08:30:32 of Orpheus from the film and turned it into a ballet where I dealt with 00:08:30:52 00:08:34:84 the poor people of Brazil and the African culture that is there. 00:08:35:40 00:08:39:16 And so it was with that idea in mind that I thought 00:08:39:36 00:08:44:00 this would make a an excellent presentation into the festival, 00:08:44:20 00:08:48:44 not thinking that it would become the first full-length Black ballet. 00:08:48:44 00:08:50:75 I had thought that things like that had happened before. 00:08:50:76 00:08:53:60 But I--as we researched it and got involved with it, 00:08:53:60 00:08:55:23 we found out that no one had ever done 00:08:55:24 00:08:58:84 a complete, two-hour production just with dance. 00:08:59:40 00:09:03:41 - [Cynthia] I want to talk about your visit to Africa in 1974, 00:09:03:61 00:09:07:52 a visit that you and the company made at your own expense-- 00:09:07:72 00:09:09:52 quite an undertaking. 00:09:09:52 00:09:11:48 What happened in Ghana? What did you do? 00:09:11:68 00:09:13:28 How were you accepted there? 00:09:13:48 00:09:15:19 - [Arthur] Well, when we arrived, 00:09:15:20 00:09:17:88 you know, there was the idea that-- 00:09:17:88 00:09:19:99 the Superfly image was out during that period-- 00:09:20:00 00:09:22:16 and a lot of that had happened to Africa. 00:09:22:36 00:09:24:40 A lot of Blacks had gone to Africa 00:09:24:40 00:09:28:16 with their own concepts of what it was, not realizing what Africa really was. 00:09:28:36 00:09:32:21 And so, as Americans do sometimes create bad images, 00:09:32:41 00:09:35:84 the Black American included bad images in Africa. 00:09:36:40 00:09:37:84 And so when 22 of us came, you know, 00:09:37:84 00:09:40:68 they were a little apprehensive about what we were going to do. 00:09:40:79 00:09:43:24 The saving grace for us was the fact that we came 00:09:43:24 00:09:46:64 being able to identify with the culture because my teacher was from Ghana. 00:09:46:84 00:09:50:60 So we had done our homework, and we went in traditional African attire. 00:09:50:80 00:09:55:40 And once they saw that we were artists, every door was open to us. 00:09:55:40 00:10:00:80 They were very pleased with the fact that we were able to bring back to them their own culture. 00:10:00:80 00:10:03:40 They could relate and understand it. And there was a word 00:10:03:40 00:10:07:12 that they said for us in Africa when we performed for them was "Ayekoo," 00:10:07:12 00:10:08:91 meaning that you have done well. 00:10:08:92 00:10:13:21 They used us to travel around Ghana to the youth festivals 00:10:13:41 00:10:19:68 because they wanted the young children to see, you know, the fact that Black Americans had-- 00:10:19:88 00:10:22:44 we're identifying with African culture. 00:10:22:64 00:10:26:52 Africa is still trying to work out the detriment of colonialism. 00:10:26:72 00:10:29:48 And so they are also working at trying to instill, 00:10:29:48 00:10:33:39 "It's all right to be Black" and "It is all right to be an African" into their children again. 00:10:33:40 00:10:36:44 And that African culture is--it's all right. 00:10:36:64 00:10:40:88 So with us being able to come there and perform and people see that, you know, 00:10:41:80 00:10:44:64 America is the great country for everybody, you know, mostly. 00:10:44:84 00:10:46:84 And so when they see anyone identifying 00:10:46:84 00:10:49:76 with something in America, then the people want to identify. 00:10:49:76 00:10:51:63 And so that they thought was so great 00:10:51:64 00:10:55:64 that the Black Americans were also identifying with African culture. 00:10:55:84 00:11:00:88 - [Cynthia] This year: the American Dance Festival. Its second year in Durham. 00:11:01:80 00:11:02:56 The East has met the West. 00:11:02:76 00:11:05:48 We have said that art of dance is 00:11:05:68 00:11:09:76 a universal language, and it's been shown here this year. 00:11:09:96 00:11:11:68 How does Arthur Hall feel about 00:11:11:88 00:11:15:56 the transition from Connecticut to Durham, North Carolina? 00:11:15:76 00:11:18:52 How has the ensemble reception in Durham been? 00:11:18:72 00:11:21:40 Have you been accepted by the Durham community? 00:11:21:60 00:11:24:44 Is the community supporting the American Dance Festival? 00:11:24:64 00:11:29:21 From everything that I've seen, most of the performances here have been just incredible. 00:11:29:21 00:11:32:43 As far as our own acceptance, I don't think we could ask for more. 00:11:32:44 00:11:35:48 Everyone--with our classes and out in the community-- 00:11:35:48 00:11:36:83 they have been well-attended. 00:11:36:84 00:11:39:79 People stop me on the street and thank us 00:11:39:80 00:11:43:40 for being here, you know, and being a part of the American Dance Festival. 00:11:43:40 00:11:45:57 I thought it was unique that we, as a Black company, 00:11:45:57 00:11:49:63 would be the ones to go out and take African culture into North Carolina. 00:11:49:63 00:11:54:27 So I think that there was a uniqueness there, and the acceptance has just been wonderful. 00:11:54:28 00:11:57:48 We had no problems at all with it-- 00:11:57:68 00:11:59:92 the store keepers--everyone-- 00:11:59:92 00:12:02:84 and they recognize who we are, and they are happy that we are here. 00:12:02:84 00:12:04:48 And the students themselves, who come 00:12:04:68 00:12:07:64 from practically all over the world, have accepted. 00:12:07:84 00:12:10:88 And this is, I think, one of the most popular classes. 00:12:11:80 00:12:12:88 So I couldn't ask for more. 00:12:12:92 00:12:15:12 - [Cynthia] I don't want to put you on the spot, 00:12:15:12 00:12:20:12 but I would like to know the comparison of Connecticut and North Carolina. 00:12:20:12 00:12:22:95 Does the humidity here bother the dancers? Is it too warm? 00:12:22:96 00:12:25:96 - [Cynthia] That is the basic complaint, is the fact of the humidity. 00:12:26:16 00:12:28:40 Connecticut, of course, was cooler, 00:12:28:24 00:12:32:52 but the thing about being here in the heat: it helps the body to stretch easier. 00:12:32:72 00:12:36:96 But I think the real problem is the weather. 00:12:36:96 00:12:38:43 That's about the biggest thing. 00:12:38:44 00:12:40:44 The complaint. - [Cynthia] The biggest complaint. 00:12:40:44 00:12:42:11 - [Arthur] We use them as energy, 00:12:42:12 00:12:46:70 and the weather, the heat just pulls it away from me. - [Cynthia] Drains? 00:12:46:72 00:12:51:88 - [Cynthia] What about your traditional African dance classes, classes and techniques? 00:12:52:00 00:12:53:92 What techniques do you teach? 00:12:53:92 00:12:55:41 What are your basic techniques? 00:12:55:41 00:13:01:76 - [Arthur] Ok, there is a woman, Katherine Dunham, who created a dance form 00:13:01:96 00:13:06:64 in which we can ready people for African and Caribbean dances. 00:13:06:84 00:13:10:84 She came up during the days that they were developing the modern dance theories. 00:13:11:40 00:13:16:80 And so Katherine Dunham has created a scientific way of getting involved with 00:13:16:28 00:13:19:40 the movements for African dance based on patient culture. 00:13:19:60 00:13:23:68 And so I have taken that and adapted it, because I've been working in 00:13:23:68 00:13:28:12 African dance for 20 years myself, and I've taken her base and added Arthur Hall to it. 00:13:28:12 00:13:29:68 And this is a technique that I use, 00:13:29:68 00:13:33:56 mainly because dancers that are coming here are trained dancers-- 00:13:33:56 00:13:36:99 they are going to do something with it-- and so they need the technique. 00:13:37:00 00:13:40:60 They need to know how to transform, how to get into the body. 00:13:40:80 00:13:44:16 And so this is how we develop the body. 00:13:44:30 00:13:46:00 The kids can take these movements, 00:13:46:20 00:13:49:16 you know, and do as they will later on with them. 00:13:49:36 00:13:52:40 But we have the structure because it is a science. 00:13:52:53 00:13:54:28 And so we want to approach the body 00:13:54:48 00:13:58:80 scientifically and strengthen it and free it at the same time. 00:13:59:00 00:14:01:60 And so the discipline is there within this 00:14:01:80 00:14:05:68 combination technique of Katherine Dunham's and my own. 00:14:05:88 00:14:08:96 - [Cynthia] This is what I want you to tell me about next: 00:14:09:16 00:14:11:80 the language of the drum. 00:14:11:28 00:14:16:28 -[Arthur] The reason that I think this is so unique to us is that, you know, during slavery, 00:14:16:48 00:14:21:76 the one country that did not allow them to keep the culture was America. 00:14:21:76 00:14:25:76 You know, if you should go to Brazil or if you go to Haiti or to Cuba or to Trinidad, 00:14:25:76 00:14:27:75 you would find vestiges of African culture. 00:14:27:76 00:14:29:44 The drum is nothing new to them. 00:14:29:64 00:14:31:36 But it was here because of slavery 00:14:31:56 00:14:35:52 that the drum culture was destroyed because the drum, 00:14:35:52 00:14:38:60 in the early days, was something that you could communicate with. 00:14:38:60 00:14:41:51 As you go to Africa, you find that people can speak on the drums. 00:14:41:52 00:14:45:72 So it was not good to have the drums around during the time of slavery. 00:14:45:92 00:14:49:00 And so because of that, we are just recently now 00:14:49:20 00:14:53:40 getting to know anything about the drum or the culture of the drum. 00:14:53:24 00:14:57:80 But without it, none of these things would be possible. 00:14:57:28 00:14:59:44 And so we are happy that the time has come 00:14:59:64 00:15:04:45 that we can bring our drums out and enrich, you know, the American cultural scene 00:15:04:65 00:15:08:56 with that, as well as the symphony orchestras, because we want to make 00:15:08:56 00:15:10:79 a contribution, and our contribution is a drum. 00:15:10:80 00:15:13:84 And seemingly everyone enjoys it, Black or white. 00:15:13:84 00:15:16:92 - [Cynthia] They are so vibrant, you can't help but to move. 00:15:16:93 00:15:17:92 [Crosstalk 00:15:19] 00:15:17:93 00:15:22:15 - [Arthur] You cannot hear the drums and not move. And so because we are moving, 00:15:22:16 00:15:25:56 you know, it just helps everybody; we get energy from the drum. 00:15:25:71 00:15:26:56 It speaks for us. 00:15:26:56 00:15:29:66 And, you know, as long as the drummer's playing, we can dance. 00:15:29:66 00:15:32:16 When it stops, you know, we die. 00:15:32:60 00:15:35:40 - [Cynthia] I want to talk a little bit about you. 00:15:35:60 00:15:39:00 I introduced you as a humanitarian. 00:15:39:20 00:15:42:81 And I want to let the audience know why I said that. 00:15:43:18 00:15:47:48 Arthur Hall has received all types of awards for services performed 00:15:47:68 00:15:50:80 in the community, both in our nation and abroad. 00:15:50:80 00:15:53:96 You've been recognized by Philadelphia's Human Relations Award. 00:15:54:16 00:15:57:42 You received the Honorary Citizens Award in New Orleans, 00:15:57:62 00:16:00:24 Partners of America Cultural Exchange in Brazil. 00:16:00:44 00:16:02:68 Definitely a man of our time. 00:16:02:88 00:16:07:28 I want to ask you now about Billie Holiday. 00:16:07:48 00:16:10:36 I know that that is now on the board. 00:16:10:36 00:16:13:79 It's something that we will be seeing, hopefully, in the very near future. 00:16:13:80 00:16:16:84 Why Billie Holiday? Why the Billie Holiday story? 00:16:17:40 00:16:21:52 - [Arthur] Well, I think Billie Holiday is indicative of 00:16:21:72 00:16:24:92 the derogatory statements that go with the arts, 00:16:25:12 00:16:27:60 with singers, with musicians, with jazz. 00:16:27:80 00:16:31:56 And I think that's all right, that people can have negative parts of them. 00:16:31:76 00:16:36:36 But I also think that there is a reason, you know, for people being as they are. 00:16:36:56 00:16:40:88 And I grew up with Billie Holiday's story, and I know it inside out. 00:16:41:80 00:16:48:32 And I think that people need to understand why drugs, why alcohol, why tension, why? 00:16:48:50 00:16:51:60 There are reasons for Billie Holiday to have been what she was. 00:16:51:80 00:16:54:34 And for all of the good things that she was able to do, 00:16:54:34 00:16:57:40 no one ever gave her credit for those things. 00:16:57:24 00:16:59:72 And she is a hero, as far as I'm concerned, 00:16:59:92 00:17:03:52 for us as Black people because of her contribution to music. 00:17:03:55 00:17:05:60 And I think that whereas people have seen 00:17:05:80 00:17:09:59 her on a negative side, I would like for them to see her as a human being. 00:17:09:60 00:17:13:56 And so this is what we'll be doing when this piece is finished. 00:17:13:76 00:17:17:68 I've been working on it for a year and a half now, and because of so many 00:17:17:68 00:17:20:24 other things that have been interfering, it hasn't been finished yet. 00:17:20:25 00:17:24:00 But I think when it's finished, it will make a statement about human beings. 00:17:24:01 00:17:27:43 And Billie Holiday is just a vehicle. 00:17:27:44 00:17:30:68 - [Cynthia] Where does Arthur Hall go from here? What's in his crystal ball? 00:17:30:68 00:17:33:71 What is the future like? What are you going to do after this? 00:17:33:71 00:17:35:75 - [Arthur] I have never known. [both laugh] 00:17:35:76 00:17:38:40 I never know. I just follow the stars. 00:17:38:40 00:17:40:87 - [Cynthia] Arthur, I want to thank you for this time. 00:17:40:88 00:17:44:76 I'm glad that the Durham community has accepted you this year. 00:17:44:76 00:17:47:88 And I look forward to seeing you next year at the--at the arts. 00:17:47:88 00:17:49:95 - [Arthur] Thank you. My pleasure being here. 00:17:49:95 00:17:51:15 - [Cynthia] Thank you. 00:17:54:35 00:18:01:00 [rhythmic drumming] 00:22:23:00 00:22:26:75 Arthur Hall: artist, humanitarian. 00:22:26:76 00:22:29:72 The Arthur Hall Afro-American Dance Ensemble: 00:22:29:92 00:22:32:88 exciting, vibrant, stimulating. 00:22:33:80 00:22:36:92 If you missed them this year, make plans now to see them next year. 00:22:37:12 00:22:40:80 And now this word from DTI. 00:22:45:52 00:22:47:77 - [Operator] This is Daisy, may I help you? 00:22:47:97 00:22:52:10 - [Caller] Yes. Would you put on tape H18, please? 00:22:55:11 00:22:59:39 - [Operator] The tape you requested is ready. And thank you for calling Daisy. 00:22:59:40 00:23:01:60 Consumer and health information, general listening 00:23:01:60 00:23:04:71 or improved reading skills are just a phone call away. 00:23:04:71 00:23:06:23 To find out more about Daisy, 00:23:06:24 00:23:09:40 call 596-0610. 00:23:09:24 00:23:13:80 That's 596-0610. 00:23:15:72 00:23:17:75 - [Cynthia] I have with me in the studio 00:23:17:76 00:23:22:56 Elizabeth Leland, public relations director for the American Dance Festival. 00:23:22:59 00:23:25:51 Welcome to the Arts in Durham, Elizabeth. 00:23:25:52 00:23:28:88 I want to ask--my first question is, I want to know about the birth 00:23:29:80 00:23:32:76 of the American Dance Festival, and who were the parents? 00:23:32:76 00:23:36:26 - [Elizabeth] Well, the dance festival is celebrating its 45th year this summer 00:23:36:26 00:23:39:79 and its second season in Durham, North Carolina. 00:23:39:80 00:23:43:96 The first festival was held in 1934 in Bennington College, Vermont. 00:23:44:16 00:23:47:40 And you need to really look about 10 years 00:23:47:24 00:23:52:76 before then, when American Dance began, there wasn't American Dance until, I guess, 00:23:52:76 00:23:56:60 about the early '20s, and this indigenous art form sprung up, 00:23:56:80 00:23:59:64 and over the years, people began to experiment with it. 00:23:59:84 00:24:03:96 And finally, in 1934, four of the pioneers of American Dance 00:24:04:16 00:24:07:84 decided they needed to leave the confines of New York City and go out 00:24:08:40 00:24:11:40 into the country and really see what this art form was about. 00:24:11:60 00:24:15:32 So Martha Graham, Hanya Holm, 00:24:15:52 00:24:21:20 Charles Weidman and Doris Humphrey took some dance friends of theirs 00:24:21:20 00:24:23:71 and their students and went to Bennington College, 00:24:23:72 00:24:26:28 and there they explored the dance form. 00:24:26:48 00:24:30:76 They taught, they talked, and they came back. 00:24:30:96 00:24:32:48 It was it was such a success. 00:24:32:68 00:24:36:64 And the festival stayed in Bennington until 1942. 00:24:36:84 00:24:39:40 And then during the war years, it wasn't held, 00:24:39:60 00:24:44:72 but resumed again in 1948 in New London, Connecticut, at Connecticut College. 00:24:44:92 00:24:49:84 And from then until 1977, it just grew and grew and grew. 00:24:49:84 00:24:51:83 You saw--coming through the festival, 00:24:51:84 00:24:57:80 we saw people like Alvin Ailey, José Limón, Merce Cunningham, Pilobolus. 00:24:57:80 00:25:00:43 And, you know, these were people who started off in the early stages, 00:25:00:44 00:25:03:80 and now you can see where they've gone to. 00:25:04:00 00:25:07:32 Two years ago, in 1978, the festival moved to Durham, 00:25:07:52 00:25:10:88 and it brought with them an outstanding faculty of the leading 00:25:11:80 00:25:17:96 dance teachers in the nation and who teach a school for about 250 students 00:25:18:16 00:25:20:84 every summer and community outreach programs. 00:25:21:40 00:25:22:81 And we're here now. 00:25:22:81 00:25:25:99 - [Cynthia] Who are the administrators of the American Dance Festival? 00:25:26:00 00:25:31:44 Well, the festival has two core staffs, one in New York City and one in Durham. 00:25:31:57 00:25:35:47 And the two staffs come together for the summer for the festival. 00:25:35:67 00:25:36:68 Up in New York City, 00:25:36:88 00:25:38:76 Charles Reinhart is the director. 00:25:38:76 00:25:40:80 He's the director for the entire festival. 00:25:41:00 00:25:44:88 And he spends most of the year going up to the lofts and choosing 00:25:45:80 00:25:48:16 the dancers that he wants to perform. Down here in Durham, 00:25:48:36 00:25:51:28 Roxanne Vaughn is in charge of the staff. 00:25:51:48 00:25:55:80 We'll be working here year round trying to coordinate the different workshops, 00:25:55:80 00:25:58:75 community classes and different things that'll be going on. 00:25:58:76 00:26:02:48 And Martha Myers is the dean of the school of the festival. 00:26:02:68 00:26:06:56 And while she's not at the festival, she's in charge of the dance program 00:26:06:56 00:26:09:74 at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut. 00:26:09:75 00:26:10:87 - [Cynthia] How are companies selected? 00:26:10:88 00:26:15:12 How does Reinhart select companies for the American Dance Festival? 00:26:15:12 00:26:17:75 - [Elizabeth] Well, Charles Reinhart tries, of course, 00:26:17:76 00:26:21:40 to get a variety of different types of companies. 00:26:21:24 00:26:25:15 And as he tells it, back 10 years ago, when he began as director, 00:26:25:21 00:26:29:45 he used to have to trudge up flight after flight of stairs to get to the companies, 00:26:29:45 00:26:30:68 you know, into the lofts. 00:26:30:88 00:26:36:00 And now, American Dance has finally caught on, and he can take the elevator up there. 00:26:36:20 00:26:41:76 But what he's trying to do is not only bring the companies whose names are known 00:26:41:96 00:26:46:28 and who bring the large crowd, the Pilobolus dance theater, Alvin Ailey, 00:26:46:48 00:26:50:16 Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor-- who's performing this week-- 00:26:50:16 00:26:53:44 but he also wants to bring the emerging and the ethnic companies, 00:26:53:44 00:26:56:71 companies that are just starting out and people haven't heard of 00:26:56:71 00:26:58:89 the companies who, you know, one day will be 00:26:58:89 00:27:01:60 pretty exciting, and people should know about. 00:27:01:60 00:27:05:01 - [Cynthia] Elizabeth, I've got about two minutes left, and I want to ask you: 00:27:05:02 00:27:08:24 what are your duties? I know PR directors stay very, very busy. 00:27:08:26 00:27:10:13 - [Elizabeth] Well, I do all sorts of things, 00:27:10:13 00:27:13:27 from stuffing envelopes and, you know, appearing on shows, 00:27:13:28 00:27:17:76 coordinating the national press and the local press that come down. 00:27:17:96 00:27:22:80 Right now, we're very busy preparing for the Live from American Dance Festival. 00:27:23:00 00:27:25:28 The Paul Taylor Dance Company is-- 00:27:25:28 00:27:27:00 will be performing tonight and tomorrow 00:27:27:10 00:27:28:84 and Saturday in Paige Auditorium, 00:27:28:84 00:27:33:24 and the Saturday performance at nine o'clock will be shown nationwide on PBS. 00:27:33:29 00:27:34:84 So we're pretty busy with that. 00:27:35:40 00:27:40:12 And it'll be the first time a premiere has ever been shown live on television. 00:27:40:12 00:27:42:48 - [Cynthia] I want to thank you for being my guest, 00:27:42:48 00:27:47:80 and I want to thank the American Dance Festival for coming to Durham, North Carolina. 00:27:47:28 00:27:51:72 Dance: a universal language spoken by all. 00:27:51:92 00:27:54:44 I want to thank you for watching. 00:27:58:80 00:28:02:24 Since 1961, Durham Technical Institute 00:28:02:24 00:28:05:88 has been serving the citizens of Durham and the state of North Carolina. 00:28:05:88 00:28:08:74 As a member of the North Carolina Community College System, 00:28:08:75 00:28:12:20 Durham Tech provides educational opportunities for persons to continue 00:28:12:40 00:28:16:32 their education beyond high school. 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Call Durham Tech's Daisy program. 00:29:05:52 00:29:09:96 Daisy includes tapes on Durham Tech, educational skills, health information, 00:29:10:13 00:29:12:68 public consumer information, and general listening. 00:29:12:88 00:29:16:27 An instructional program in reading and writing is also available. 00:29:16:28 00:29:20:52 To find out more about Daisy, call 596-0610. 00:29:20:72 00:29:23:95 That's 596-0610. 00:29:26:10 00:29:32:86 [rhythmic drumming] 00:30:17:36 00:30:19:39 The preceding program has been produced 00:30:19:40 00:30:22:32 by Community Video Services of Durham Technical Institute.