Free to Dance

Free To Dance" the story of the African-American contribution to American modern dance,a three-part documentary premiered by DANCE IN AMERICA on Thirteen/WNET New York's GREAT PERFORMANCES in June 2001, is the product of an ambitious project undertaken over a decade ago by the American Dance Festival (ADF). That project -- "The Black Tradition in American Modern Dance" -- originated in the 1980s in conversations with one of ADF's faculty, the late Alvin McDuffie. He was concerned by his students' lack of familiarity with the artistic contributions of black choreographers and dancers. ADF was also concerned that many of the major dances by 20th-century African-American choreographers were in danger of being lost. Determined to stem the tide of this cultural amnesia, ADF decided to make the black tradition in American modern dance the focus of its ongoing Humanities and Public Education programs.

Humanities and Public Education, begun in the late 1970s and made possible by the generous support of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the North Carolina Humanities Committee, and The Rockefeller Foundation, have focused on the "humanistic" dimensions of dance. It is, after all, these dimensions that make dance something more than mere entertainment or recreation, and highlight other aspects besides physical technique. Human beings have always danced, and often for reasons other than fun and games.

For more in Research info:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/freetodance/behind/behind_history.html