About the Film
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 nationwide. Leader of the Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra, whose seminal recordings brought traditional New England dance tunes to musicians around the country, Dudley was the caller who introduced a younger generation to the traditional repertoire preserved by Ralph Page. Crowds of young people flocked to “Dudley dances” throughout New England, and “Dudley dancers” then spread contras around the United States, from San Diego to St. Louis to Seattle.
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 historic performances at the Newport Folk Festival and the National Folk Festival to his later work in schools and community dances, Dudley Laufman's fifty-year career is brought vividly into focus. Commentators include Peter Barnes, Dillon Bustin, Steve Hickman and Randy Miller; they describe the central role that Dudley played, looking at the man, the music, and the dancing.
