SAY BROTHER: IMPRESSIONS {DANNY SLOAN DANCE CO.} (TV)
Summary
One in this weekly series of programs reflecting the
concerns and the culture of the African American
community. This episode, narrated by Cleavon Little,
presents two works by the Danny Sloan Dance Company,
expressing two contrasting impressions of Black
American life. Also included is an interview with
Sloan, accompanied by biographical information. The
program begins with the dance piece, "The Gospel
According To...," SloanÕs tribute to the Black church,
based on songs from the Broadway musical "Your Arms
Too Short To Box With God." The Voices of Heaven Choir
provides the majority of the music, as the dance
company members interpret a traditional Baptist church
service. Next, producer Barbara Barrow-Murray
interviews choreographer Danny Sloan. They discuss his
late introduction to dance and the highlights of his
dance career. After clips of SloanÕs performances with
the Geoffrey Holder Dance Company and the Talley Beatty
Dance Company, he speaks about his choreography career,
which began while he was the dance director of the
National Center of Afro-American Artists, and he
comments on his choreography of "The Gospel According
To..." The next dance piece, "Troubleman," pays
tribute to the late singer Marvin Gaye and is based on
GayeÕs soundtrack for the film "Troubleman." The dance
is performed outdoors in the cul-de-sac of a
neighborhood of brownstowns. It tells the story of a
street hustler named Troubleman and a communityÕs
reaction to the destructive street life that he
represents. After the hustler tries to turn a
neighborhood woman to prostitution, the community
turns against Troubleman and protests the drugs and
crime that are tearing it apart. The piece concludes as
community members forcibly remove Troubleman from
their midst.
Series title varies: Since 1998, the series "Say
Brother" has been telecast under the title "Basic
Black.")
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 1999.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WGBH Boston, MA
- DATE: November 30, 1984
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:43
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:15714
- GENRE: Dance; Arts Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-Americans - Music; Dance; Dance companies; Choreography
- SERIES RUN: WGBH (Boston, Mass.) - TV series, 1968-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Raquel Ortiz … Executive Producer for Community Affairs
- Barbara Barrow-Murray … Producer, Series Producer, Writer, Interviewer
- Beth Deane … Associate Producer, Writer
- Phil Gay … Director
- Marvin Gaye … Composer, Performer, "Troubleman" soundtrack
- Danny Sloan … Choreographer, Guest
- Danny Sloan Dance Co., The … Dance Company
- Voices of Heaven … Choir
- Cleavon Little … Narrator
- Barbara Barrow-Murray … Interviewer
- Ronald McCoy … Cast, The Preacher, Dancer
- Raymond Johnson … Cast, Elder, Dancer
- Christien Polos … Cast, Elder, Dancer
- Judy Cohen … Cast, a congregation member, Dancer
- Libby Flanagan … Cast, a congregation member, Dancer
- Patty Rayburg … Cast, a congregation member, Dancer
- Suzanne Coyles … Cast, a congregation member, Dancer
- Marianne Harkless … Cast, a congregation member, Dancer
- Andrea Taylor … Cast, a congregation member, Dancer
- Keith Taylor … Cast, Troubleman, Dancer
- Annette Brown … Cast, Lady of the Evening, Dancer
- Monica Neill … Cast, Lady of the Evening, Dancer
- Diane Beaton … Cast, a community member, Dancer
- Arthur Cincotti … Cast, a community member, Dancer
- Jacquelyne Curry … Cast, a community member, Dancer
- Natasha Davison … Cast, a community member, Dancer
- Jonatha Nelson … Cast, a community member, Dancer
- Jimmy Viera … Cast, a community member, Dancer
- Montgomery, Dennis, III … Instrumentalist, Organist, Singer, Voices of Heaven choir
- Ronald Palmer … Instrumentalist, Drummer
- Winston McCow … Instrumentalist, Bass Guitarist
- Jeffrey Sparks … Instrumentalist, Saxophonist
- Charleyne Corbett … Singer, Voices of Heaven choir
- Michael Hind … Singer, Voices of Heaven choir
- Dezi Page … Singer, Voices of Heaven choir
- Robin Purcell … Singer, Voices of Heaven choir
- Donald Sanders … Singer, Voices of Heaven choir
- Marlon Saunders … Singer, Voices of Heaven choir
- Vida Simon … Singer, Voices of Heaven choir
- Charles Walker … Singer, Voices of Heaven choir
- Debra Lindsay … Cast, Nurse
- Howard Brown … Cast, a congregation member
- Jesse Farrier … Cast, a congregation member
- Elliott Francis … Cast, a congregation member
- Greg Hart … Cast, a congregation member
- Clifford McIntyre … Cast, a congregation member
- Barbara McLear … Cast, a congregation member
- Wendy Wise … Cast, a congregation member
- Judith Banks … Cast, a congregation member
- Virdean Benford … Cast, a congregation member
- Carolyn Brown … Cast, a congregation member
- Linda Dozier … Cast, a congregation member
- Pauline Fitts … Cast, a congregation member
- Ethel Gilley … Cast, a congregation member
- Tonio Hood … Cast, a congregation member
- Irene E. Key … Cast, a congregation member
- April Lewis … Cast, a congregation member
- Mildred Lucas … Cast, a congregation member
- Barbara McLean … Cast, a congregation member
- Louise Miller … Cast, a congregation member
- Darrah Pate … Cast, a congregation member
- Chauncy Price … Cast, a congregation member
- Eidca Stokes … Cast, a congregation member
- Susie Taylor … Cast, a congregation member
- Sharon Thomas … Cast, a congregation member
- Dorothy Waring … Cast, a congregation member
- Marthe Whitehead … Cast, a congregation member
- Shirley White … Cast, a congregation member
- Caesar Brown … Cast, a protester
- Allen Collier … Cast, a protester
- Doris Curry … Cast, a protester
- Marta DeJesus … Cast, a protester
- Joseph Harrison … Cast, a protester
- Billy Houston … Cast, a protester
- Lorraine Glynn … Cast, a protester
- Marie Guinier … Cast, a protester
- Clifford Mintyre … Cast, a protester
- Pierre Monette … Cast, a protester
- Dorothy Murphy … Cast, a protester
- Gene Murray … Cast, a protester
- Lorraine Pina … Cast, a protester
- David Rogers … Cast, a protester
- Michael Rudder … Cast, a protester
- Beatrice Sampong … Cast, a protester
- Maria Salmon … Cast, a protester
- Fern Smith … Cast, a protester
- Cheryl Sneed … Cast, a protester
- Waymon Stanton … Cast, a protester
- Atia Walker … Cast, a protester
- Catherine Walker … Cast, a protester
- Robert Walker … Cast, a protester
- Allen B. White … Cast, a protester