Local Movement: Five Decades of Dance in Ann Arbor - Directors' Cut

Sat, 09/21/2024 - 5:06pm

"The national 'dance boom' of the late 1950's through the 1980's expanded audiences and support for dance. Federal grants supported the development of college dance programs and touring dance companies. The University Musical Society brought dance to the University of Michigan’s Power Center for the Performing Arts, built in Ann Arbor in 1971. Both at the University and in the community, Ann Arbor became a destination for dance. Low-cost performance and rehearsal spaces, community support, and grants helped create and nurture a vital dance scene, and Ann Arbor became home to numerous modern and jazz dance companies including Dance Theater 2, Hydra, Whitley Setrakian’s People Dancing, The J. Parker Copley Dance Company, Jazz Dance Theater, and The Peter Sparling Dance Company. Recurring community dance showcases, such as Spring Dances, Fall Dances, Dancing in Summer, and others took place throughout the year, allowing many choreographers to share their work. The film Local Movement, by Aimee McDonald and Terri Sarris, explores modern dance in Ann Arbor from the 1970's through today." - Terri Sarris

This is the directors' cut of Sarris and McDonald's 24-minute original created for Ann Arbor 200.

Local Movement: Five Decades of Dance in Ann Arbor

Sat, 09/21/2024 - 4:34pm

"The national 'dance boom' of the late 1950's through the 1980's expanded audiences and support for dance. Federal grants supported the development of college dance programs and touring dance companies. The University Musical Society brought dance to the University of Michigan’s Power Center for the Performing Arts, built in Ann Arbor in 1971. Both at the University and in the community, Ann Arbor became a destination for dance. Low-cost performance and rehearsal spaces, community support, and grants helped create and nurture a vital dance scene, and Ann Arbor became home to numerous modern and jazz dance companies including Dance Theater 2, Hydra, Whitley Setrakian’s People Dancing, The J. Parker Copley Dance Company, Jazz Dance Theater, and The Peter Sparling Dance Company. Recurring community dance showcases, such as Spring Dances, Fall Dances, Dancing in Summer, and others took place throughout the year, allowing many choreographers to share their work. The film Local Movement, by Aimee McDonald and Terri Sarris, explores modern dance in Ann Arbor from the 1970's through today." - Terri Sarris

And for more stories from the film, check out the 46-minute directors' cut.

AADL Talks To: Lou Belcher, 55th Mayor of Ann Arbor (1978-1985)

Sun, 09/15/2024 - 8:16pm

In this episode, AADL talks to Louis Belcher, mayor of Ann Arbor from 1978-1985. In addition to his four terms as mayor, Lou was also a city councilman and successful businessman. He recounts memorable stories from his time in office, including the unusual 1977 mayoral contest with former mayor Albert Wheeler; the time he took the RFD Boys to Germany for a sister city celebration; and the infamous Ann Arbor pigeon cull.