Greg Adams - Posted - 02/28/2013:  07:55:17

If anyone is interested in some of the latest research focused on breathing new life into contested parts of America's past—looking at the intersection of African- and Irish-American antebellum jig dancing—then perhaps you’ll be interested in this article written by Stony Brook University historian April Masten: common-place.org%2fvol-...fmasten%2f" target="_blank">http://www.common-place.org/vol-13/no-02/masten/. I was fortunate to be one of the people April features in her article because of my involvement in early banjo history and banjo performance.

I hope you'll enjoy it.

Greg

Marc Nerenberg - Posted - 02/28/2013:  08:18:16

Well, this link just brought me to a place that wanted my user name and password, so it's clearly not available to just any one. I don't even know what entity the user name or password would be for, so I can't respond and get past that page.

Greg Adams - Posted - 02/28/2013:  08:23:40

Sorry about that Marc. Perhaps I didn't do the link properly. Try this: common-place.org/vol-13/no-02/masten/

Marc Nerenberg - Posted - 02/28/2013:  10:17:03

Thanks - the second link does indeed work.

But now, I have to work as well!

I'll have to read the article later!

The Old Timer - Posted - 02/28/2013:  10:46:34

Excellent! Great little video at the bottom.

unclescott - Posted - 02/28/2013:  11:57:51

Great article Greg.  I think we often overlook just how much dancing had on the influence of early banjo playing, and even banjo playing in general.  I found a clip from the Banjo Project site with Sule Greg Wilson and Tony Trischka  working on some early dance steps. It is great to see Tony playing a gourd banjo.

vimeo.com/14438757

Now if only I could get my fingers to "walk effortlessly across the banjo's neck" like Greg does, I'd be happy. They probably would have described my playing as "Stumbling across the banjo's neck like a drunk after drinking a jug of bad hooch"

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 03/01/2013:  15:57:07

Greg,

Interesting project you've got yourself involved in. 

I tracked April's work back to her Youtube page and it is clear she's an accomplished Foxtrot dancer, too.

Lew