KEEP DANCING

A FILM BY DOUGLAS BLAIR TURNBAUGH
& GREG VANDER VEER

I belong to a New York based group called Dancers Over 40 which is exactly what it says on the tin, a group of dancers who get together every few months to pay tribute to legendary Broadway choreographers such as Jack Cole, Bob Fosse and Michael Bennett and host panel discussions with the very people who danced for them. These discussions can now be viewed on YouTube and Facebook and are an irreplaceable addition to the dance archive. Tonight I was thrilled to attend my first meeting which included a screening of a new short film called KEEP DANCING from the creator of one of my favourite documentaries, BALLETS RUSSES. This new film tracks the legendary dance figures Marge Champion and Donald Saddler who became friends when they were cast together as a dance team in the 2001 Broadway revival of FOLLIES. When the show closed, they decided to rent a private studio together where they have been choreographing and rehearsing original dances ever since. They are both 90 years old. Marge Champion, looking Hollywood glamorous, was present at the screening to answer questions. An added bonus was the presence of Gemze de Lappe (bottom picture) who came to Australia way back in 1949 to reproduce Agnes De Mille's choreography for OKLAHOMA. Ms de Lappe will be taking part in a panel discussion about DeMille's legacy later this month.