October 25, 1996
Who Says There Are Plenty of Good Women Hoofers in Philadelphia? A New Videotape and Exhibition Produced by the Philadelphia Folklore Project!

Philadelphia - The Philadelphia Folklore Project announces a first: a series of neighborhood sneak previews of a new 50 minute videotape entitled "Plenty of Good Women Dancers: African American Women Hoofers from Philadelphia." Directed by Germaine Ingram, tap dancer and lawyer; Barry Dornfeld, filmmaker and NYU professor; and Debora Kodish, folklorist and Philadelphia Folklore Project director, this documentary-in-progress offers a candid, provocative glimpse into the lives of dancers prominent during the golden age of swing and rhythm tap (1930s - 1940s). Whether you are a lover of tap, interested in issues of whose histories are perpetuated, or just open to meeting women of uncommon integrity, please join us and offer your reactions to this work-in-progress videotape at these Free preview showings:

November 10, 2:00 PM
Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts
736 S. Broad Street, South Philadelphia

November 17, 3:00 PM
West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Paul Robeson House
4951 Walnut Street, West Philadelphia

November 20, 7:30 PM
Point Breeze Performing Art Center
1717-21 Point Breeze Avenue, South Philadelphia
November 21, 7:30 PM
Drake Theater (hosted by the Philadelphia Dance Alliance)
1512 Spruce Street, Center City

As well, the new exhibition, "Plenty of Good Women Dancers," is on display at the Clef Club (736 S. Broad Street) until March 21, 1997. It can be seen on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10 AM-4 PM and by appointment. Please call the Philadelphia Folklore Project for details at 215.726.1106. A February premiere of the finished videotape will take place at the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts.

In the videotape, three Philadelphians vividly recall the challenges and pleasures of dancing when "they weren't supposed to be there, out-dancing a man." Featured dancers Hortense Allen Jordan, Edith "Baby Edwards" Hunt, and Libby Spencer are forthright, reflective and gracious. Collectively, their dance careers span an astonishing 160 years. These hoofers count themselves as part of a legion of dancers who learned from one another by trading steps behind the stage and in Philadelphia shed kitchens, and who honed their fabulous routines in clubs and theaters around the country.

Pioneering steps, choreography and roles for themselves and those to come, Jordan, Hunt and Spencer represent some of the very best entertainers in Philadelphia's tap history. Although few of these women's names are in history books, movies or research collections, each forged a role for herself in the oral annals of dance history. Along with other women profiled in the videotape, they choreographed and produced shows, danced as tap acts, in the chorus line, in novelty acts, and as song and dance teams. They typically danced as partners with men where they were called on to supply beauty and style. Restricted to few roles, unnamed in credits, these African American women dancers have remained anonymous within and outside of the entertainment industry and sometimes even in the communities in which they reside. This videotape and the accompanying exhibition have begun to name and honor the women who influenced and entertained generations of dancers and audiences from the 1920s through the present.

Philadelphia Folklore Project programs to expand audiences for folk arts are supported by the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund. This project is supported by grants from The Pew Charitable Trusts, National Endowment for the Arts, William Penn Foundation, Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, CoreStates, and our members.

The Philadelphia Folklore Project (PFP) is a 10-year-old independent public folklife agency committed to supporting and enhancing local folk arts that testify in important ways to powerful human experiences often written off, ignored or overlooked. We offer exhibitions, concerts, workshops, and assistance to artists and communities. Staff conduct ongoing field research and organize around issues of concern. PFP also maintains an archive, issues publications and shares resources. For further information, contact Debora Kodish at 215.726.1106 or write c/o Philadelphia Folklore Project, 735 South 50th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19143.