This is the modern dance group at Northwestern High School in Detroit in 1964. The photo is from my year book. There is my sister Pearl, 3rd from the left, first row leaning back. She was in the dance group all through high school and also participated in the All City dance group and even contemplated a career in dance but writing won out. Ms. Carty was their advisor/teacher.
Pearl remembers “I remember this number. It was to “Elijah Rock” and we thought the costumes were so cool. Choreography was great, too. We had a whole Martha Graham thing going!
“I think Craig Carter took it from the track that ran around the gym so he was looking down at us“
This photo is taken from an interesting perspective.
Must have been an upper level or they were hanging from the basketball hoop.
I had to do a little modern dance in gym class, but I wasn’t any good at it.
I was ok at it but preferred swimming, which I took for most of my high school career.
This last Saturday my little three year old grand-daughter had a dance recital and the older girls had these kinds of routines, and who ever shot this photo did an excellent job in taking it, because they do move so quickly, between these formations! They sure were dressed nice (respectable) as well, much different from the costumes of today.
I think they were posed for their yearbook photo.
I loved modern dance class although I did miss playing sports as the dance class replaced regular PE so no basketball or softball – both of which I was pretty good at & liked. Oh well. More fun to create & dance to “Slaughter On Tenth Avenue” (our senior final)
Did you all drop down dead at the end?
No, just me. It was a solo performance and I took a long and artful time to die – finally. :))
🙂
A great photograph to match the prompt, even though of a later era – l love the striped skirts.
My mother took modern dance in college but, unfortunately, there no photos. Still would have been a bit later than our dancing prompt.
A perfect image to match the prompt – they even have their arms in the air too!
No little cymbals but the raised arms made me choose them over several others I had from the 1950s.
We didn’t have a modern dance group in high school, but we did a unit on modern dance in PE. We formed groups and choreographed a routine. Almost every group wore the same thing: black tights and their dad’s white shirt. Don’t ask me what that was about.
I have one of a church group from the 1950s and they are wearing that outfit. I decided to go with this one this time.
Yet another perfect image for the theme. Many yearbooks had imaginative student photographers and creative layout editors.
The photographs are pretty good in my yearbook.
These days in our neck of the woods the high schools have Rock Eisteddfod and they prepare all year for the big event in a stadium in Melbourne. It started in Sydney 30 years ago and I believe the idea is spreading world wide. But it involves large numbers of students in dance and movement
I never heard of it. I’ll have to look it up.
What a fantastic photo Kristin. Great find for this week’s theme.
The costumes are great – love those diagonal stripes.
I wonder if they had to make or buy them or if there was a stock of skirts somewhere.
Kristin, I’m impressed that a school had a modern dance in 1964! How great for those girls to have that experience. The photograph is interesting with the costumes, the poses, the arrangement, and the perspective.
It was part of the PE curriculum. I took swimming. It was a not highly rated inner city school, but looking back it offered some good education. We could take Latin, Spanish, French or Russian, for instance.
Great Picture Kristin. Yes the Costumes are very cool. I think I even remember the music, “Elijah Rock”.
Me too Michael. Once my sister mentioned it, came right to mind.
Pearl was correct.The costumes ARE so cool.I Love the composition of the photo.Someone took a lot of thought & care into taking it.Nice one Kristin.
Northwestern was an inner city Detroit high school. Looking back and comparing to what Detroit schools are today – it was such a good school.
I’m amazed a few Sepians could find such great matches for the prompt.
I’ve never seen a flash mob (except on Youtube) – they look so much fun!
That is the only place I’ve seen them too.