![.
Graves-a-Poppin'
by Jonathon Neville & Carlynn Reed
Hellzapoppin' is a 1941 movie based on a variety show which at the time was the longest-running Broadway show (1938-1941). The movie was panned, but the lindy hop dance scene with Frankie Manning and Whitey's Lindy Hoppers made history. The music, performed by Slim & Slam, was composed by an unknown full-time employee of the movie studio. There's no official name for the music, but Hellzapoppin' will do.
In 1967, the live theatre show was revived, and Louis Armstrong was hired to play a new song called Hellzapoppin' (composed by Marion Grudeff and Raymond Jessel).
We combined parts of these two songs, and also added "Ain't No Grave" - a song that has been recorded by over a hundred times - this time by "The Goodmans".
We call the result "Graves-a-poppin'".
Meaning? Oh I don't know. Not zombies! The meaning is more a question than a statement: Nothing is too late, beyond revival? Maybe it's that when we "get" what-could-be-called the cosmic joke, we laugh until we're light and thus we all get in to "the good place" - both in some afterlife and in this life - a world where everyone gets their meaning and delight from becoming channels for creation / "Creation". So graves popping open is a good thing?
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Late Edit to Add:
Want the medium-long version? Okay...
Environmental Economics boasts that unlike linear models it includes feedback loops, but it still assumes we Produce to Consume to be happy. What if we flip that - reframing so we Consume to Create - not just to say "look at me, I'm an artist!", but to participate in creating a truly creative world?
Math and economics and theatre and dance can all be ways of modelling systems - dance can be a way of finding both harmony AND freedom (not mutually exclusive). Most of our classes don't even begin to go this deep, but dance is one way you can become aware of the story you tell yourself (the model in your mind of your system - whatever relational 'system' you want to explore), put it to the test, take your life through a creative process and find a new or refined story - embodied, felt it "in your bones".
So what's the [Max characters reachd]](data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs=)
09/25/2025
Graves-a-Poppin' -- 76 โค๏ธs on source post. Athletic Swing + Contact Improv
by Dance Orangeville's Jonathon Neville + Carlynn Reed
Hellzapoppin' is a 1941 movie based on a variety show which at the time was the longest-running Broadway show (1938-1941). The movie was panned, but the lindy hop dance scene with Frankie Manning and Whitey's Lindy Hoppers made history. The music, performed by Slim & Slam, was composed by an unknown full-time employee of the movie studio. There's no official name for the music, but Hellzapoppin' will do.
In 1967, the live theatre show was revived, and Louis Armstrong was hired to play a new song called Hellzapoppin' (composed by Marion Grudeff and Raymond Jessel).
We combined parts of these two songs, and also added "Ain't No Grave" - a song that has been recorded by over a hundred times - this time by "The Goodmans".
We call the result "Graves-a-Poppin'".
Meaning? Oh I don't know. Not zombies! The meaning is more a question than a statement: Nothing is too late, beyond revival? Maybe it's that when we "get" what-could-be-called the cosmic joke, we laugh until we're light and thus we all get in to "the good place" - both in some afterlife and in this life - a world where everyone gets their meaning and delight from becoming channels for creation / "Creation". So graves popping open is a good thing?
--------
Edited to Add: Want the medium-long version? Okay...
Environmental Economics boasts that unlike linear models it includes feedback loops, but it still assumes we Produce to Consume to be happy. What if we flip that - reframing so we Consume to Create - not just to say "look at me, I'm an artist!", but to participate in creating an inspired world?
Math and economics and theatre and dance can all be ways of modelling systems - dance can be a way of finding both harmony AND freedom (not mutually exclusive). Most of our classes don't even begin to go this deep, but dance is one way you can become aware of the story you tell yourself (the model in your mind of your system - whatever relational 'system' you want to explore), put it to the test, take your life through a creative process and find a new or refined story - embodied, felt it "in your bones".
So what's the meaning of Graves-a-Poppin'? It's not totally manifest in the dance alone, but maybe it's the relief of discovering that stuck systems can transform, that environmental disaster isn't necessary for rich lives (thanks to imagination and humour and play through dance and theatre and embodied music - and engineering) - that joyful harmony is still possible - on the dance floor, in global politics, in our private lives.
In any case, with the arts of music and dance, gravity gives up to levity, and even depression can turn into dance. (Carlynn's son had completely debilitating depression for 14 years, physically unable to move. For 10+ years I was sole caregiver for my mom with Alzheimer's. We created a play with our families about our families - and that process seems to be why Carlynn's son is now a highly successful musician traveling the continent with his band and his wife.)
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Want the underlying revolution? Okay...
Most dancers separate social dancing from artistic dancing, but Dance Orangeville helps people experience artistry within play. It may take time, but we don't only work outside in, giving a dance version of "painting by numbers", we also work from the inside out, growing you to the point where you aren't only doing moves you've been taught, you're in the zone of the inventors of these dances, creating on-the-fly.
Dance Orangeville grows culture so the best artistic dancing comes not from stamping pre-set choreography onto dancers, but more often comes from improvisation. Many dance performers are so focused on what on audience sees - so intent on impressing an audience - that they aren't able to truly feel the moment - whether solo or with a partner or group - so the result is only half as impressive as it could be if they were open to the subtle-or-spectacular magic that can happen when you are real, living in-the-now.
(This living-in-the-now, by the way, paradoxically gives you a better sense of past and future.)
We are creating a culture where instead of dance requiring a big production budget and a paying audience, we experience creativity within ourselves, whatever our abilities, and with each other. I'm not saying we never see professional productions - I'm saying that seeing excellence should inspire, not create a divide where some people identify as not-a-dancer. Professionalization of art can lead to a world where instead of everyone singing, dancing, storytelling and play-acting as part of our everyday lives, it's reserved for the pros. So go see great artists - AND let that excellence enrich what you do. (We'll provide opportunities.)
Before TV and the internet, most people went out dancing. Will we revive that? Perhaps not, but we can make going out dancing a great option.
Join us on the floor? Behind the scenes?
Don't want to be part of the big vision - just want to have fun? Great!
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Performed at the Axis Syllabus' Nomadic College at Earthdance, Massachusetts.
Performers based in Toronto and Hockley Valley.
This video on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOokdT0DG69/
Current classes and events: facebook.com/groups/danceorangeville/posts/1286848672687712/
โค๐๐
Reviving soon:
inspiredeconomies.com
makemeachannel.com
letlaughrule.com
Coming soon:
creativeworkout.com
caregiverconfessions.com
playbyplay.ca
torontosgottalent.com
dancingtheworld.com
fusionfest.com
etc...
.
Graves-a-Poppin'
by Jonathon Neville & Carlynn Reed
Hellzapoppin' is a 1941 movie based on a variety show which at the time was the longest-running Broadway show (1938-1941). The movie was panned, but the lindy hop dance scene with Frankie Manning and Whitey's Lindy Hoppers made history. The music, performed by Slim & Slam, was composed by an unknown full-time employee of the movie studio. There's no official name for the music, but Hellzapoppin' will do.
In 1967, the live theatre show was revived, and Louis Armstrong was hired to play a new song called Hellzapoppin' (composed by Marion Grudeff and Raymond Jessel).
We combined parts of these two songs, and also added "Ain't No Grave" - a song that has been recorded by over a hundred times - this time by "The Goodmans".
We call the result "Graves-a-poppin'".
Meaning? Oh I don't know. Not zombies! The meaning is more a question than a statement: Nothing is too late, beyond revival? Maybe it's that when we "get" what-could-be-called the cosmic joke, we laugh until we're light and thus we all get in to "the good place" - both in some afterlife and in this life - a world where everyone gets their meaning and delight from becoming channels for creation / "Creation". So graves popping open is a good thing?
--------
Late Edit to Add:
Want the medium-long version? Okay...
Environmental Economics boasts that unlike linear models it includes feedback loops, but it still assumes we Produce to Consume to be happy. What if we flip that - reframing so we Consume to Create - not just to say "look at me, I'm an artist!", but to participate in creating a truly creative world?
Math and economics and theatre and dance can all be ways of modelling systems - dance can be a way of finding both harmony AND freedom (not mutually exclusive). Most of our classes don't even begin to go this deep, but dance is one way you can become aware of the story you tell yourself (the model in your mind of your system - whatever relational 'system' you want to explore), put it to the test, take your life through a creative process and find a new or refined story - embodied, felt it "in your bones".
So what's the [Max characters reachd]
02/25/2026
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09/25/2025
![.
Graves-a-Poppin'
by Jonathon Neville & Carlynn Reed
Hellzapoppin' is a 1941 movie based on a variety show which at the time was the longest-running Broadway show (1938-1941). The movie was panned, but the lindy hop dance scene with Frankie Manning and Whitey's Lindy Hoppers made history. The music, performed by Slim & Slam, was composed by an unknown full-time employee of the movie studio. There's no official name for the music, but Hellzapoppin' will do.
In 1967, the live theatre show was revived, and Louis Armstrong was hired to play a new song called Hellzapoppin' (composed by Marion Grudeff and Raymond Jessel).
We combined parts of these two songs, and also added "Ain't No Grave" - a song that has been recorded by over a hundred times - this time by "The Goodmans".
We call the result "Graves-a-poppin'".
Meaning? Oh I don't know. Not zombies! The meaning is more a question than a statement: Nothing is too late, beyond revival? Maybe it's that when we "get" what-could-be-called the cosmic joke, we laugh until we're light and thus we all get in to "the good place" - both in some afterlife and in this life - a world where everyone gets their meaning and delight from becoming channels for creation / "Creation". So graves popping open is a good thing?
--------
Late Edit to Add:
Want the medium-long version? Okay...
Environmental Economics boasts that unlike linear models it includes feedback loops, but it still assumes we Produce to Consume to be happy. What if we flip that - reframing so we Consume to Create - not just to say "look at me, I'm an artist!", but to participate in creating a truly creative world?
Math and economics and theatre and dance can all be ways of modelling systems - dance can be a way of finding both harmony AND freedom (not mutually exclusive). Most of our classes don't even begin to go this deep, but dance is one way you can become aware of the story you tell yourself (the model in your mind of your system - whatever relational 'system' you want to explore), put it to the test, take your life through a creative process and find a new or refined story - embodied, felt it "in your bones".
So what's the [Max characters reachd]](https://img5.schoolandcollegelistings.com/573/473/1553794065734737.jpg)
09/25/2025
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