Date: Fri 15-Nov-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

HOM-schools-fiddle-foot

Full Text:

with cuts: `Foot & Fiddle' Hoedown At Head O' Meadow

B Y D OROTHY E VANS

Head O' Meadow teachers and students came to school November 7 decked out in

their best bandanas, plaid shirts and denim overalls - setting the tone for a

country Western hoedown.

They knew the assembly that day would be Pat Cannon's "Foot & Fiddle Dance

Company" and they'd read the posters placed throughout the school by the

Cultural Arts Committee, reminding everyone to dress appropriately.

The five-member dance troupe would be tapping, clogging, clapping, singing and

fiddling its way across not only the Head O' Meadow auditorium stage, but also

the stages of St Rose and Middle Gate schools over a two-day period.

At Head O' Meadow, two Thursday morning performances were just the thing to

brighten up a misty, gray November day.

The children seemed ready to for a little down-home fun, so it didn't take

long for Ms Cannon, who is an experienced square dance caller, to generate the

necessary audience participation.

"Hey, Hey, Hey! Black-Eyed Susan!" sang Ms Cannon, as she thumped her guitar

and her sidekick, Lisa Gutkin, fiddled a tune.

"Hey, Hey, Hey, Black-Eyed Girl!" the children yelled back.

Ms Cannon, who has directed "Foot & Fiddle" for more than 15 years, plays

banjo and guitar and is also an award-winning clogger and tap dancer. She and

her fellow performers have entertained at countless school assemblies, as well

at concerts and festivals across America.

"Foot & Fiddle" has appeared frequently with such "Grand Old Opry" stars as

Dolly Parton and Doc Watson, presenting songs and dances that originated in

the mountains of Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina.

In her introductory remarks, Ms Cannon said country, bluegrass and jazz dance

steps represented a combination of Irish, Native American and African-American

elements. But she didn't linger long on academic themes.

A Mozart violin concerto (performed by Ms Gutkin to show the children that a

fiddle, played slowly, could sound like a serious classical instrument)

quickly evolved into a lively folk tune known as the "Chicken Reel."

The children kept time and whooped it up in their seats. Their enjoyment

increased when a few "volunteers" were asked up to the stage for a square

dance.

"Do-si-do and swing your partner!" Ms Cannon called the squares.

The children left sitting in the audience weren't exactly idle. They flapped

their elbows like chicken wings to "Turkey In The Straw" and stamped their

feet to the "Hambone."

"We take music for granted, because all we need do is push a button or turn a

knob," Ms Cannon said.

"But think about it. Less than 100 years ago, if you wanted to hear music, you

had to play it," she said.

For 45 minutes, the "Foot & Fiddle Dance Company" demonstrated just how much

fun "making music" and dancing could be. Ms Cannon and Ms Gutkin played guitar

and fiddle while the three dancers, Kendell Gardner, Tammy Colucci and Tim

Bair, high kicked and strutted their stuff.

When the time was up, everyone agreed it was the foot-stompingest,

hand-clappingest assembly to come along in a coon's age.

"That was excellent!" said one little boy.

"I could watch you all day," Head O' Meadow Cultural Arts Committee co-chair

Kim Webber told the "Foot & Fiddle" dancers during a preview session.

"I couldn't do it all day!" one of the dancers had replied, joking.

Before leaving the Head O' Meadow stage, Ms Cannon told the children why she

and her friends chose country music and dancing as a career.

"We love it because it makes us happy. If you find something you love, find a

way to do it," Ms Cannon said.

Good advice for all of us just plain country folk. Yee Haw!