Our Dances
video, 28 minutes, 1997

Featuring
The Penobscot Student
Dance Troupe

Penobscot Nation
Indian Island School
Maine

Festival credits | To order


Maine Student Film and Video Festival
Celebrating 20 Years
Box 4320 Portland, ME 04101-0520
Phone 207/773-1130 e-mail hueyfilm@nlis.net

Our Dances
directed by Tiana Vermette, an eighth grade student at Indian Island School, Penobscot Nation, Indian Island, Maine, features the Penobscot Student Dance Troupe. The video is about the cultural importance of these dances to the students of Indian Island School.

Our Dances
presents a close up look at five Penobscot dances: Creation, Snake, Medicine Man, Green Corn, and Duduwas. Students talk about why they dance and how they feel about their heritage and passing on tribal traditions. Animated sequences created by the students explain the stories behind the origins of the dances. Director Tiana Vermette is seen narrating the video from several locations important to the Penobscots in Maine, along the shores of the Penobscot River, in the Maine woods, and on top of Green Mountain (now known as Cadillac Mountain) in Acadia National Park on Mt. Desert Island.

The soundtrack is performed by students under the direction of Wabanaki musician John Bear Mitchell. The dancers are lead by Barry Dana, Penobscot, and Culture Teacher at Indian island School. Fine Arts Teacher Michael Vermette supervised the animation sequences. Huey was the video artist in residence working with the students in recording the dances, consulting on the animation, and editing the video.

Our Dances
has been selected for screenings at Indian Island School videos have won awards at.

Our Dances
is distributed by

Maine Alliance of Media Arts
Box 4320 Portland ME 04101-0520 | 207-773-1130 | e-mail

If you wish to order
Our Dances
please see ordering information
and fill out the coupon available here

Other videos available from MAMA

See also