Ethnographic Film Series
In the Moment reveals a world of improvised poetry traditions and competitions, and explores their variety, commonalities, history, and complexity. The hour-long documentary introduces the viewers to payadores, emboladores, decimistas, extempo artists and more from Argentina, Uruguay, Canary Islands, Brazil, Portugal, Italy, Trinidad, the Basque region of Spain, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgystan as well as freestyle rap artists from the U.S. The film features charismatic poets and musicians who are masters of the art of improvisation, dueling with one another and commenting on the meaning of the traditions and of life itself in improvised rhymes. Performances and interviews with poets are interwoven throughout the film, giving the viewer an opportunity to learn about individual traditions through featured poets and to see the interconnections between the traditions.
Steve Zeitlin is a folklorist, writer, cultural activist, and the Founding Director of City Lore, New York’s center for urban folk culture. He received his Ph.D. in Folklore and Folklife from the University of Pennsylvania, and is the author or coauthor of 10 award-winning books on America’s folk culture.
Amanda Dargan has been a public sector folklorist and educator for forty years. As Education Director for City Lore, she designs folk arts education programs that serve over 10,000 New York City students each year. She has taught folklore as an adjunct at several universities, has published numerous articles on folklore and education, and is a co-author of City Play, winner of an Opie Prize. She curates exhibits and produces documentary films, including In The Moment: Poetry Duels and Improvisations. She has a Ph.D. in Folklore from Penn and an M.A. in Folklore from Memorial University of Newfoundland.
- Hosted by
- Elphinstone Institute
- Venue
- MacRobert Building, MR051
- Contact
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Free event, no booking required.