Dance Me Outside
Encyclopedia
Dance Me Outside is a 1995 drama film
directed and co-written by Bruce McDonald. It was based on a book
by W.P. Kinsella,
in Northern Ontario
. Silas Crow (Ryan Black) is a young man confused about his direction in life; he wants to take an automobile mechanic's course in college, but is uncertain whether he should apply. His general confusion with life is most readily evident in his appearance. He wears an old, ratty black hat resembling a fedora, as well as a long, black trench coat. Frank Fencepost (Adam Beach
) is Crow's best friend, and Sadie Maracle (Jennifer Podemski) is his girlfriend.
Events are set in motion when a young girl from the reserve is murdered by Clarence Gaskill (Hugh Dillon
), a white man who gets off with a light sentence, prompting the community to demand vengeance..
, also contributed several songs to the film's soundtrack. Dillon later starred in McDonald's Hard Core Logo
, and has since gone on to become an acclaimed actor in television series such as Durham County
and Flashpoint
.
The band Leslie Spit Treeo
had a cameo in Dance Me Outside, performing in concert at the reserve's community hall, "The Blue Quill Hall". Blue Quill is a borrowed name of a community in W.P. Kinsella's hometown of Edmonton
. Other contributors to the soundtrack included the folk music
duo Kashtin
.
and Sucker Creek First Nations reserves near Parry Sound
.
, was spun off from the film in 1996. In the series, Frank Fencepost was played by Darrel Dennis instead of Adam Beach
, who was instead given the role of the chief's son, Charlie. Ryan Black and Jennifer Podemski kept their roles, while Podemski's sister Tamara played a new character named Lucy.
. The Canadian tape contained the music video for "Cemetery" performed by The Headstones
. Video Service Corporation released the film on DVD in 2008.
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed and co-written by Bruce McDonald. It was based on a book
Dance Me Outside (book)
Dance Me Outside is a collection of short stories written by W. P. Kinsella in 1977.The book contains seventeen stories narrated by Silas Ermineskin and is set on a Cree Indian reserve in Central Alberta and is about what happens in the lives of the people that live on the reserve.-Film and...
by W.P. Kinsella,
Plot
Set on the Kidabanesee reserveIndian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
in Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
. Silas Crow (Ryan Black) is a young man confused about his direction in life; he wants to take an automobile mechanic's course in college, but is uncertain whether he should apply. His general confusion with life is most readily evident in his appearance. He wears an old, ratty black hat resembling a fedora, as well as a long, black trench coat. Frank Fencepost (Adam Beach
Adam Beach
Adam Ruebin Beach is a Canadian Saulteaux actor.He is best known for his roles as Tommy on Walker, Texas Ranger, Kickin' Wing in Joe Dirt, Marine Private First Class Ira Hayes in Flags of Our Fathers, Private Ben Yazzie in Windtalkers, Dr...
) is Crow's best friend, and Sadie Maracle (Jennifer Podemski) is his girlfriend.
Events are set in motion when a young girl from the reserve is murdered by Clarence Gaskill (Hugh Dillon
Hugh Dillon
Hugh Dillon is a Canadian musician and actor.-Music career:Dillon was the lead singer for the Kingston hard rock band The Headstones from 1987 until 2003...
), a white man who gets off with a light sentence, prompting the community to demand vengeance..
Production
Dance Me Outside was the first acting role for Dillon, who was previously known as a rock singer. His band, The HeadstonesThe Headstones
Headstones are a Canadian hard rock band that began in the late 1980s in Kingston, Ontario and were active until 2003, subsequently reforming in 2011. The band consists of vocalist Hugh Dillon, guitarist Trent Carr, bassist Tim White, and drummer Dale Harrison...
, also contributed several songs to the film's soundtrack. Dillon later starred in McDonald's Hard Core Logo
Hard Core Logo
Hard Core Logo is a 1996 Canadian mockumentary adapted by Noel Baker from the novel of the same name by author Michael Turner. Director Bruce McDonald illustrates the self-destruction of punk rock...
, and has since gone on to become an acclaimed actor in television series such as Durham County
Durham County (TV series)
Durham County is a one-hour Canadian dramatic television series produced by Back Alley Film Productions Ltd. and Muse Entertainment Enterprises...
and Flashpoint
Flashpoint (TV series)
Flashpoint is a Canadian police drama television series that debuted on July 11, 2008, on CTV in Canada and ran on CBS in the United States for its first three and a half seasons. In 2011, Ion Television began airing new episodes of the series in the United States...
.
The band Leslie Spit Treeo
Leslie Spit Treeo
Leslie Spit Treeo were a Canadian folk-rock band in the 1980s and 1990s. The band took its name from the Leslie Street Spit area of Toronto Harbour.-History:...
had a cameo in Dance Me Outside, performing in concert at the reserve's community hall, "The Blue Quill Hall". Blue Quill is a borrowed name of a community in W.P. Kinsella's hometown of Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
. Other contributors to the soundtrack included the folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
duo Kashtin
Kashtin
Kashtin were a Canadian folk rock duo in the 1980s and 1990s, one of the most commercially successful and famous musical groups in First Nations history....
.
Filming locations
The film was shot at the Shawanaga, WasauksingWasauksing First Nation
Wasauksing First Nation is an Ojibwa, Odawa and Pottawatomi First Nation located near Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada....
and Sucker Creek First Nations reserves near Parry Sound
Parry Sound, Ontario
Parry Sound is a town in Central Ontario, Canada, located on Parry Sound on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay. Parry Sound is located south of Sudbury and north of Toronto. It is the seat of Parry Sound District, a popular cottage country region for Southern Ontario residents. It is also the...
.
Television series
A television series, The RezThe Rez
The Rez was a first nations, Canadian television series, which aired on CBC Television from 1996 to 1998. Most of the characters were based on W.P...
, was spun off from the film in 1996. In the series, Frank Fencepost was played by Darrel Dennis instead of Adam Beach
Adam Beach
Adam Ruebin Beach is a Canadian Saulteaux actor.He is best known for his roles as Tommy on Walker, Texas Ranger, Kickin' Wing in Joe Dirt, Marine Private First Class Ira Hayes in Flags of Our Fathers, Private Ben Yazzie in Windtalkers, Dr...
, who was instead given the role of the chief's son, Charlie. Ryan Black and Jennifer Podemski kept their roles, while Podemski's sister Tamara played a new character named Lucy.
Availability
After the film's spring 1995 theatrical run, the film was released on videocassette in 1995 by A-Pix Entertainment and in Canada that same year by Cineplex OdeonCineplex Odeon
Cineplex Odeon Corporation was one of North America's largest movie theatre operators, with theatres in its home country of Canada and the United States...
. The Canadian tape contained the music video for "Cemetery" performed by The Headstones
The Headstones
Headstones are a Canadian hard rock band that began in the late 1980s in Kingston, Ontario and were active until 2003, subsequently reforming in 2011. The band consists of vocalist Hugh Dillon, guitarist Trent Carr, bassist Tim White, and drummer Dale Harrison...
. Video Service Corporation released the film on DVD in 2008.