07 Jan Let’s Get the Rhythm: the Life and Times of Miss Mary Mack

Let’s Get the Rhythm chronicles girls’ handclapping games on inner-city playgrounds, and in remote corners of the world offers homage to the beauty of the beat. Three eight-year-olds from diverse New York neighborhoods charm viewers with their personal insights as they learn, share, and eventually outgrow the tradition. While highlighting the rhythmic movements and gestures, the film also showcases images preserved in ancient Egyptian reliefs and 1930’s archival footage, collected by Alan Lomax and Laura Boulton. Choice observations by folklorist Bess Hawes and ethnomusicologist Kyra Gaunt accentuate the empowering impact of the genre in the lives of women.